Tea Cocktails

I'm not a big drinker, it's not that I don't like alcohol I just don't find it that interesting or good most of the time. Beer tastes too yeasty and I don't like the harsh burn of most spirits. I do however like Gin and I love tea (see my version of the wonderous Hot Toddy for proof), so I have been happily surprised by the number of pubs that have started serving Tea Cocktails (hot or cold) yet few have actually managed to make something intriguing and tasty.

The first one I had was a Royal G and Tea (Gin and Earl Grey Tea with a dash of lemon and sugar) at The Colonel Fawcett in Camden Town. It sticks in the mind because it was the first Tea Cocktail I had come across outside of my own kitchen, but sadly the tea was not good quality nor properly steeped and honestly the idea was pretty standard fare.

Others trials have regretfully been unmemorable due mostly to lack of imagination. Most seem to think that regular tea with alcohol and sugar added will somehow magically make for an interesting tipple. At best it's soothing. At worst it is a bitter concoction reminiscent of hokey medicinal elixirs.

Then in swoops the Mad Hatter's Tea a wonderful blend of tea, Gin and pink peppercorn syrup. The mix was excellent with no flavour drowned out by the other. I thought the syrup might have more bite but it was sweet and zingy complimenting the Portobello Road Gin well. The tea was good quality and well prepared making the whole a delight to sip.

Mad Hatter's Tea

And the china tea cup was the cherry on top!
I will definitely be going back to the Elk in the Woods and try their other Tea Cocktails and trying to come up with more ideas of my own.

Hot Toddies

'Tis the season for runny noses and sore throats.

Knock on wood, I've been fairly lucky so far and have only been blowing my nose constantly, however that hasn't prevented me from indulging in my favourite cold cure - the hot toddy.

My grandmother used to give me these soothing beverages whenever she was called upon to care for me during a bout of winter illness. Her version was simple: black tea, squeeze of lemon, and honey...
It wasn't until I was a teen that I realised adults got a more restorative variation of the drink with alcohol in it (usually rum, whiskey or gin).

I know that many make hot toddies with hot water only, but I have to say I quite enjoy the extra added flavour and relaxing qualities that tea brings to the mix. Also it's much better if making a virgin toddy as hot water with lemon, honey and spices just doesn't seem to soothe in the same way. So here is my recipe.

Tea toddy
- 1 cup black tea (I usually use Earl Grey as I always have a lot about and I like the way the bergamot flavours pair with the other ingredients)
- Squeeze of lemon (fresh or not either works) to your taste (I like bitter flavours so use half a lemon)
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 teaspoon roughly chopped ginger
- 4 cloves
- Optional - 1 shot gin (I'm a gin lover and find it goes really well with the Earl Grey, but you can use whiskey or rum instead)

Just toss all the ingredients into your cup of tea and give it a quick stir. You can strain the spices out but personally I think the longer they're in there the better.


Check out this more traditional tea-less toddy.
Felicity Cloake's Perfect Hot Toddy