This one’s for you ladies; Give it a try on a September evening and you’ll never want another cocktail again…
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I’ve tried plenty of Iced-Tea cocktails in recent years, some classic and some I’ve made up, and when it comes to my female friends this has to be one of their favourites. Now it’s not just for the colour, that’s kind of stereotypical, it’s because of the flavours… Combining smaller amounts of the base spirits and adding a double dose of Raspberry liqueur helps sweeten the drink (and is the reason for the pink hue). The best thing about this cocktail however, has to be the versatility to mix with fruitier mixers. The recipe below is the classic version, and below that you’ll find the best mixers to substitute in for the sour mix… Take your time working out the kinks in this recipe, make a few up and enjoy yourselves. Trust me when I say you’ll love them:
Purple Passion Tea:
1 peeled Passion Fruit
(7ml) ¼ measure Vodka
(7ml) ¼ measure Rum
(7ml) ¼ measure Gin
(14ml) ½ measure Chambord (Raspberry Liqueur)
(112ml) 4 measures Sour Mix
(7ml) ¼ measure Lime Juice
Top up Lemonade
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Method:
1) Muddle the passion fruit in a shaker and then add ice.
2) Add all of the ingredients (except the lemonade) and shake well (5-10 seconds).
3) Strain into an ice filled glass.
4) Top with the lemonade and garnish with a hulled passion fruit halve on the rim of the glass.
This cocktail is a less-alcoholic version of the famous long island iced tea (using half the amount of alcohol) and therefore a little easier to handle. Knocking down the alcohol levels does several things for the drink, one of which is the balancing of flavours. If you up the alcohol, you lose the Chambord (raspberry) and passion fruit flavours.
Fervent Shaker Top Tip: For an added touch of fruitiness try substituting half of the sour mix with either pomegranate or cranberry juice. Also, for a really classy touch, try using Hibiscus soda instead of the lemonade (if you do try to garnish with a Hibiscus Flower)…
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This is perfect to drink with desserts and works well with Cheesecake or Citrus tarts, perfect with the odd bit of sorbet also. Have you ever tried an ice-cream soda? – Home-made it’s just a dollop of ice-cream with a top up of Lemonade. – This is not a new dessert by any means, but this cocktail should have a fruity flavour to compliment such an ambitious idea.
So until next time drinkers, drink up and enjoy!
The Fervent Shaker 