Spiked Strawberry-Red Iced Green Tea

In her book Green Tea (Harvard Common Press: 2006), gourmet food store co-owner Mary Lou Heiss doesn't include any alcohol in this recipe, but she says it would be tasty with a shot of vodka or light rum in each glass. The flexibility makes it a great beverage for a crowd that includes imbibers and teetotalers and the deep red color makes it a natural for Federal holiday bashes.

"The addition of the fruit syrup underscores and enlivens the strawberry flavor," says Heiss, who lives in western Massachusetts but takes frequent tea-sourcing trips to Asia.

Ingredients:

10 oz. can frozen strawberry daiquiri mix (non-alcoholic), diluted with 1 can cold water
2 cups chilled green tea
2 Tbs. black currant, strawberry or raspberry syrup
ice cubes
strawberries and sugar, for garnish
Optional: 1 oz. shot of vodka or light rum per serving

Instructions:

1. Put the strawberry daiquiri mixture into a medium-size pitcher and stir until thawed and blended. Add the chilled green tea and fruit syrup and mix thoroughly.
2. Pour the tea mixture (and alcohol, if using) into tall glasses filled with ice.

Next: Vanilla Hot Chocolate Seduction
Back: All-American Whiskey Stone Sour