Recipe: Tea Time

by Leslie Yeh

Agnijita Kumar / Daily Bruin

Like many UCLA students, I am no stranger to copious amounts of espresso shots during finals week. Since weeks five through finals tend to be powered by caffeine, I often find myself wanting a break from the perpetual coffee aftertaste. For me, tea is a luxury reserved for those few slow days of the quarter. A lazy Saturday afternoon with Netflix or a quiet night after a long day.

I once heard a rather passionate rant about how tea is a scam: It looks and smells like it should taste amazing, but actually tastes like water. As a fervent tea enthusiast who grew up in a culture in which tea and water are synonymous, I beg to differ. Tea doesn’t have to just be a colored hot water sipped on a cold day. Whether you are in the mood for a refreshing fruity cocktail or a decadent drinkable dessert, any time can be tea time.

My first inspiration comes from Taiwanese tea bars that offer dozens of cocktail-like tea drinks. I clearly remember the day I was introduced to this world of beverages. On our way home from shopping in Taipei, my cousin and I stopped by a tea chain store called Share Tea. She ordered a strawberry black tea, which wasn’t so much strawberry-infused tea as it was a couple spoonfuls of strawberry preserves shaken into the iced tea. It was surprisingly good. From that point forward, I set out to try every fruity combination. My personal favorite is orange jasmine green tea, a rather random combination, but I like to think of it as a Taiwanese twist on the popular Arnold Palmer drink.

Ingredients:

Steps:

  1. Submerge the two green tea bags in the pitcher of water, and refrigerate for at least eight hours. This creates “cold brew” tea, which is less tannic than hot tea, has lower levels of caffeine and has proven to be high in antioxidants.

  2. Cut the orange in half and squeeze out the juice and pulp.

  3. Add simple syrup to the orange juice and combine.

  4. For each serving, pour one part orange juice and four parts green tea over ice, stir and enjoy!

The first time I tasted this heavenly cocktail was from a Baileys truck parked outside one of the tallest buildings in the world, Taipei 101. A shot of Irish cream liqueur was poured into a cup of chilled Sun Moon Lake black tea at the makeshift bar. This decadent dessert-drink will be well-appreciated by any boba lover!

Ingredients:

Steps:

  1. Bring a pot of water to boil and let the tea bags steep for at least 10 minutes.

  2. In another pot, boil one cup of water and stir in the brown sugar until dissolved.

  3. Remove tea bags and pour in sugar water to the tea. Let cool until room temperature.

  4. Fill up glasses with ice cubes and pour in tea three-fourths of the way.

  5. Top off with a shot of Irish cream liqueur and enjoy!

This recipe is inspired by the framboise mojitos served in a bar near my host family’s apartment in Paris from my summer abroad. Light and refreshing white tea pairs well with fruit, making it the perfect touch to this summery cocktail.

Ingredients:

Steps:

  1. Steep tea in rum for approximately three minutes.

  2. Add berries, simple syrup, mint and lime juice and muddle.

  3. Add crushed ice and top with club soda.

  4. For extra flair, garnish with a sprig of mint, a slice of lime and a strawberry.

For the imminent gloomy days in June, I found inspiration in a drink that warmed me from the inside out on a below-freezing day in Chicago. Not only does it taste like a warm dessert, but this recipe is even dorm-compatible.

Ingredients:

Jar or microwaveable container

Steps:

  1. Steep tea in a half-cup of boiling water until dark and concentrated.

  2. Strain and stir in hot cocoa powder and vanilla extract.

  3. Pour milk into a jar and shake for 30 to 60 seconds.

  4. Remove the lid and microwave milk for 30 seconds.

  5. Pour the milk and foam into the tea mixture and enjoy!

Agnijita Kumar / Daily Bruin

Finally, here is something to pair with a simple cup of tea. Inspired by dainty English afternoon tea sets, these bergamot-infused cookies can easily be grabbed on the go to bring a little elegance to any afternoon.

Ingredients:

Extra sugar for garnish

Steps:

  1. Combine tea, sugar, powdered sugar, flour and salt.

  2. Add cream, vanilla extract and butter. Combine until dough forms.

  3. Gather dough and form a log. Roll the log in sugar to coat the outside.

  4. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  5. Cut into 1/3-inch slices and lay on a baking sheet.

  6. Bake for 12 minutes until lightly brown. Let cool and bite into for an afternoon escape!