The Queen of Cocktails

It seems perfectly fitting that National Tea Day should coincide with The Queen's birthday (Happy Birthday, Ma'am, if you're reading).

Tea seems so inherently British, doesn't it? So you may well choke on your cucumber sandwiches to learn that us Brits need to thank a rather special Portuguese Princess for introducing us to this beloved beverage.

Or perhaps it's King Charles II to whom we need to offer our gratitude? For it was Charles who, upon finding himself rather skint after the collapse of the Commonwealth administration, decided the best way of getting out of debt was to marry a wealthy foreign princess, on the proviso that she would come fully laden with pots of cash and luxury goods as a dazzling dowry.

Catherine, Gawd bless her, arrived with her corset crammed full of cash, plenty of glittering goodies to satisfy her magpie of a husband and a chest full of tea - the favourite drink of the Portuguese court.

After a rocky voyage across stormy seas in 1662, Catherine is said to have arrived in Portsmouth feeling particularly peaky. She asked for a cup of tea to help rejuvenate her sodden spirits but all the poor gal was offered was a pint of ale. This made her feel even worse (if only they'd had some cider to hand), so she retired to her bed chamber....

She did, of course, finally pull herself together, and when she was back to match fitness, she married Charles. Her taste for tea soon caught on throughout the royal household and before you could say 'one lump or two,' anyone worth their weight in tea-leaves was soon sipping on a cup of Rosie Lee.

Join us today in raising a glass of our Queen of Cocktails tipple, in celebration of The Queen, tea and the greatest of all British Beverages, Cider!

Ingredients 

25ml Bourbon (not the biscuit)
50ml Cold Earl Grey
15ml Lemon Juice
50ml Apple, flavoured or low-alcohol Celtic Marches Cider

Method

• Shake your still ingredients in a cocktail shaker (give it some welly)!
• Pour over ice
• Top with Celtic Marches Cider
• Garnish with lemon wedges
• DRINK!