I have an adopted sister named May who is Burmese and she loves mangos and lychee fruit. This lovely cocktail was a spinoff of my tea contest endeavors but I thought I'd enter it also since it is so beautiful.
So, in honor of my sister I have named this entry......
Myanmar Sunset
The great thing about this tea inspired cocktail is that the components can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated then mixed in a cocktail shaker just before serving. Alternately, you can make an entire pitcher of the Mango tea mixture at one time.
Prepare the Hibiscus Simple Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3-4 large dried hibiscus blossoms or 7 or 8 small ones
1 bag Rooibos tea (red tea)
Combine all in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove Rooibos tea bag, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half. This hibiscus tea syrup may be made ahead and stored in a bottle in the fridge. Note: Feel free to double or triple the amount of Hibiscus tea syrup and use to sweeten iced tea.
Prepare the Mango Tea: For the purpose of making measurements simpler, I am giving amounts and directions for a pitcher...or about 4-6 cocktails (depending upon the size of your glasses).
1 large ripe Mango, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
3 cups water
4 Bigelow organic Green tea bags
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
Bring water to a boil and add tea bags. Steep until a strong tea is achieved, discard tea bags and add sugar. Allow tea to cool to room temperature. Once tea has cooled, place chunks of mango in blender and pour in the cooled tea. Blend until smooth. Strain tea (optional) into a cocktail pitcher and chill.
To serve:
To the pitcher of chilled mango tea, add 2 shots of Peach Schnapps and approximately 1/3 of a bottle of Lychee Sake. Stir to combine. Alcohol amounts may be adjusted to suit your own tastes. As described this cocktail is fairly strong...LOL
Use a slice of the mango peel (flesh side) to rub the rims of cocktail glasses. Place a small amount of matcha green tea powder on a small plate and use it to rim the glasses.
Spoon 2 teaspoons of the Hibiscus tea syrup into the bottom of coctail glasses. Using the back of a spoon as a deflecter for the stream; fill the cocktail glasses with the mango tea mixture. If you deflect the stream the bottom layer of syrup will be undisturbed. It is a beautiful effect.
Notice the lovely green tea powder rim and the glorious Hibiscus tea "sunset" at the bottom of the glass!
I am enchanted by the look of this drink and it tastes heavenly as well!
Here it is in a differnt light. I was attempting to show the beautiful, sparkling transparency of the syrup but alas...my camera was just not up to the task. It was also after 5 pm when I took these shots so (sigh), you'll just have to use your imagination!
