The Moroccan Passport

Summer 2020 for many people will be one that will be typified by continued travel restrictions, more time than usual spent at home, routines continuing to grow stale, and a general desire for a bit more excitement. Enter the Moroccan Passport. Inspired by the strong, hot, sometimes overly sweet and often bitter, strong minted green tea served with most meals, often between meals, and as a show of welcoming hospitality in Morocco, a Moroccan Passport is a much gentler, refreshing, iced mocktail with a balanced sweetness, just a touch of citrus, and brings a light flavor of date that those who hate dates will love.

Still Need To Sell You On It?

Imagine the greatest sweet tea you have ever had, add the cooling and refreshing flavor of mint, back off the sweetness just a touch (don't need teeth popping out of mouths and you may be drinking a few of these), add just a hint of lime, and a touch of an exotic flavor that is tricky to put your finger on but ties it all together, that is a Moroccan Passport. Meant to be a little lighter on the tea flavor and sweetness than its inspiration, a Moroccan Passport is a perfect refresher on a hot afternoon or early summer evening and can even stand up as an alternative to a nighttime cocktail for those looking for a complex virgin mixed drink. Inspired by Morocco, a mostly dry Muslim majority country, it just makes sense for this drink to be complete without the need to add any alcohol.

The Prep

Not a difficult drink to prepare, but requiring some prep work and forethought (teas should be made a day in advance), ingredients and supplies to have on hand:

• At least a few ounces of date syrup (surprisingly easy to find in grocery stores)
• (if you can't find date syrup, you can substitute maple syrup for a different take)
• (5) green tea bags or (10) grams loose green tea
• a small bunch of mint (about 5-10 springs including at least 50 total leaves)
• (2) lime wedges (approximately 1/8th of a small lime each)
• enough turbinado sugar to rim your glass
• some type of shaker (a protein shaker bottle works great in a pinch)
• (2) 1 quart (or 750ml) glass bottles or jars with lids to store teas in fridgerator
• saucepan or tea kettle.
• funnel for pouring
• Ability to measure ounces (graduated shot glass is fine, as it a scale)
• Enough ice to fill your glass a few times (you will want more than one)

Step One: Make Teas

First Tea:

Bring one quart of water to a boil, add green tea, remove from heat, let steep for 4 minutes, then remove green tea bags or leaves (yes this is a strong tea, meant to be a little bitter). Crush 20 large mint leaves in the palm of your hand using the thumb of the other (clean hands are a must). You should smell the fragrance of mint and may see the release of a bit of moisture from the leaves. Add those leaves to one of the glass bottles and carefully pour the hot tea into the jar using a funnel. Allow to cool enough to handle, cover, and put in the fridge overnight.

Second Tea:

Take 2o large mint leaves, crush in the palm of one hand using the thumb of the other hand until oils are released and aromatic. Place those 20 leaves into the other glass bottle and add one quart of lukewarm water (about body temperature), cover, and leave at room temperature for one hour. After the hour, place bottle in fridge overnight.

Step Two: Mix and Shake

Once teas are ready, pour into your shaker: 3/4 ounce of Date Syrup (if no date syrup is available use 3/4 ounce maple syrup instead), 4 ounces of the minted green tea (first tea), 4 ounces of the herbal mint tea (second tea), and the juice of 1/8th of a fresh squeezed lime. Shake until fully mixed and frothy (using a shaker ball or bladed mixer only takes a few shakes), set aside as you prep glass.

Step Three: Make Glass Pretty, Pour, Enjoy

Place a quarter cup turbinado sugar on a plate, distributed into a pile at least as wide as the rim of your glass. Rub the reserved lime wedge on the rim of your glass. Gently invert your glass on to the sugar and let set for just a few seconds. Pull you glass up straight, place right side up on your work surface. Fill glass nearly to the top with ice.

Then... pour your Moroccan Passport over the ice. Tap the lime wedge you used to rim your glass in the left over sugar and garnish your drink with the top of one sprig of mint and the sugar crusted lime wedge. Your Moroccan Passport is now complete. Either impress a well deserving friend or prepare to enjoy it yourself!!

Notes and Alterations

If you really like your tea particularly sweet, you can increase the date syrup to one ounce per serving and if you are looking for a less sweet beverage, try decreasing the date syrup to a half once per glass. You probably noticed that a serving is just under 9 ounces, the recipe is designed to be served over ice but if you prefer a beverage without ice you can dilute with a couple ounces of cold water to give the same strength with no ice needed. If you are looking to make a pitcher and share, the recipe is easily scaled up to a just over a half gallon batch, where you would mix the full quart of first tea, the full quart of the second tea, 6 ounces of date syrup, and the juice of a full small lime in a large enough pitcher to fit all ingredients, stirring until well mixed and frothy, remembering to serve over ice.