2. Place mint in a small bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water, and muddle the mint. Set aside to steep 5 minutes. Stir in honey. Strain into a 6-cup pitcher.
3. Slowly pour brewed tea into the pitcher, holding the teapot at least a foot above the pitcher — this is the essential Moroccan technique to aerate the tea. Taste tea for sweetness and adjust the amount of honey if needed. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
4. Pour tea into ice-filled glasses, garnish with mint and serve.
Cucumber-Mint Avocado Smoothie
Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 to 2 servings
½ cup spearmint leaves, packed
1 cup chopped, peeled and seeded cucumber (about one regular cucumber)
8 ounces pineapple juice
1 ripe but firm Hass avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Pinch of salt
1. Place mint, cucumber and pineapple juice in a blender and blend until smooth. Add avocado and blend again. Add lemon juice, pepper and salt. Blend briefly. To use a food processor instead of a blender, first turn on the machine and force the mint down the feed tube. Scrape the sides of the bowl, add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
2. Pour into 1 or more glasses and serve.