honey green tea and mango mezcalita
Smoking out the weekend from the doldrums of the week with a Saturday cocktail. We made it!
This week has been special. And I don’t mean in a positive, fun-loving way: I mean someone tipped the contents of some convoluted devil’s head right onto the city of Tampa, and probably elsewhere. Broken machinery, cancelled plans, a continued inability to taste and smell, plus some of the other issues about which friends have confided in me.
Yeah, other than J’s birthday and a couple other little highlights here and there, this month has been dumb.
I know the virtue of patience. I just don’t have it. I know I’ll heal, I know my runs will start to feel a little better, I know I’ll find a jazzy groove in some facets of life that are lacking. I also know that espresso machines and ovens breaking at work ain’t my fault. It’s also okay to not feel great about things all the time, so long as it doesn’t consume everything in your reach.
So, let’s sit down together and enjoy a Honey Green Tea and Mango Mezcalita. It’s light, refreshing, hinted with gentle notes of earthy green tea and a good smoke from the mezcal, along with a fruity tinge of mango and orange liqueur. Keep this guy for Easter, too!
J showed me a Reddit thread of Keanu Reaves apparently answering random questions fans asked him, and one of them regarded the best cocktail he’s ever tried: noted was some green tea and mezcal drink. This guy, though I’m sure not really a replicate, is my iteration of the rumored bev. With a nice little mango twist, because spring.
Tea for Two
A foremost note about this recipe is the serving size is for two cocktails. That’s because boiling 1 little under 1/2 cup of water for one drink is kind of silly. Though, you certainly can if you’re feeling a little silly.
Start with your tea. Boil that water, stir in some honey, and steep a few bags of your favorite green for about 10 minutes. You can go longer, if you wish, but I wouldn’t do more than 20 minutes else you’ll get a pretty bitter bite. Cool the tea to room temp.
When the tea is no longer scalding, mix up that drank. Muddle some fresh mango chunks, mango preserves (for an extra flip of mango flavor) and lime juice until the fruit is also squooshy. Pour in the green tea, some mezcal, and orange liqueur, and shake it all up with some ice.
Strain into a glass, top it up with some more ice, and sip it up!
I like to finish each glass with a lime wheel and some mango slivers, because a boozy slab of mango is quite refreshing.
If you don’t like mezcal, this combination is just as lovely as a tequila margarita. I understand that mezcal is polarizing and not everyone loves the smokiness. I’m betting it’d also be nice as a spritz-type drink with vodka, or a mojito with rum. Basically, every type of alcohol works, so if you panic because you’re out of mezcal, subbing is a breeze.
Tries this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
More pretty little Easter sips:
honey green tea and mango mezcalita
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 green tea bags
- 1-2 tbsp honey, or to taste
- 1/2 cup mango chunks
- 2 tbsp mango preserves
- 3 oz mezcal
- 1 oz Cointreau (orange liqueur)
- 1 oz lime juice
- lime wedges and mango, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil in a small sauce pot. Remove from heat and stir in the honey, then add the tea bags. Steep for 10-15 minutes. Discard the bags and let the tea cool.
- In a shaker, muddle the mango chunks, mango preserves, and lime juice. Measure in the tea, mezcal, and Cointreau. Fill with ice and shake until cold. Strain into two cocktail glasses, adding additional ice as needed. Garnish with lime wedges and mango, as desired.
