Cocktails with Jasmine tea
Jasmine tea is green tea scented with jasmine blossoms.
How it's used
Brew it cooler and shorter than you would for drinking: water well off the boil, about two minutes. Over-extracted tea turns astringent, and sugar does not hide that. Cold-brewing overnight avoids the problem. It pairs with gin, elderflower, honey and citrus, and gives a non-alcoholic drink some backbone.
Substitutes for Jasmine tea
Jasmine tea bags
Any jasmine green tea works perfectly. Brew it normally and make sure to chill it before mixing.
Jasmine pearls
These hand-rolled leaves are scented exactly the same way. They unfurl slowly, so give them enough time to open fully.
Green tea with jasmine syrup
Brew plain green tea and stir in a barspoon of jasmine syrup per 100 ml. Keep in mind the syrup adds a little sweetness.
Unscented green tea
Won't work. It provides the body and tannin but completely misses the delicate floral perfume.
Storage
Dry leaf keeps months in a closed tin away from light, and it loses the jasmine before it loses the tea. Brewed, it wants the fridge and a day or two at most.
