Embark on a refreshing journey where the familiar companionship of tea and lemon takes a delightful twist. Iced tea and lemonade, whether in the iconic Arnold Palmer, the vibrant Sunjoy, or the simplicity of 'Half and Half,' have always been a testament to the perfect pairing. Picture a symphony of flavors—half brisk iced tea, half invigorating lemonade—melding together over a chorus of clinking ice cubes. This chilled elixir, where the bold tannins of tea meet the sweet vibrancy of lemonade, mirrors the culinary magic found in timeless pairings like chocolate and peanut butter. Get ready to savor a refined rendition of this classic duo with our sophisticated Lady Grey Lemonade recipe.
Many common iced teas are made from Orange Pekoe or similar black teas. The strong bitter tannins really give you that brisk invigorating experience when you gulp down a cold iced tea on a hot summer day. Especially if it has that good ice! That is part of what makes the Half and Half such a great partner in this good cop, bad cop duo. Well, we took that pairing and tried to shake things up a bit by opting for a chilled Earl Grey in place of traditional iced tea. The citrus notes imparted from the Bergamot orange are clear once you know where to look for them. In testing this unfortunately swung the pendulum a little too far in the opposite direction. The Earl Grey brought a less direct bitterness to the drink that allowed the sour acidity of the lemon juice to overpower it. It became no longer a Half and Half as the traditional ratios brought an unbalanced offering to the table.
We rolled the dice again and decided to run with the idea of a milder experience, something more, dare I say, dainty? A swap of the Earl Grey for a sophisticated Lady Grey complimented our lemonade nicely. Instead of drowning it in sugar, honey dissolved while the tea is still hot and steeping balances the acidity of the lemon juice and instead of a Half and Half, the ratio is stronger on the lemonade side. Just like the name of the tea implies, this Lady Grey Lemonade is a classy and gentle drink that is refreshing and bright and makes a great mocktail to serve when the temperatures start to rise. The lemon peels in the Lady Grey tea compliment both the lemonade and the Bergamot.
Nutritional Information
The provided nutritional information has been compiled from various online sources and should be regarded as an estimate. Actual nutritional values may vary based on factors such as specific ingredients used, variations in portion sizes, and individual preparation methods. It is advisable to consider these numbers as general guidelines rather than precise measurements. For accurate nutritional information, it is recommended to consult with a registered dietitian or utilize specialized nutritional analysis tools based on the exact ingredients and quantities used in your preparation.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, as all the ingredients used are inherently gluten-free. It's a delicious option for those who follow a gluten-free diet, but it's also perfect for everyone to enjoy without any special modifications. Verify that your individual ingredients are gluten free before making as manufacturers may change their ingredients at any time.
Serving Size: 1 Glass
Calories: 25
Protein: 0 g
Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 4 g
Ingredients
Lemonade (Crystal Light)
Lady Grey Tea
Honey
Lemon Juice
Salt
Ice
Lemon Peel Garnish
Dried Pea Flowers
Instructions- Lady Grey Lemonade
Preparation
This is an extremely quick recipe to make..., as long as you have fully prepped your ingredients and your mise en place is ‘misenplaced’. That prep though, is at least mostly passive. Begin by brewing your Lady Grey tea as you would if you were going to enjoy a nice comforting cup of tea. Honestly, if you prepare this the night before, it is the perfect opportunity to have yourself a cup of tea and simply brew an extra cup or two for tomorrow. The ratio in this drink is about 3-1 lemonade to tea, so every 8 ounce drink needs 2 ounces of tea, (I am so sorry for my public American education, rounding the conversion to 30 milliliters per ounce, each 240 milliliter drink needs 60 milliliters of tea). Also stir in 1 teaspoon (basically 5 ml.) of honey per cup of tea brewed.
Take this time to enjoy your own cup of tea while the brewed Lady Grey starts to cool on the counter. By the time your tea is finished, it should have cooled enough that it can be placed in the refrigerator overnight. I often use glass Mason jars, so I get nervous about placing a really hot glass in the cold refrigerator. Even if it should be fine, my brain just won’t let me take those chances.
