On a hot summer day, a cold drink can always instantly wake up the sleeping taste buds. Green Lychee Iced Tea, a drink that combines the classical charm of the East with modern freshness, hides a delicious story that transcends time and space. According to the ancient book "Compendium of Materia Medica", lychee is "sweet and fragrant, intellect", and has been a royal tribute since ancient times, symbolizing sweetness and dignity, while grapes (green grapes are its variety) are known as "June food and sage" in the Book of Songs, symbolizing harvest and joy. The clever combination of the two, combined with the oriental tea culture, has given birth to this summer drink that combines history, culture and innovation. It's not just a cup of tea, it's a journey of taste exploration and cultural heritage.
Cooking Steps:
1. **Preparation materials**: 200 grams of fresh green grapes, 10 lychees (about 150 grams after shelling and pitting), 5 grams of alpine green tea, 30 grams of rock sugar, 500 ml of water, and an appropriate amount of ice cubes.
_Alternative_: If green grapes are not easy to obtain, green grapes can be used instead, and those who are sensitive to tea can choose flower tea such as jasmine tea to add fragrance.
2. Step 1: Brew the alpine green tea in 200ml of boiling water for 3 minutes, then strain out the tea soup, cool and set aside.
3. Step 2: Wash and remove the stems of the green grapes, peel the shells and remove the cores of the lychees, put them in a blender, add rock sugar and the remaining 300ml of water, and stir into a delicate juice.
4. Step 3: Strain the juice, remove the pomace, and mix well with the cooled tea.
5. Step 4: Pour into a glass jug filled with ice cubes and stir gently to allow each drop of tea to permeate the ice.
The use of alpine green tea as the base, because it is fresh and not astringent, can perfectly set off the natural sweet aroma of green grapes and lychees, and the catechins in green tea also have the effect of relieving heat and cooling down. The addition of rock sugar can be softer and fresher than white sugar, making the whole cup of tea sweet but not greasy. The process of stirring and then straining ensures a smooth taste of the drink and avoids the flesh fiber affecting the drinking experience.
Notes:
- Make sure all ingredients are fresh to preserve the best flavor.
- Mix the tea soup with the juice after cooling to prevent the high temperature from destroying the vitamins in the juice.
- Ice cubes should not be added too early to avoid diluting the tea flavor.
The same green grapes and lychees can also be made into "green grapes lychee mousse" – the juice is mixed with gelatin and coagulated, and the top layer is covered with light cream, which makes for another sweet enjoyment.
When the sweetness and sourness of green grapes meet the mellowness of lychees, and then blend into the fragrance of alpine green tea, this cup of green grapes lychee iced tea is not only a feast for taste buds, but also a cultural journey through ancient and modern times. In the crystal clear brown color, the sweetness of lychee and the freshness of green grapes are intertwined, and the sound of ice cubes gently hitting is like a summer music, and every bite is an ode to the beauty of life. Close your eyes and let this coolness from ancient times slowly flow in your heart, awakening your most tender memories of summer.