Beverages Recipe

Brew the tea

Bring 4 cups water to a rolling boil in a kettle or saucepan. Remove from heat, add 4 black tea bags and 8 fresh mint leaves. Steep 5 minutes for a medium-strength tea (steep up to 7 minutes for stronger).

Sweeten and cool

Remove the tea bags and discard. While the tea is still warm, stir in 4 tablespoons granulated sugar until dissolved. Allow tea to cool 15–20 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill 20–30 minutes or until cold.

Finish and serve

When chilled, add 1 cup fresh lemon juice to the tea and stir to combine. Fill four glasses with ice (about 2 cups total), pour the lemon-mint tea over the ice, garnish each with a lemon slice and a sprig of mint. Adjust sweetness to taste by adding more sugar or a splash of water.

Prepare cucumber

Peel (optional) and halve the seedless cucumber lengthwise. Reserve 8 thin slices for garnish. Roughly chop the remaining cucumber; you should have about 1.5 cups chopped.

Make cucumber puree

Place the chopped cucumber and 4 teaspoons simple syrup in a blender and pulse until smooth. If a finer texture is desired, strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing to extract about 1 cup cucumber juice.

Assemble drinks

Divide the cucumber juice among four glasses. Add 2 tablespoons (0.5 cup) fresh lime juice distributed evenly, then add ice (about 2 cups total). Top each glass with chilled sparkling water, gently stirring once to combine. Garnish with cucumber slices and serve immediately.

Simmer the cider

Pour 6 cups apple cider into a medium saucepan. Add 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 whole cloves (tied in a small piece of cheesecloth or a spice ball if preferred), 2 star anise, and strips of orange peel. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Infuse and sweeten

Reduce heat to low and let the cider gently simmer and infuse for 15–20 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons maple syrup, taste, and adjust sweetness if desired. Do not boil vigorously—keep it at a gentle simmer to preserve flavor.

Strain and serve

Remove from heat and strain cider through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof pitcher to remove spices and peel. Ladle into warmed mugs and serve immediately. Optionally garnish each mug with a cinnamon stick or an orange twist.