Cooking Lesson #612: Long Island Iced Tea

…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar

How you doin’? Long Island Iced Tea is a strange cocktail. It tastes as innocent as all get out, yet it has 2-1/2 ounces of strong booze in every drink—sometimes more depending on the bartender. As other similar tales of bartender lore, Tennessee and New York feud over this boozy drink's origin. No matter which side you're on, it's a bold, but delicious, choice.
 
The closest we’ve come to proper credit would have to be Bob "Rosebud" Butt who we think invented the Long Island Iced Tea on Long Island, in the 1970s. Maggie Lacasse, Director of Communications for Discover Long Island said he created the cocktail as part of a contest while working at the Oak Beach Inn.
 
As we mentioned, the Long Island Iced Tea is a mix of various alcohols, lemon juice and cola. This gives the drink a sweet and tangy taste, with a kick from the alcohol. The cola also gives the drink a tea-like color and a slight bitterness, which is balanced out by the sweetness of the triple sec.
 
You can give my recipe a mix or save the time and bother and let a professional bartender put it together behind the bar. 
 
Ingredients 
For the sour mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
 
For the cocktail
1/2 ounce gin
1/2 ounce white rum
1/2 ounce white tequila
1/2 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce triple sec
1-1/2 ounce homemade sour mix OR
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice AND 1/2 ounce simple syrup
Coca Cola, to taste
 
Directions
To make the sour mix

1. Pour the water and sugar into a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat.
2. Bring to a boil and whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Set aside to cool.
4. Once the mix has cooled, combine the simple syrup, lemon, lime and grapefruit juices.
5. Store the sour mix in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

To make the cocktail

1. Using a cocktail shaker, add the gin, rum, tequila, vodka, triple sec and sour mix.
2. Top with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled.
3. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice and top with Coca Cola to taste.
4. Garnish with lemon.

ChefSecret:  Where you can, always use fresh-squeezed lemon and lime juice.

Quip of the Day:  There are 5 Ps of world class bar service--Pride, Passion, Preparation, Professionalism and Presentation.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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