TeaZoneLife | Tea Recipes

• 750ml sparkling apple cider
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 1/2 cup brandy

Place cider, cinnamon, cloves and golden syrup in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 5 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in brandy. Strain into heatproof glasses. Serve.

• 500g strawberries, washed, hulled
• 1 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 liter chilled lemonade

Place the strawberries, vodka, lime juice and half the ice cubes in the jug of a blender. Blend until almost smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, gently pushing the berries through with the back of a spoon. Discard seeds. Transfer to a large jug. Add the lemonade and remaining ice to serve.

• 5 to 10 cardamom pods
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
• 3 English breakfast tea bags
• Whole milk

Bring 3 cups water to a boil. Using the side of a knife, crack open the cardamom pods, and add them to the boiling water with the ginger. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Add the tea bags and let steep until the tea is red, about 5 minutes. Whisk in milk to taste. Remove the tea bags, pour the tea through a sieve and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

This sparkling drink is light and refreshing, just perfect for summer.

• 12 elder flowerheads
• juice and finely grated rind of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 3 1/2 cups caster (superfine) sugar.

Strip the elder flowerheads from the stalks and put in a very large bowl with the lemon rind, juice, vinegar, sugar and 20 cups water. Cover with muslin and leave for 24 hours. Strain through a fresh piece of muslin into sterilized bottle using a funnel. Cork the bottles and leave in a cool place for 2 weeks before drinking undiluted.

• 250g strawberries, washed, hulled, halved
• 4 cups ruby-red grapefruit juice
• 4 cups chilled lemonade
• 1 1/2 cups gin
• 4 limes, halved, each half cut into quarters

Divide strawberries evenly among two ice-cube trays. Cover with water and freeze for 4 hours or until set. Combine the grapefruit juice, lemonade and gin in a large jug. Add the strawberry ice cubes and limes, and serve immediately.

• 10 tea bags
• 3 cups water
• 3 cups granulated sugar

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large pot and boil for 10 minutes.
Pour into a bottle and keep refrigerated.
Mix 5 parts of water to one part tea syrup concentrate or to your own taste.

This German drink, called Grandmother's Punch, is usually enjoyed warm at midnight on Christmas Eve. You can also serve this as a refreshing chilled drink. For a festive touch, add a cinnamon stick to each glass.

• 2-1/4 cups water
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 16 whole cloves
• 16 whole allspice
• 1 vanilla bean, chopped
• 1 tea bag
• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• Crushed ice (if serving punch chilled)

Combine water, honey, sugar, ginger, cloves, allspice and vanilla bean in heavy large saucepan. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until honey and sugar dissolve. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add tea bag; let steep 5 minutes. Strain syrup into bowl. Add wine and rum. If serving cold, refrigerate until chilled. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
If serving cold, fill 6 glasses with crushed ice. Ladle punch into glasses. If serving hot, bring to simmer in medium saucepan. Pour punch into cups.
Recipe makes six servings Spiced Rum and Tea Punch.

• 1/2 rockmelon, deseeded
• 3 cups mango nectar, chilled
• 3 cups pineapple juice, chilled
• 2 1/2 cups sparkling natural mineral water, chilled
• 1/2 pineapple, peeled, halved, hard core removed, coarsely chopped

Use a melon baller to scoop balls from the rockmelon. Combine the mango nectar, pineapple juice and mineral water in a punch bowl. Add the rockmelon and pineapple to the mango nectar mixture. Serve immediately.

• 300ml white rum
• 150ml fresh passionfruit pulp
• 150ml fresh orange juice
• 2 cups ice cubes
• 600ml chilled lemonade

Combine rum, passionfruit and orange juice in a jug, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to chill. Divide the ice among serving glasses. Pour over the rum mixture and lemonade. Serve immediately.

• 750ml fresh grapefruit juice
• 350ml sparkling water
• a handful of fresh mint leaves

Mix well all the ingredients and serve very cold. For a beach cocktail you can add tequila or vodka.