Even though it’s true, aren’t you tired of reading business updates that start with “in these uncertain times?” Yeah, us too. But it is comforting to know that we’re all in this together (you may have heard that too 😂). A lot of us are looking for ways to make staying in a little more like going out, like making cocktails at home! You know, just like the fancy ones we would spend 15 bucks on. Bonus points if you get your quarantine partner to serve them to you.
These tea-infused cocktails are fun, easy, and they’re written specifically for those of us who are self-quarantined. Meaning we’ll give you some tips and workarounds so that you can (hopefully!) make this with what you already have in your home.
Spiked London Fog Tea Cocktail
When the restaurants and bars open back up, you’ll want to know this piece of trivia...
Q: Where did the famous London Fog drink originate?
A: Surprisingly, it is widely believed to have been coined in Vancouver, BC.
Stash was built on challenging convention and vibrantly reinterpreting how people experience tea. If you’re willing to shake things up a bit (literally), try this classic Earl Grey tea latte as a cocktail.
Ingredients
Makes one 8 oz drink
(scroll to the bottom for alternative suggestions)
- 2 tbsp loose leaf Decaf or regular Double Bergamot Earl Grey
- 3 oz hot water
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 oz vodka
- 1 oz whipping cream
- 1.5 oz oat milk
- 1 tsp stevia
- 1 egg white
- ½ cup ice
Directions
- Steep Stash Decaf or regular Double Bergamot Earl Grey loose leaf tea in 1/4 cup near-boiling water for 5 minutes.
- Remove the tea, add stevia and vanilla, and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
- In a shaker, combine the vodka, whipping cream, oat milk, egg white and 1/2 cup ice.
- Shake vigorously.
- Strain ice and pour mixture into a fancy glass. Make sure you get the froth for the top.
Happy sipping!
If you don’t have…
Decaf or regular Double Bergamot Earl Grey loose leaf tea
You can easily replace it with any of our other Earl Grey teas, loose leaf or 4 tea bags. If you enjoy lavender and vanilla, try using Breakfast in Paris. This is a great way to add yet another twist to this recipe.
Vodka
Gin is the best replacement for this recipe. A subtle bourbon would also be an interesting flavor to add. If you prefer tea mocktails to cocktails, simply trade out the spirit for more tea. Just make sure that when you add more hot water to the tea, you add more tea as well, to keep the flavor from diluting.
Oat milk
Almond milk would be a great replacement. If you prefer regular milk, we suggest 1% or higher.
Whipping cream
If you don’t have this, you can leave it out or replace it with whatever kind of milk you are using. The drink won’t be quite as creamy, but it’ll still be nice and frothy from the egg white.
Egg white
Don’t be scared of adding egg whites to your cocktail, people have been doing it for decades! Egg whites add a lot of frothy texture to cocktails when they are shaken with other ingredients. We do suggest that you add this ingredient since you’ll be missing out on some nice textural features without it.
Stevia
If you don’t have stevia on hand, regular sugar will work fine. You just want to make sure that you put it in while the tea concentrate is hot to let it dissolve. Simple syrup is another great option. If you really want to experiment, honey or agave would noticeably change the flavor, but not necessarily in a bad way.
London Fog drink variations
If you’re a new London fog fan, you may not know that the Starbucks Earl Grey Latte is a version of London Fog. If you’re a fan of this recipe, check out some other “foggy” drinks that could be easily transformed into a cocktail by switching up the recipe above:
- Manchester Fog – steamed soy milk with a sugar-free vanilla syrup in Earl Grey tea.
- Seattle Fog – soy misto (½ water, ½ soy, steamed) with 2 pumps of vanilla syrup and one pump of hazelnut syrup, in with double-strength Earl Grey Tea.
- Oregon Mist – The same as London Fog, but substituting green tea and amaretto for Earl Grey and vanilla. Popularized by the Glenwood restaurants in Eugene, Oregon.
- Dublin Fog – The same as London Fog, only replacing Earl Grey with Irish Breakfast Tea.
- Maui Fog – The same as London Fog, only substituting coconut for vanilla syrup.
- Halifax Fog – The same as a London Fog, substituting Nova Scotian maple syrup for vanilla syrup.
*Thanks to WikiBooks for this extensive list.
Wild Raspberry Hibiscus Tea-Infused Cosmopolitan
What do Carrie, Sam, Miranda and Charlotte all have in common? They love a good cosmo. This is a Tea-Infused Cosmopolitan recipe and it’s written specifically for those of us who are self-quarantining. That means we’ll give you some tips and workarounds so that you can (hopefully!) make this with the ingredients you have at home.
Ingredients
Makes one 8 oz drink
(scroll to the bottom for alternative suggestions)
- 2 tea bags Stash Wild Raspberry Hibiscus herbal tea
- 2 oz vodka
- Lots of ice
- Lime
- 4 oz cranberry juice
- Bonus points if you have .5 oz Cointreau (orange liqueur)
Directions
To make the Tea-Infused Wild Raspberry Hibiscus Vodka
- Put vodka and tea bags into a container with a lid. Use one tea bag for every ounce of liquor.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Squeeze out the tea bags and discard.
To Make the Tea-Infused Cosmopolitan
Pre-recipe prep:
Small details like an extra cold glass will make this quarantine drink feel more luxurious. First, put the cups you would like to use in the freezer. Keep them in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
Another way to add some extravagance to your drinks while at home is by including garnishes. For this cosmo, we’ll add a lime twist to top it off. To make a lime twist for your cosmo, follow these directions: first, cut the lime in half across the equator. Slice off a thin round piece. Cut this round slice in half and trim off the fruity flesh. Twist the peel into a curly q. It should hold its shape without too much effort. Voilá!
- In a shaker, add ice, Wild Raspberry Hibiscus Vodka, cranberry juice, lime, and Cointreau.
- Shake well!
- Pour the mixture into your cold glass.
- Garnish with lime twist.
Happy sipping!
If you don’t have...
Stash Wild Raspberry Hibiscus tea
There are many other tea flavors that will work for this recipe. Pretty much any of our fruity flavors will do, but we think the following would make for an especially fun tea-infused cosmo: Lemon Ginger, Mango Passionfruit, Coconut Mango, White Peach, Orange Spice, Asian Pear Harmony.
Vodka
We suggest light-colored spirits for this cocktail recipe. Or if you prefer your drinks sans spirits, turn this recipe into a mocktail by swapping out the vodka for water.
Lots of ice
If you don’t have ice you’ll want to make sure that all your ingredients are very cold, including your glass.
Lime
If you don’t have a lime in your house, feel free to use any other citrus fruit. Lemon and oranges would both be great options.
Cranberry juice
Cranberry juice is a main flavor in cosmopolitans, but special times call for special measures. We tried this recipe out with a pineapple orange juice (it’s what we had on hand) and it was still delicious.
Make sure you tag us #stashtea if you try these recipes! We would love to see how yours turns out.
Stay tuned! More recipes to come.