Summertime! Sun, sea, rejuvenation and the desire for an ice-cold refreshing cocktail! Today we are going to tell you how to prepare a delightful and non-alcoholic mint tea cocktail. Rather ironically we have named it Virgin Moroccan Mint, just because it is alcohol free!

We know there are many who prefer not to drink alcohol, or are observing a strict diet, or maybe for those who would enjoy a refreshing and energising drink first thing in the morning.

It really is a very simple drink, easily prepared at home with no need for any specific ingredients or particular tools to make it with. The important thing is to have a high quality mint tea. We use Babingtons Moroccan Iced Secret a blend of refreshing Chinese Gunpowder Green tea and Moroccan mint leaves. In the Middle East this tea is especially enjoyed hot, nowadays it is valued all over the world and drunk both hot and cold.

The drink has as its basic ingredients syrup of sugar, mint leaves and lime juice. We urge you to crush the ingredients together most delicately thus releasing the delightful aromas of the mint leaf without extracting that somewhat bitter aftertaste which really should not be present in our cocktail.

INGREDIENTS

• ¾ ounce lime juice
• ½ ounce sugar syrup
• 8 mint leaves
• Moroccan Secret Iced Tea
• Ice

PREPARATION

1. Place the lime, syrup and mint in a glass

2. Gently crush using a pestle

3. Fill the glass with ice

4. Pour in the Iced Moroccan Secret

5. Add straws if you wish

6. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a slice of lime

Rory’s Tips

When would be the appropriate time to drink this cocktail? I would drink it all day every day during the hot summer weather. Or, of course, at one of our Victorian Happy Hour events which take place every Wednesday afternoon at out Tea Rooms in Piazza di Spagna. At these events we invite you to take an aperitif with our collection of mignon sandwiches, scones and savoury cupcakes, sweets and mini Pavlova.