Every now and then you try something that is enchanting, absolutely wonderful that you can instantly think of a thousand recipes for! Sweet Carolina Sweet Tea Vodka is such a spirit! My friend Lee was in Sapphire , North Carolina several weeks ago and brought back a bottle of this potion.
Warning.....It is as intoxicating as Bill Clinton's smile on a steamy southern day!

Anyone who has spent any time lazing around the sunny south is aware of the pleasures of a tall iced glass of Southern sweet tea! It is a delicious potion, made with black tea that has had the sugar stirred into it while it is still hot so that the tea doesn't become cloudy! It is then iced and slowly sipped, a delightful way to spend a summers day!

Sweet Carolina's Sweet Tea Vodka is a perfect replication of this flavor with a bit of a kick! When I first tasted it, I immediately thought that it would make an exceptional Arnold Palmer, a wonderful blend of iced tea and lemonade. Then I thought about crushing some ice and packing it into a martini glass and adding some sweet tea vodka that I'd laced with a touch of creme de menthe' and serving with a demitasse' spoon. Equally refreshing!

When my husband came home tonight I decided to experiment again with the sweet tea vodka. I came up with a simple cocktail that we really enjoyed and was very easy to make. It is sweet and tangy at the same time and the Amaretto really gave it a smooth and seductive twist. Fancy Italian maraschino cherries and candied lemon peel are the perfect garnish for this cocktail served icy cold in a straight up martini glass!


For each cocktail you will need:

1/2 of a cup of bottled organic lemonade, chilled

1 and 1/2 ounces of Sweet Carolina Sweet Tea Vodka

1/2 ounce of Amaretto di Saronno

Place all ingredients into a metal shaker filled with ice and shake briskly for about half of a minute. Pour into a chilled glass, garnish with the cherries, candied lemon peel and serve.

That's it, very straight forward and delicious, with a bit of a wink like any Southern Belle worth her white gloves!

Enjoy and as always, enjoy responsibly!