Technically it’s not summer yet, but look around. The sun is out and you’re already spending more time outdoors, just soaking it in. But all that good weather can be thirsty work. That’s why we at Mighty Leaf are unveiling an amazing new drink recipe that brings the antioxidant power of green tea to the thirst-quenching goodness of a summertime favorite. Learn to make Matcha Lemonade by watching our newest video!

Matcha Lemonade

Inspired by the surging popularity of matcha and made possible its incredible flexibility, Matcha Lemonade will impress even the pickiest critic. If you prefer written recipes over videos, check out the steps below. Be sure to share pictures of you, your families and friends enjoying this beverage all summer. We’ll be looking for them on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

Matcha Lemonade

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. Mighty Leaf Matcha
• 1 oz. cool water
• 7 oz. lemonade
• 1 oz. agave nectar
• 1 mint sprig
• ice

Steps

1. Whisk matcha and cool water together until matcha dissolves.
2. Pour matcha liquid and lemonade into a glass together and add ice.
3. Add agave nectar and shake together to mix.
4. Serve in a glass and garnish with fresh mint leaves.

    

Time’s running out to make final preparations for your legendary Memorial Day BBQ. You’ve got grass-fed steaks and veggie burgers galore; your famous potato salad is in the works; and the biggest watermelon your arms could carry is stashed in the cupboard. There’s only one crucial element missing: unforgettable beverages for the adult crowd. Don’t worry. Mighty Leaf’s got you covered. Check out these amazing tea cocktails guaranteed to make your cookout a hit.

These delicious beverages were designed by H. Joseph Erhmann, the beloved mixologist behind San Francisco’s Elixir Saloon and The Boothby Center for the Beverage Arts, and reinvent a couple of hot weather favorites. Check out the recipes below and send us photos on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ of you trying out these recipes at your own parties.

Southern Pacific Julep

Ingredients

• 0.5 oz. Mighty Leaf Ginger Peach Tea Syrup*
• 2 oz. Dickel Rye Whiskey
• 2 sprigs of mint
• crushed ice

Steps

1. Muddle the leaves of one healthy mint sprig
2. Add the Ginger Peach tea syrup*
3. Add bourbon and fill with crushed ice
4. Stir and garnish with more mint.

*Tea Syrup – brew a batch of Ginger Peach Tea and add sugar, equal parts by volume.

Kabuki Lemonade

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Mighty Leaf Matcha Tea Syrup*
• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 2 sprigs of mint

Steps

1. Muddle the leaves of one healthy mint sprig in a shaker
2. Add the Matcha tea syrup*
3. Add the vodka and lemon juice
4. Fill with ice
5. Shake hard for 10 seconds and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with more mint.

*Tea Syrup – brew a batch of Matcha Tea and add sugar, equal parts by volume.

    

Things are still in high gear out in Chicago where the Mighty Leaf Tea’m is hard at work wowing customers and brewing up a good time at the National Restaurant Association show. Tea is making a big impression with the crowd this year as a beverage for all seasons and menus. Showcasing that versatility is one of the most exciting booths we’ve ever had. Here it is before the crowds arrive for the day.

As you can see, there are several different serving stations where thirsty guests can enjoy hot tea, iced tea, fruit-infused tea, and matcha-based beverages! All of it served along with a helping of that famous Mighty Leaf hospitality.

If you’re in the Chicago area, be sure to stop by booth 1840 today or tomorrow before the show ends to share a little tea with us. Those not within driving distance, let us know on Twitter or Facebook which of the drinks you would sample if you could join us!

    

Spring is the time for new growth, opportunities and experiences. We here at Mighty Leaf are excited to embrace the season by unveiling something unique and exciting. To show our appreciation to our entire tea drinking community, we’re introducing a treat that all our fans will love: The Great Tea Giveaway of 2013!

Starting this month and running through the end of the year, Mighty Leaf fans who live in the US will have the opportunity to enter one or more of our weekly giveaways. Each Monday until December 23rd, a new contest page will be available through the “Great Tea Giveaway” tab on our Facebook page. On that page, an entrant will be asked to submit an answer to a fun question along with his or her email address.

The following week, we’ll conduct a random drawing to determine the winner. The prize will be a collection of teas as spelled out on that week’s entry page. And since there’s a new contest every week, that means there’s dozens of chances for Mighty Leaf fans to win!

Great tea is best enjoyed with friends. Although we can’t personally spend time over a fresh pot with all Mighty Leaf drinkers, we hope this giveaway brings that spirit of generosity to our virtual presence on Facebook. And that should be a welcome new experience for all of us!

    

There are as many ways to enjoy tea as there are tea lovers. Some prefer classics such as chamomile and a bit of honey. Others crave tea lattes with ingredients like steamed almond milk and agave nectar. But what about black tea mixed with liberal amounts of butter and salt? Marketing Intern Cole Margen explains the surprising allure of Tibetan Butter Tea.
–Editor’s Note

Greetings fellow tea drinkers. My name is Cole, and I’m the Marketing Intern here over at Mighty Leaf. I’d like to tell you all about something incredibly delicious that you can do with our traditional black teas. And it’s ideal if you’re feeling under the weather, or need a quick energy boost to pick you up. What is this elixir I speak of? Tibetan butter tea of course.

Butter tea, or Po Cha, is a drink originating in the dry, mountainous climate of the Tibetan plateau. It’s made of butter, black tea, and salt, and tastes like a light, creamy broth. I first tried butter tea during my long hours editing video when I was studying journalism in college. A Bhutanese friend of mine would occasionally bring in a thermos full of it, and when he let me try it I was hooked. The experience of drinking it is definitely an acquired taste, as the saltiness can throw off some first time drinkers. However, if you have an adventurous palate, then I think you will enjoy the experience just as much as I have.

Interning at a tea company whet my appetite for it once more, and I make it on my own now. Traditionally it’s made with yak butter, but since there is an obvious shortage of yaks in the US go ahead and use cow butter instead. Here’s a link to the recipe that I like to use. Once the tea’s done, I recommend sipping it from a mason jar while enjoying your morning paper. As an added bonus, a steaming mug of Po Cha works wonders for chapped lips.

Until next time, be well and drink more tea!
-Cole