Chai Tea Gin and Tonic

Now that I’ve made some bitters, I need to use them, so tonight I whipped up what I’m calling a Chai Tea Gin and Tonic. I think it’s yummy. You?

Ingredients*:

• 1 thumb sized knob of fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon of coconut sugar (raw sugar is also fine)
• 1 black tea bag (we use Yorkshire Gold; if all you have is Lipton – use two!)
• 4 ounces Bar Hill Gin (it is made with 100% honey!)
• Cardamom bitters
• Circular slice of orange rind
• Tonic water

*makes two

Steps To Joy:

1. Pour the gin into a glass or bowl and add the teabag. Let it sit for about ten minutes (it will turn brownish – the longer it sits the more it has the taste of tea – don’t over do it or it will be super bitter).
2. Rub the rim of the glasses you are serving your drinks in with the raw ginger.
3. Dice the ginger into rough chunks and toss them into a cocktail shaker.
4. Add the sugar and a splash of the tea-infused gin to the cocktail shaker.
5. Muddle until you can really smell the ginger.
6. Add the rest of the tea-infused gin and give it a very good stir.
7. Add in 8 drops of the cardamom bitters and stir (more or less to taste – since mine are homemade I did it based on these; if you have store-bought ones you may need more or less).
8. Pour the gin equally between two ice-filled glasses and top up with the tonic water.
9. Twist the orange rind over the glass and drop it in the drink.
10. Serve with a stirrer!