You know me, I don’t love iced tea, unless it’s flavored (usually peach), and given James was having a blast with all the mega amazing cocktails on the menu, I was not going to drink a plain ol’ diet coke or water while I noshed on house made prawn crackers. Enter the tea.

It was so good, I could not stop drinking it. The staff was kind enough to give me a breakdown of the recipe. Make regular simple syrup, then drop a stalk of lemon grass and several coins of fresh ginger into the syrup and let it steep overnight.

Remove the lemon grass and ginger the next day. For the iced tea, muddle some Thai basil into the bottom of a glass, add the simple syrup, and black iced tea. I have never in my life had a more refreshing iced tea. James said it was begging for a shot of bourbon too.

Thanks, Casey. I tend to skip over recipes with an ingredient that I may not be using regularly, and so appreciate ideas for alternatives. But other than the sumac, I could make my ownguess., I .

Za’atar is a common Middle Eastern spice blend, typically combining thyme, sesame, sumac, and salt. It’s widely available online via Amazon, Penzeys, at Whole Foods and other supermarkets, or you can make your own (there are a number of recipes online).

Yes! There will probably be sandwiches involved. I’m always happy with sandwiches. :)

There’s a reason I purposely put my head in the sand about who the hot new chefs and restaurants are, and when you or Megan mention one to me, I get a blank look on my face.

I know I have the potential to go down a rabbit hole, and so I don’t engage. I want to find the hidden spots that are amazing and unknown on vacation, nothing more. If I had more knowledge, I know myself well enough to know I would stop doing that.

Maybe it comes with age, but I’m so looking forward to the next time we get to hang out in some far flung place together. We’ll go adventuring and find a restaurant no one’s ever heard of, and make the BEST memories.