DARK ’N’ STORMY MOCKTAIL
When choosing a black tea, look to Darjeeling, English or Irish breakfast, or Assam. (For something without caffeine, reach for buckwheat tea and increase the brew time to 20 minutes.) The spices in the salted lime cordial are easily shifted to your pantry and preferences. If you don’t have ground ginger, totally fine. If you want to add cardamom, go for it. The point is to infuse the cordial with a warmth that complements the ginger beer’s sharp spice. However, please don’t skip the salt.
The hit of salinity enhances the cordial’s flavors. Leftover cordial — sweet, spiced and deeply sour, can be mixed on its own with sparkling water or tonic or, if you’re looking to incorporate it into an alcoholic drink, into a gimlet.
Makes: 1 serving For the salted lime cordial:
Finely grated zest from 6 limes
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon ground ginger teaspoon black pepper
teaspoon ground cloves 1 cups fresh lime juice (from about 6 limes)
For the chilled black tea:
2 black tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea), such as Darjeeling
For the cocktail:
Ice
3 ounces chilled black tea 1 ounce salted lime cordial 4 ounces fresh ginger beer Lime wedge
1. Make the cordial: Ina medium bowl, combine the lime zest, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, pepper and cloves. Use your fingers to rub the zest and spices into the sugar until the sugar is green and very fragrant. Slowly pour in the lime juice, whisking to combine and dissolve the sugar completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, up to 24. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; pressing on the solids. (You should have about 1 cups cordial.) Discard the solids and keep the cordial in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
2. Make the chilled black tea: In a tea kettle or small saucepan over high heat, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the tea. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, then remove the tea bags or, if using loose-leaf tea, strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside to cool completely, then refrigerate. Keep it chilled in the refrigerator, tightly covered in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.
3. Make the cocktail: Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the tea and cordial. Top with ginger beer, stir gently to combine and finish with a lime wedge.