As we head into the long weekend to celebrate summer vacations and warm beaches, I am dreaming of lush greens and fruits at the local farmers’ market. It truly is the best time of the year and my favorite season to experiment with old concepts through new ingredients. I cooked ramps for the first time a few days ago and it was glorious.
Last summer, when we first started this blog, I made lavender syrup following Deborah Madison’s instructions. This summer, I decided to add my favorite tea to the party – say hello to jasmine tea syrup.
I drink jasmine green tea almost every morning and I think it’s time it got more love. It’s nothing but delicious and healthy. With jasmine syrup in mind, it was time to concoct a summer drink worthy of Memorial Day weekend. Think fizzy and bright.
A few notes: I used a muddler for this recipe instead of a citrus squeezer because I wanted to mash the mint with the fruit. This creates a great base for a cocktail, but stands beautifully on its own. Lastly, use good quality tea – you want a nice, floral note for this limeade.
Sparkling Jasmine Limeade
by W.
Serves 2
¾ cup cane sugar
¾ cup hot water
3 jasmine teabags (try Smith Tea)
¼ cup fresh mint
3 limes
½ lemon
Sparkling water
Put sugar and jasmine tea bags into a bowl. Pour in hot water and let steep for at least five minutes. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and you’re left with a syrupy texture. Remove the teabags and let it cool. Feel free to adjust the amount of jasmine tea you use – mine had a light aroma of jasmine.
Cut limes into quarters and divide the lemon into fours as well. Split the portions of citrus into two and place them into glasses. Divide up the mint and add to the mixture. Grab a muddler and start mashing the citruses and mint until all the juices have been released.
Add 2 tablespoons of the jasmine syrup, ice, and then top off with sparkling water. Give it a gentle stir and you’re done!
Add some rum to this and you’ve got yourself the coolest mojito. You can store the jasmine syrup in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.