The Spirit of Saint Tran

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon loose-leaf oolong tea
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 10 to 12 fresh mint leaves
• 4 to 5 fresh red shiso leaves (optional)
• 2 tablespoons litchi purée such as Funkin, or 4 canned litchis, whirled well in a blender to yield 2 tbsp.
• 2 to 3 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/4 cup aged rum
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice (preferably fresh)

Preparation

1. 1. Make the oolong tea syrup: Bring 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan and add tea. Cover and steep 5 minutes. Strain into a cup and then pour in sugar. Stir until it dissolves. Let cool.
2. 2. Fill two cocktail glasses with ice. Fill a cocktail shaker one-third full of ice, then add 6 to 8 leaves mint and, if available, 3 to 4 shiso leaves. Pour in 2 tbsp. cooled oolong syrup, litchi purée, lime juice, rum, and pineapple juice. Shake vigorously.
3. 3. Strain into the glasses, tuck a few herb leaves into ice, and serve.
4. Note: Nutritional analysis is per cocktail.