Name: Mo-tea-to
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: ½ cup white sugar; zest from one lemon; 1 tablespoon loose leaf jasmine tea; 12 peppermint leaves (torn to release the essential oils); 2 ounces vodka; 1 ½ ounces rum; juice of 2 lemons; sprigs of peppermint leaves (to garnish)

Mo-tea-to

A tea cocktail drink, mo-tea-to is a refreshing fusion of mojito and lemon-mint tea.

Based on a recipe from The Bar, my version of mo-tea-to has lemon instead of lime. In lieu of steeping a bag of mint tea, I steeped loose-leaf jasmine tea with mint leaves to make the base of the drink. And to heighten the citrusy aroma, I added lemon zest to the simple syrup.

Wonderful drink. Even my husband, Speedy, our resident cocktail drinks mixer, says so.

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Steeping time 15 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine Fusion

Servings cups

Cups of mo-tea-to and a bottle of Smirnoff

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Ingredients

Simple syrup

½ cup white sugar
zest from one lemon

Mint tea

1 tablespoon loose leaf jasmine tea
12 peppermint leaves torn to release the essential oils

Make mo-tea-to

2 ounces vodka
1 ½ ounces rum
juice of 2 lemons
sprigs of peppermint leaves to garnish

Instructions

Make the simple syrup

Boil together the sugar with half a cup of water and the lemon zest. When the sugar dissolves, turn off the heat.
Cool the syrup (see notes after the recipe).

Make the mint tea

Place the tea in a mug or bowl.
Add the torn peppermint leaves.
Pour in about a cup and a half of hot water.
Allow to steep for about four minutes.

Mix the mo-tea-to

Strain the tea into a teapot.
Add the lemon juice, vodka, rum and about two ounces of the cooled simple syrup.
Stir and taste. Add more lemon juice or syrup, or vodka and rum, until you come up with the most pleasing balance of flavors.
Place some ice cubes in tea cups then fill the cups with mo-tea-to.
Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

Notes

Excess simple syrup can be kept at room temperature for a day or two.

A tea cocktail drink, mo-tea-to is a refreshing fusion of mojito and lemon-mint tea.

Updated from a recipe originally published in February 6, 2014

Keyword Rum, Tea, Vodka