Optional Enhancements
We also have some optional additions and considerations for your preparation. This drink is served in a glass with ice. Eventually the ice will melt, and this will water down the beverage. Meaning that your first sip will be more concentrated than your last sip as the ice slowly dilutes everything else. There are a couple of options that can combat this. First, don’t use ice cubes made with water. Make some ice cubes with lemonade or tea and then as the ice melts it isn’t introducing more water to the drink, but just more of the core components. If you add ice in the same ratios as the mocktail, there should be almost no difference in the first and last sips except for the little bit of salt and lemon juice.
The second option is to opt for garnishes that will slowly incorporate themselves into the drink. A lemon wedge might allow some extra lemon flavor to grow into the drink as time goes by. Expressing a lemon peel over the rim of the glass will give you the subtle smell of lemon with every sip allowing your nose to help trick your taste buds. Even consider a sprinkle of edible flower petals. Something like dried pea flowers that are used to make tea in their own right will slowly steep in the drink and add their own touch of flavor as the ice melts. So now, instead of the ice diluting the concoction with water, you are just gently cold brewing yourself a touch of pea flower tea into your Lady Grey Lemonade, which will also add a subtle blue/purple hue to the color of the liquid as well.
Express a lemon peel and sprinkle some pea flower petals over the top and it creates a mocktail that hits four of your senses. You see the subtle color transformation, smell the lemon oils, the drink tastes amazing and is cool and refreshing going down. Stir it up with the ‘good ice’ and let your teaspoon clink against the side of the glass to cover all five of your basic senses. Personalize any or all of these options to make your Lady Grey Lemonade not just a refreshing beverage but a multi-sensory experience.
Instructions- Lady Grey Lemonade
Preparing the tea:
Using your preferred method, brew your Lady Grey tea. This recipe is designed for a single mixed beverage, but 1 cup (240 ml) of tea can be used to make 4 mocktails. If you plan on serving more, 2 cups (480 ml) of tea can be used to make 8 mocktails, etc. Each cup of tea gets 1 teaspoon (5ml) of honey stirred into it. Allow the tea to cool and chill in the refridgerator for at least a few hours or overnight.
If you wish to utilize tea, lemonade, or peaflower petal ice cubes, at least overnight in the average freezer is needed to completely set the ice.
There is no need to prepare the lemonade so far in advance. If you make lemonade from scratch as long as the water dissolves the sugar, it will turn out fine. Same with making powdered lemonade, as long as it is mixed enough to dissolve the powder, it will be fine.
In fact, I'm more concerned about the water you use for the lemonade than how you make it. Opt for quality water; it doesn't have to be expensive bottled water, but avoid something like unfiltered hard water. As someone who can discern differences in tap water from town to town, believe me, using water without a sulfur aroma will enhance the overall experience. If you don’t find the idea of drinking the water itself refreshing and hydrating, don’t use it in the cocktail. Bad tasting water will make bad tasting tea and lemonade, and bad tasting tea and lemonade will make a bad tasting Lady Grey Lemonade. And don’t use demineralized water either, unless there is a medical reason, just don’t.
Mixing the drink:
Chill your glass. This drink is best served ice-cold, and its gentle and subtle elements are susceptible to dilution with melted ice. A chilled glass prolongs the coldness of both the drink and the ice. Without it, crushed ice will start melting immediately in a room temperature glass, risking premature dilution of our crafted mocktail before we even get a chance to taste it.
In a mixing glass add; 6 ounces of lemonade, 2 ounces of honey sweetened Lady Grey tea, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and a light touch of salt. Really just a smidge of salt, a partial pinch, just enough to enhance the flavors without actually tasting that there is salt in there.
Then add some ice, a handful or so, and stir with your favorite barspoon. This chills the drink, mixes it gently without aerating it and dilutes less than shaking. 20 stirs is a good place to be before straining into the serving glass over crushed ice.
Finish with a double garnish. First, a sprinkle of dried pea flowers over the top will provide color and slowly steep themselves and their blue / purple hue into the drink, preventing the melting ice from diluting the cocktail. You start with a Lady Grey Lemonade, and end with a Lady Grey and Pea Flower Lemonade. The finish is a different experience than what you started with, but one that is just as strong crossing the finish line as it is coming out of the gate. Second is take a twist of lemon and express the oils over the rim of the glass before nestling into the ice. The lemon oils will add a delightful fragrance every time the cocktail is brought to someone’s mouth. Finish with a straw and enjoy.
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