Tokyo Tea

Just as the Long Island Iced Tea uses a lot of different spirits that mask each other’s flavor, so does the TOKYO TEA. Take away the cola and add Japan’s signature Midori melon liqueur with club soda and sweet & sour mix … you’ve got the Tokyo Tea. It’s the Midori melon liqueur that gives the drink its green color. A sweet & sour mix can easily be made with simple syrup and fresh lime instead of the bottled mixers which often contain additives and fake sugar. If you’ve got the spirits available and a maraschino cherry or two, the recipe goes like this:

Requirements: Gin, rum, tequila, vodka, melon liqueur, Cointreau, sweet & sour mix*, club soda, lemon wheel, maraschino cherry

• .5 oz. gin
• .5 oz. rum
• .5 oz. tequila
• .5 oz. vodka
• .5 oz. melon liqueur
• .5 oz. Cointreau
• 1 oz. sweet & sour mix*
• 1 splash club soda
• Garnishes: lemon wheel & maraschino cherry

Combine the non-bubbly ingredients to an ice-filled shaker or directly to a highball glass with ice. Shake, or stir, the ingredients to combine and chill. Top with a splash of club soda or seltzer. Garnish with a lemon wheel and maraschino cherry.

Comments: For a smooth tea-named drink with no actual tea, this drink falls outside tea-time. Keep in mind that each serving contains two ounces of hard liquor and another one ounce of liqueur — closer to a margarita in strength. The melon flavor of the Midori liqueur adds a nice summery infusion to this mix and balances nicely with the orange liqueur (Cointreau couldn’t fit in picture above).

*The variable lies with the 1 oz. sweet & sour mix. I used the juice from one lime and added simple syrup to the balance remaining within the one ounce allotment. My preference is for less sweet; so I’d reduce the total sweet & sour mix a bit, or use more lime in the combo.

Enjoy the Tokyo Olympics. Kanpai!