Boston Tea Party Food
Fourth of July Tea Party Recipes

Having a “Boston Tea Party” Here are Some Fourth of July Recipes

The Boston Tea Party was about unfair taxation on tea. Tea was a main staple in the colonies until then. Many colonials looked for other alternatives to their beloved tea. The colonials tried to make tea out of blueberry, rhubarb and other herb leaves to replace their favorite drink. Coffee was the replacement. Tea has never regained the popularity of the American palate until recent years.

To honor our forefathers, I am going to provide you with a menu with tea as an ingredient in the recipe. I hope you enjoy!

In keeping with the red, white and blue theme, I have several drink options you may consider offering.

Tea Spiked Watermelon

• 1 ten pound seedless watermelon
• 1 cup cherry juice (optional)
• 3 cups citrus flavored tea syrup

Cut a hole in the top of the watermelon, wide and deep enough to insert a funnel. Pour in as much tea syrup through the funnel as can be absorbed (1/2 to 1 cup). Remove the funnel and replace the watermelon plug. Let sit for 4 hours.

Again, pour in as much tea syrup as can be absorbed. Repeat the process until all the tea syrup has been absorbed. (The watermelon flesh gradually will absorb all the tea syrup.) Refrigerate until well chilled. When ready to serve you can make watermelon tea slushes by cutting the watermelon in half and scoop out the flesh.

White Mint Tea

• 4 cups water
• Your favorite loose leaf white tea to make 4 cups strong white tea (about 8 tablespoons)
• 12 sprigs of your favorite fresh mint (spearmint, peppermint or lemon mint)
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 4 cups cold water
• Orange and lemon slices for garnish

Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Pour hot boiling water over white tea and mint. Steep tea and mint sprigs in a pitcher for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove tea and mint from pitcher. Stir in sugar, lemon and orange juice until well mixed. Add the remaining 4 cups cold water. Serve with ice and garnishes.

Blueberry Tea Granita

• 4 cups blueberries
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ cup white blueberry tea
• mint sprig for garnish

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender. Pour onto rimmed baking sheet and spread evenly. Cover with foil and freeze at least 2 hours. Remove from freezer and break up with a fork. Garnish with mint. Serves 4

A Fourth of July “Boston Tea Party” would not be complete without Iced Tea Lemonade


Orange Spiced or Lemon Tea Glaze
(for chicken or ribs)

• 1 cup of your favorite loose leaf orange spice or lemon tea (steeped for 5 minutes)
• ½ lemon or orange juice
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 cup your favorite barbeque sauce

Mix in a small sauce pan over low heat. Use as a glaze over grilled chicken or ribs

Homemade Red, White and Blue Tea Ice Cream

• 1-3/4 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 7 teaspoons of loose leaf tea ( for red, consider raspberry, for blue consider blueberry tea, for white consider a white tea) Fruit (optional)

In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the milk (set the rest of the milk aside for later use) and 7 teaspoons of loose leaf tea of your choice into cold milk. Cook over medium heat. Do not boil.

Remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain out the tea.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the eggs and add the milk/tea mixture. Add the sugar, remaining milk, and heavy cream.

Using a commercial ice cream maker, follow directions as stated. If you do not have an ice cream maker, a hand mixer will be sufficient to use.

To make the ice cream, using the electric hand mixer is easy. Freeze a stainless steel bowl. Combine all the ingredients in the cold steel bowl and mix on high for 4 minutes. Place the whipped contents into the freezer and freeze overnight.

For Raspberry tea ice cream, add 1/2 cup raspberry puree to the cream mixture when whipping. Then put in freezer.

For White tea ice cream, add ½ tsp vanilla extract and 1/tsp almond extract.

For Blueberry tea ice cream, add ½ cup blueberry puree to the cream mixture when whipping. Then put into freezer.



Fruit Bowl With Tea Syrup
(Can be found here)

And finally no respectable Boston Tea Party would be without

Fourth of July Tea

Boston is known for its cranberry bogs. I am sure that our forefathers may have tried to make tea from their leaves in the past. This tart cranberry iced tea is refreshing on a hot summer day. A great choice for a Fourth of July tea party !

• 4 quarts water
• 1 cup sugar
• 16 teaspoons of your favorite loose leaf tea
• 12 oz frozen cranberry juice concentrate ( you can also substitute cran apple if you want a little sweeter tea

Bring water to boiling, and add sugar and loose leaf tea.. Stir well until the sugar completely dissolves. Let steep forup to 5 minutes. Strain tea, and add cranberry juice concentrate. Stir until mixed. Allow to cool to room temperate before refrigerating. Serve over ice.
Garnish with cranberries, blueberries and apple that has been dipped in lemon juice to go with your patriotic theme!

If you want to get fancy and patriotic, make a star garnish. Take a red delicious apple, turn sideways, and slice into thin circular disks. Be sure to leave the skin on so you get the red color in your drink!

Cut 5 triangles out of the apple disks to create a star shape. Your guests will be so impressed!
Serves 14

These recipes should get you on your way to having a unique and special fourth of July party this year. Remember it all started with the Boston Tea Party many many years ago.

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