Not Your Grandma’s Cuppa Tea

Anonymous Woman: In her cups
(Not Nicole. Definitely not Nicole)

I was sitting around thinking how much I enjoy an afternoon cup of tea when I felt naughty (I’m not revealing any secrets here, but when you’re my age, “naughty” doesn’t mean what it once did). I’ll tell you how I got naughty - or rather, I’ll start with a question: When was the last time you had tea with a kick? Last week? Last month? Last year? Me, too. Okay … so here are some suggestions. Maybe you’ll feel naughty, too!

Let’s talk tea, Dollinks - with a capital T and it rhymes with me and it spells Trouble! With innocent names like Long Island Iced Tea (elsewhere on this blog) and Blueberry Tea and - for the recovering tea-totallers among us - a delicious non-alcoholic Russian Tea (aka Friendship Tea) that Southern Hemisphere readers will appreciate in the heat of their summer, which is now. Tea time, Dollinks!

Blueberry Tea:

This old-time drink tastes remarkably like tea! Come to think of it, it does contain tea! Go figure.

1 jigger almond-flavored liqueur such as Amaretto
1 jigger orange-flavored liqueur such as Triple Sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier
Hot, strong black tea 

Place a teaspoon into a 6-oz. wine glass (the spoon prevents the glass from cracking as you add hot tea). Pour in liqueurs. Add the tea. Stir and serve. Serves 1.

Russian Tea (aka Friendship Tea):

1-½ c. orange-flavored drink crystals
⅔ c. instant tea (unsugared)
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cloves
1-½ c. granulated sugar

Mix well, storing in air-tight container. To serve, add 1 heaping tbsp. mix to a 6 oz. mug filled with boiling water.