Ain't No Tea Party Like a Boozy Tea Party...

Bourbon Steak's RealiTea Mocktail

By Olga Boikess

A "Madhatter" cocktail and mocktail competition pits four top mixologists - Jon Arroyo (Farmers Fishers Bakers), Gina Chersevani (Buffalo and Bergen), Duane Sylvestre (Bourbon Steak) and Todd Thrasher (Majestic) - against each other. They're crafting tea-inspired drinks in alcoholic and non-boozy versions in anticipation of the Disney On Ice show coming to the Verizon Center from February 13-18.
At Bourbon Steak, the "RealiTea" mocktail blends tea and tea flavorings - lemon grass, lemon, ginger, orange and lime - in a sparkling refresher. (The boozy version is dubbed "Harsh RealiTea.") Todd Thrasher’s entry, "10 Shillings and 6 Pence," blends hibiscus tea and ginger and is topped with coconut air. Chersevari calls her concoction “Mercury Rising,” while Arroyo names his “The Farmers Mick.” The public can check out the entries at the contestants’ bars from February 4-18, with a portion of the proceeds going to local charities.