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Cocktails suited to a tea
Being what you might technically call a dude, we never embraced the idea of having afternoon tea anywhere - never mind someplace as formal as Swan’s Cafe tearoom at the Park Plaza Hotel - as a way to pass a couple of hours.
But had we known it serves a selection of tea-based cocktails, we might have stopped by a little sooner. Turns out afternoon tea is just another way of saying happy hour with nice tablecloths.
“Tea has a tremendous culinary potential,’’ says tea sommelier Cynthia Gold. And cocktail potential, too. “That’s my agenda. To get the word out there.’’
A good place to start would be her Tea 101 class. The next installment, to be held tomorrow, will focus on summer iced tea blends and iced tea sangrias.
The two tea sangrias we tried are selling around the corner at the hotel’s Bonfire restaurant at the moment, but will soon migrate over to Swan’s Cafe or its adjacent bar and lounge. The Darjeeling and Pear (Riesling, Darjeeling tea, pears, $9) was light and refreshing. Darjeeling teas, from Northern India, are known for their astringency and natural floral and fruit tones.
“The Darjeeling had subtle pear under notes I wanted to bring out here,’’ says Gold.
Similar, but more complex and aromatic, was the Jasmine Tea Sangria (Yin Hao jasmine tea, Riesling, brandied fruits, $9). Here the fruits develop in brandy for a day before they’re added to the wine and tea infusion, where it then sits for another day, allowing the flavors to develop. (Want to try this at home? Don’t let them sit for too long, because the tea and fruits will begin to break down.)
Among the rotating selection of tea-infused white ports, we tried one made with black tea, lavender, and rose petals. The aromas on this one were remarkable, all floral and dark sweetness. The port itself is cloyingly sweet, but the tea adds layers.
“I’m not looking for an alcoholic tea, I’m looking to use tea to change the aromatics, flavor profile, and texture of the drink,’’ says Gold. The Yin and Tonic (gin infused with Ti Kuan Yin tea, $9) was a good example of this theory in practice. Here the tea rounds out the body and flavor of the gin, adding a touch of earthiness and complementing the juniper berries and spices. The Ti Kuan Yin is known for its natural smokiness and spice with a finish of stone fruit. This makes it ideal for pairing with spicy foods, so take notice if you’re looking for a tea cocktail to serve at your summer barbecue.
Elsewhere, the Keemun Cream (Keemun Hao Ya A tea slowly infused into vodka with a touch of cracked pepper, Baileys, $8.50) uses tea to balance the sugar you expect from a creamy Baileys cocktail. The Green Tea Martini (below left; vodka slowly infused with Chinese Dragon Well tea, dried peaches, quince, mallow blossoms, and vanilla bean, garnished with dried cranberries, $11) is pretty much entirely alcohol.
“Sometimes people hear ‘Green Tea Martini’ and they envision iced tea with a little alcohol in it,’’ says Gold. “That’s not what this is.’’ Not by a long shot. “I look at cocktails as life in balance,’’ she says. “You have the alcohol to relax you, the caffeine to energize you, and a healthy dose of antioxidants to round it out. What could be better?’’ This was exactly the kick we needed after a long afternoon tea to get us up and out into the city. Sometimes this relaxing business can be a lot of work.
Swan’s Cafe, The Boston Park Plaza Hotel, 50 Park Plaza, Boston. 617-654-1906. 617-426-2000. www.bostonparkplaza.com
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