For as long as I can remember, I've been a bit of a Japanophile. My grandfather was an East Asian history professor, so I suspect that has something to do with it. But I also grew up as a painfully dorky teenager in the '90s when a lot of popular culture — video games, comics, fashion — was heavily influenced by Japan. I wasn't much of a foodie growing up, but that didn't stop me from loving Japanese drinks. As a teenager, I was lucky enough to have regular access to favorites like Pocari Sweat, Ramune, and C.C. Lemon. But I also loved green tea in all its forms, from sweetened bottles to meticulously prepared matcha and the ceremony associated with it.
Cold-infusing tea, just like cold brew coffee, is a great lazy way to make a concentrated base that keeps in the refrigerator, allowing you to pour yourself a portion whenever the need strikes. With that method, this drink produces an extremely refreshing and complex non-alcoholic cocktail. (Yes, this is a cocktail.) I'm using both standard green tea leaves, as well as matcha powder — which is a finely ground form of green tea — to create a super concentrated, double layered infusion. Cardamom provides an additional "green" dimension, and honey rounds everything out. This recipe is quite forgiving: Feel free to use lemon or lime juice, whatever you have handy, and dial up or down your measurements depending if you want more acidity or sweetness. You can also have a little fun and swap out the still water for sparkling, or even go wild with a sparkling wine. — John deBary
Watch this recipe
Iced Green Tea with Cardamom
Ingredients
Tea
- 3 ounces Green Concentrate (below)
- 3 ounces chilled filtered water
- 1/2 to 3/4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
- 1 lemon or lime wedge
Green Concentrate
- 2 cups chilled filtered water
- 4 green tea bags
- 1 tablespoon matcha
- 1 pinch cardamom
- 1/2 cup (168 grams) honey
Directions
- Tea: Combine all ingredients in a tall, ice-filled glass. Stir briefly to combine. Garnish with a lemon or lime wedge.
- Green Concentrate: In a jar, combine the water, tea bags, matcha, and cardamom. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer such as a gold coffee filter, cheesecloth, or sieve. Add the honey and stir with a fork or small whisk until completely integrated. This should yield enough for 7 drinks — store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
