Prepared tableside at New York’s Mission Chinese, this drink sees blue tea topped with an acidic mixture—in this case, a tropical blend of pineapple, lime, rum and orange liqueur—that causes it to change color. When beverage director Sam Anderson realized that he’d need to light the drink consistently to make the effect visible in a dark dining room, he found the solution in the form of LED coasters he sourced on a rave site. This approach makes the resulting cocktail literally glow, a visual display not unlike that of a lava lamp.
Mood Ring
Sam Anderson, Mission Chinese Food | New York
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 ounce pineapple juice
- 1/2 ounce lime juice
- 1/8 teaspoon citric acid crystals
- 2 ounces aged rum, preferably Cana Brava
- 3/4 ounce orange liqueur, preferably Combier L'Orange
- 1/2 ounce coconut syrup (1:1, sugar:coconut milk + drop orange blossom water)
- 1 ounce butterfly pea tea (see Editor's Note)
Directions
- Pour butterfly pea tea into glass on a large rock of ice, all sitting on LED coaster, illuminating the deep blue of the tea.
- Combine remaining ingredients in shaker, dry shake and transfer to a glass carafe.
- Pour mixture over ice and blue tea. Tea color will quickly change from blue to magenta.
Editor's Note
Butterfly Tea Base
1 butterfly tea package
water
Brew butterfly tea according to directions on package to yield bright blue liquid.