I’ve been drinking a great deal of coffee lately. Although it usually appears that people who prefer coffee dislike tea, and vice versa, I feel that the two sometimes complement each other in unlikely ways. For instance, I just started using a Keurig coffee maker to brew my tea; in fact, I might be unintentionally sipping a little coffee while I write this. Essentially, I find that there isn’t always a reason to segregate the experience of these two beverages.
I wasn’t sure if I would like the Keurig, but I have recently realized how convenient it is to alternately brew an espresso-like coffee and a full-bodied Camellia sinensis. Similarly, when I arrive at work in the morning, I find it almost imperative to have a cup of Joe at 9:00 AM and something akin to a ginger-white tea infusion at 10:30 (and maybe a little bit of H2O in between these sips if I get dehydrated). In total, I am probably drinking way too many hot beverages in one day than is healthy, but in don’t foresee an end to this in the near future.
Without wanting to sound too materialistic (although I shouldn’t have to worry because this article is about “tea tools”), I have also recently acquired a few martini shakers, which I plan to use primarily for iced tea infusions. I learned how to make cold infusions as a “tea-rista” and am excited to try my own recipes. I have found that martini shakers are excellent for creating fruit, herb, and ice concoctions. I am writing this post partly to ask other tea fans if they have ever prepared iced tea in this way, or if they know of any delectable alcohol/tea (or mojito-like) recipes.
What would you make and what garnishes would you use? I have only used mint, lemons, oranges, and cucumbers in the past, but I am excited about other possibilities.
Although I can’t offer any interesting combinations, I love the idea of using a martini sharker for making ice tea infusions. Very suave indeed!