The tea cocktail has existed almost since the dawn of time. Sometimes it is enough to decorate the tea with spices and herbs , as Moroccans do with green tea with mint , or just ice it by mixing it with fruit to obtain a cocktail with the most delicious tea . It's good: this summer at the cocktail hour, the cocktail with tea is de rigueur. And for the more reluctant, just revisit the great classics of cocktails. Mojito tea, Cosmopolitan tea, Sex on the beach tea, tea punch , Tequila sunrise tea ... there is more to be tempted!

The tea cocktail, a trend imported from the United States

The United States introduced us to iced tea twenty years ago. We have seen a new, less traditional way of consuming tea. It is therefore logical that the tea cocktails began to appear until recently make the buzz. With or without alcohol, they are infinitely variable. , Ceylon tea, Earl Gray tea or scented tea: each tea has a cocktail. And with each tea his cocktail:
- Green tea goes well with sake, Cointreau or Vodka.
- Earl Gray tea goes very well with Gin.
- The tea notes of rose and fruity lychee blends perfectly with champagne and chestnut flavored tea with chestnut cream.

Aperitif , digestive , morning, afternoon, tea time , in the evening or for a special occasion ... as for all cocktails, it is important to choose a tea cocktail according to the tasting moment. For an aperitif for example, we opt for a cocktail with aniseed herbal tea and at the time of the digestive, we let ourselves be tempted by an Irish Tea , the Irish Coffee revisited tea.

Tips and tricks for making tea cocktails

To make a tea cocktail, you have to infuse the plants in the liquid of your choice (water, alcohol, milk, cream). And to achieve this, there are 3 ways to do it:
- The infusion : tea is allowed to infuse in a hot liquid out of the fire for a certain time. This is the classic way to make tea.
- The decoction : tea is cooked in the liquid, which allows to extract much more active ingredients of some plants. This technique is interesting for herbal or culinary use, but it should be used with caution.
- Maceration : tea is infused at room temperature for at least one hour (more or less long depending on the desired intensity).

The temperature, hot or cold, is a key point for the success of a tea cocktail. It is therefore very important to follow cocktail recipes to the letter: often developed by professionals and specialists, the techniques used in the recipes highlight the characters of the teas used. The precise measurement of each ingredient provides a balanced tea cocktail. Between the sweet, sour and bitter side, everything is a matter of nuance.

Thanks to Lydia Gautier and Victor Delpierre, authors of the book Tea-Tail Party, € 14.95, published by Hachette Cuisine (photos by Jean-François Mallet).