Have some fun with this recipe for colour changing cocktails made using our Tickety-brew - Organic Butterfly Blue Pea Flower, Ginger and Lavender Tea.
Butterfly Blue Pea tea gains its distinctive colour from the deep blue flower petals of the Clitoria Ternatea plant (yes the scientific name is derived from part of a womans anatomy!), also known as butterfly-pear, or blue-pea.
Butterfly blue pea tea changes colour based on the pH level of the substance added to it, so adding anything more acidic, such as lemon or tonic water, will turn it purple. This makes it an excellent ingredient for making cocktails.
Here's how to make a colour changing butterfly blue pea gin and tonic.
Recipe
Ingredients:
The Tea Thief's Tickety Brew - Organic Butterfly Blue Pea Flower, Ginger and Lavender Tea.
Gin (whichever is your preference) We like Edinburgh Gin's Rhubarb and Ginger
Tonic
Lemon/Lime
You can get creative and try this with other cocktail mixes too. As long as you include something that is acidic enough in the mix, you should see a colour change.
Step 1: Making the ice cubes
Steep the tea in warm (not boiling water) and allow to cool. Once the tea has cooled, pour into an ice cube tray.
We used a star shaped ice cube but any shape will work! Pop in the freezer until ready to use.
Step 2: Making the cocktail
Simply mix up your Gin and Tonic, squeeze a little lemon or lime in there and add the ice cubes last. This way the colour will change from the top down giving it a really pretty hue.
Benefits of Butterfly Blue Pea Tea
Imagine a tea has fun, magical colour changing properties in reaction to acids, especially lemon and lime; a packed intensity of all the antioxidants that are associated with wellness (proanthocyanins and bioflavonoids) Butterfly Blue Pea tea has it all!
A traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic herb, butterfly blue pea flower has been consumed for centuries as a memory enhancer, brain booster, anti-stress, anti-anxiety, anti-depressant is calming and great for sleep. Also known to lower cholesterol levels, help with anti-ageing, and is high in anthocyanin (antioxidant flavonoids that fight free radicals). Many beauty products have also been derived from Butterfly Pea because of the effects of the flavanoid - quercetin has on skin and hair.
Also found to be beneficial to eye health by preventing cataracts and glaucoma, correcting blurred vision, and reversing retinal damage. This is due to the compound Proanthocyanidin found in the flowers, aswell as helping to improve vision by increasing blood flow in the capillaries of the eyes (1)
The Tea Thief's Organic Butterfly Blue Pea Flower Tea has calming lavender and the spicy warmth of ginger to make you feel oh so tickety-brew.