A floral long drink for when you want something grown-up without the alcohol. A strong, cooled shot of Loyd Pure Camomile sits underneath, a little homemade bergamot syrup carries a perfumed citrus note that lemon alone would flatten, and a good Indian tonic brings the quinine bitterness and the fizz on top. It is built long over plenty of ice in a highball, with thyme and a twist of lemon.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the Camomile and Bergamot Tonic recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/camomile-tea/camomile-and-bergamot-tonic/
Think of it as a camomile aperitif: floral and lightly bitter, the sort of thing to pour at the same hour you might reach for a Campari soda, but softer with it. The bergamot syrup takes five minutes and keeps for a fortnight, so it is worth making a small jar to have on hand.
You'll need
- 4 Loyd Pure Camomile pyramid bags
- 200ml just-boiled water (for the camomile concentrate)
- 1 tsp bergamot syrup (recipe below) or a fine substitute of lemon syrup with a pinch of Earl Grey leaf
- 150ml premium Indian tonic water, well chilled
- A long strip of unwaxed lemon peel
- A small sprig of fresh thyme
- Plenty of cubed ice for the highball glass
- For the bergamot syrup: zest of 1 bergamot (or substitute zest of 1 lemon plus 1/4 tsp loose Earl Grey leaf), 50g caster sugar, 50ml water
Method
- Drop the four camomile bags into a small jug and pour over the 200ml just-boiled water. Steep for ten full minutes, lift the bags out, then slide the jug into the freezer for ten minutes to cool it down quickly.
- While it cools, make the bergamot syrup. Put the bergamot zest, sugar and water in a small pan and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer for five minutes, stirring once or twice, until the syrup is clear and smells strongly of the zest. Strain into a small jar; it keeps in the fridge for a fortnight.
- Fill a chilled highball right to the top with ice cubes. Use proper cubes rather than crushed, which would water the drink down within a minute.
- Pour 100ml of the cooled camomile concentrate over the ice, add a teaspoon of the bergamot syrup, and give it one gentle stir to combine.
- Top with the chilled tonic, pouring down the back of a bar spoon to keep as much fizz as you can.
- Pinch the strip of lemon peel skin-side down over the glass to release its oils, drop it in, and tuck a sprig of thyme alongside.
- Serve straight away. It holds its shape for about ten minutes before the ice starts to soften the tonic's edge.
Want the background, not just the brew?
Brewed with: Loyd Pure Camomile, 40 Tea Bags 56g
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