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Amer A. Vargas Mixology Newsletter

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, January 2021, Let’s Talk about Mixology

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Amer A. VargasLet’s Talk about Mixology, Part 63

by Amer A. Vargas

TEA AND CIDER PUNCH

Tea and Cider Punch, picture (c) by Bryan Woodcock from Country Living Magazine Pinterest

Happy New Year, dear readers!

Now that the cold months of winter have definitely arrived in the Northern hemisphere, this month we will devote our cocktail article to a warming brew to help kickstart the new year with our engines already running and well heated.

This recipe, suggested by Kate Merker and Taylor Murray in the January 2020 issue of Countryliving.com, mixes the sweetness of reduced apple cider with the  warming attributes of the alcohol in bourbon added to hot tea — it’s designed to revive frost-nipped fingers, toes and noses after a day out in the cold.

Preparation is very simple, although it takes about 45-50 minutes as you are about to see.

These are the ingredients you will need to prepare 6 servings:

  • 50 oz./1.5 liters of fresh apple cider
  • 8 English Breakfast tea bags (but avoid using “plastic” teabags; remember this article?)
  • 1 sliced lemon
  • 4½ oz./135 ml. bourbon

The first thing you need to do is bring the apple cider to a boil in a large saucepan. Then, lower the heat and let simmer until it has reduced to about half the volume (this normally takes 35 to 45 minutes).

When the apple cider reduction is ready, remove it from the stove and add the tea bags and the sliced lemon. Steep for 4 minutes.

Finally, discard the tea bags and stir in the bourbon. And it’s ready!

Serve in nice mugs, preferably pre-heated, so as to keep the brew hot for a longer period of time.

We wish you happiness and all the best for an amazing 2021. Cheers!

Mr. Vargas is the Institute’s President—feel free to contact him via email, AmerVargas @ modernbutlers.com

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Related posts:

  1. The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2020, Let’s Talk about Mixology
  2. The Modern Butlers’ Journal, January 2019, Let’s Talk about Mixology
  3. The Modern Butlers’ Journal, January 2020, Let’s Talk about Mixology
  4. The Modern Butlers’ Journal, October 2020, Let’s Talk about Mixology
  5. The Modern Butlers’ Journal, September 2020, Let’s Talk about Mixology

By Amer A. Vargas

Amer A. Vargas graduated with a Tourism Degree specializing in hotel management from CETT (Center for Tourism Studies) in Barcelona and spent the following decade in the service industry. Beginning as a waiter and then supervisor in high-end restaurants, he was next made responsible for raising service standards through staff training programs. After receiving further training as a butler, he worked as a butler and valet in private service as well as hotels in England and Europe.

During this time period, he translated the best-selling industry texts Butlers & Household Managers, 21st Century Professionals and Hotel Butlers, The Great Service Differentiators into Spanish and is currently creating butler training materials in the Spanish language.

As the Director of Spanish-speaking Markets, Amer is responsible for making the technology of butling available in private residences and hotels in the Spanish-speaking countries of the world. He provides consultation, placement, and training services in these countries.