Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/491377
38 STiR tea & coffee industry international / Issue 2, 2015 (April/May) Bubble tea from Amanzi Green tea creme frappuccino by Starbucks Green tea latte set from Mighty Leaf Coconut Mango Sakura Allure by Teavana Green tea mojito by Silk Road Tea Modern Ways to Drink Green and White Tea Cocktail mixologists love tea as an exciting and innovative ingredient that challeng- es their creativity. The trendiest cocktail menus offer concoctions such as green tea mojito, made with lime juice, mint, green tea, sugar, and white rum; cucumber and green teani mixed with vodka, green tea, sugar syrup, lemon juice, fresh ginger, ba- sil leaves, and a pinch of salt; or infuse jasmine green in gin then add lemon juice, a little honey, egg white, and soda and shake well for a jasmine gin fizz. Bacardi is even distilling tea, fermenting a mash of tea leaves that is blended at the Grey Goose distillery in Cognac, France to make a "bold and fragrant" spirit with the "smooth and bitter-sweet taste of tea. "Tang" in 500 ml bottles sells for $250. Almost any green tea makes an excellent base for iced tea, tea mocktails, and bubble tea. Traditional tapioca balls or a scoop of few fruit-flavored bubbles added to a tall clear beaker of jasmine green or sencha makes a refreshing, fun, take-away tea to suck up through a fat straw. Matcha too is a big hit with lovers of smoothies, frappes, and lattes and mixes well with blended fruits and yoghurt, hot or cold milk, vanilla and honey, or hot water mixed with coconut milk and sweetener. At Amanzi, London's most successful tea bar, a creative and innovative range of green tea mixes is capturing the attention of a growing number of loyal custom- ers. "We want to change people's perception of tea by doing something different with it," explained Antonia Hyltén-Cavallius, assistant to Amanzi's director. "We aim to redefine the category in new and exciting ways for people to enjoy, experiment, and explore the world of tea. A whole section of our menu is dedicated to creative blends based on tea, including our incredibly popular matcha latte, our indulgent matcha frappes with flavors like Oreo cookies and Nutella, our chai, and refreshing virgin cocktails like lychee mar-tea-ni, and elderflower rose mar-tea-ni, or our fun bubble teas in an array of colors and delicious flavors. So far we've had incredible feedback, and it's exciting to see people trying new and exotic blends, experimenting with our unique flavour profiles and pushing the boundaries with our tea based cocktails and blended drinks. Our customers range from business men and local professionals, to new mothers and fashionistas, to students, local resi- dents, and those looking for a healthier alternative," said Hyltén-Cavallius. White tea infusions blend well into syrup for a fruit salad mix of exotic lychees and pomegranate seeds. Or for an unusual cocktail, add white tea flavored with jasmine, roses, or lavender to vodka; muddle blueberries and raspberries with white tea for a fruity mocktail; or add pomegranate or apricot-flavored white tea to sparkling white wine for celebratory white tea bubbly.