by Melissa Gutierrez
September 09, 2020
Nothing feels better than a hot cup of tea...unless you doctor up that tea with some hard alcohol!
Allow me to explain. As a movement and wellness coach, the virtual reality I create for myself and my clients is one of yoga, personal training, meditation crystals, essential oils, personal development practices, blah blah BLAH. That being said, sometimes you want to have a little break with a little bit of a kick. But I gotta keep it healthy while fulfilling my summer flavor craving.
I knew that whatever I came up with had to include Adagio's
Raspberry Patch. This tea is the perfect taste embodiment of bright summer days. The citrusy blend of raspberry, rose hips and hibiscus creates a magical experience that satisfies as a hot tea or as a cold brew. The color of the tisane is a gorgeous, deep red that reminds me of that perfect July heat. The hibiscus adds a bit of a tropical vibe to go along with my booze of choice: Sake.
But remember that I am a health and wellness coach. I chose the ingredients of my tisane to also serve the purpose of keeping me healthy and strong, not just satisfy my taste buds. The rose hips in
Raspberry Patch are packed with Vitamin C. This antioxidant is also a known immune support. Raspberries are also full of antioxidants and minerals. There's a chance some of their nutrition is preserved when they are dried.
But wait! There's more. Remember how dried apple pieces are part of the Adagio blend? Well, apples contain phytochemicals like quercetin which is another well known antioxidant. Quercetin has a variety of uses as a supplement. Some take it for anti-inflammation and assistance during allergy season. You'll even see quercetin in skin care products.
Hibiscus, the gorgeous flower which rounds out the tisane also brings its own health benefits. Hibiscus flower tea has been used as a remedy for a variety of issues like high blood pressure and stomach distress.
Knowing the potential that could lie within these herbs you should just have the tea for the health benefits it could possibly give to you with every sip. So I get to have Sake blended with a healthy base to treat myself with? Why not mix up a drink that possibly strengthens my system, not just gives me the momentary escape I desire?! So I decided to put on my creativity cloak and came up with a genius concoction.
It goes like this:
The Infusion Recipe
Ingredients
- 8oz of
Raspberry Patch (freshly steeped for hot sake or ice brewed for cold)
- 1 tsp of cacao infused honey (I used one from Superfood, but keep an eye out for
Adagio's version coming soon!)
- 2 oz of Sake (light touch, not trying to wake up with regret and a hangover)
Ingredients
Don't let the tea steep for too long, so as to avoid a too tart taste (alliteration!) No more than 10 minutes and then strain.
This is also the perfect time for the water to cool appropriately, so as to make the most of the honey I chose. See honey has its own profile of vitamins, antioxidants and trace minerals. Many don't realize this, but if you stir honey into water that is too hot (think just poured freshly boiled water) then it can kill all those good-for-you enzymes. The cacao adds a little depth to balance out the brightness of the tea and may bring along trace minerals like magnesium to the party. This honey might potentiate what's already waiting to be enjoyed in the tea! I like to make stirring in the honey a mindful part of my own tea/cocktail prep ritual. So no rushing!
Give it a taste before adding the Sake. You'll see that the Raspberry Patch by Adagio is a beautiful herbal tea on its own. Slowly pour in the sake and give it all a little stir.
That's it! A perfect blend of 3 clean and simple ingredients. It wound up being a wonderful moment of relaxation, warmth and deliciousness. The raspberry flavor is just perfect and I didn't experience that queasy feeling that can accompany a sweetened drink. The sake itself feels cleaner to me than any other fermented grain alcohol. It's no surprise I felt better for having it.
Tea Chef
Check out this month's
TeaChef recipe competition! Head over there to submit your own creations to potentially win a $50 gift card to Adagio!