Swearing off alcohol, Don Kavanagh rediscovered the art of tea.
DEAR LORD, it’s been a tough few weeks.
The social pressure to have a few drinks over the holiday period was all too much for me and I have to admit that I caved in.
I am weak; mea culpa.
Still, giving up alcohol over an extended period does have its advantages — for a start, I’ve rediscovered the joy of tea.
Now I realise that you don’t read this column to be informed about plant-based soft drinks, but bear with me, because tea can have a fantastic effect on a good drink, whether as an ingredient or simply as a substitute after a few days of steady drinking.
Tea is a mild stimulant, thanks to the presence of caffeine and theobromine (which also occurs in chocolate) and it is widely assumed to have health benefits, although none of these have been categorically proven.
Nevertheless, it’s a hugely popular beverage in its own right and few things can beat the heart-starting effects of a strong cup of black tea in the morning.
It’s also a very versatile plant, with many types and strengths of tea around.
What all of these tea types share is that lovely cooling, slightly drying effect they have on the palate. Whether it’s delicate green tea or black-as-coal-dust Irish breakfast style, it is a fantastically refreshing drink.
Recently I’ve been experimenting with using tea in cocktails, or more specifically, using tea instead of spirits as a cocktail base.
Standard tea, brewed to a medium strength and sweetened with a little sugar syrup makes a lovely alternative to brandy or whisky in a cocktail.
And a green tea mojito (or a peppermint tea mojito, for those who love mint) offers a refreshing, non-alcoholic drink for people of any age.
If you want to mimic the taste of rum, simply use tea and ginger ale, with a slug of sugar syrup, and then add your mixers.
But if you still fancy a “proper” drink, then you can still use tea and some producers are already doing that. Absolut’s Wild Tea and Elderflower vodka is delightfully different and makes a great cocktail base.
Brewing a pot of tea and allowing it to cool gives you a nice ingredient that will add that cooling effect and also give a dryness that makes for a really grown-up drink.
You could try it mixed with Irish whiskey over ice and topped with soda and a wedge of lime. Or you could make a Long Island Iced Tea with real tea, or simply mix with gin and bitter lemon for a classic summer thirst-quencher.
There really are very few things that don’t go better with tea.