This refreshing Dominica-style iced lemon ginger honey tea combines a zing of fresh ginger, a citrusy hit of lemon and lime and a refreshing note of mint to create an ideal summer beverage.
Country Number 48: Dominica
I am a little embarrassed to admit that I didn’t realise that Dominica and the Dominican Republic were two different countries until we started this cooking challenge. I always prided myself on being reasonably good with geography but I now see how many gaps I have in the my knowledge. Hopefully by the end of this challenge, I will at least be able to distinguish each country in the world and not lump two together simply because they share similar names.
Although both countries are in the Caribbean, Dominica and the Dominican Republic are different in many ways. The Dominican Republic boasts a population of over 10 million and a total size of nearly 50,000 square kilometres. Dominica, on the other hand, is a tiny country with a population of 75,000 and a total area of just 750 square kilometres. The first written records of Dominica date back to 1493, when the island was spotted by Christopher Columbus. He named the island Dominica after the Latin word for Sunday, as this was the day that he had spotted it. Prior to this, Dominica was inhabited by the indigenous Arawak people. The country became a British colony from 1763 to 1978, when it finally gained its independence.
This small island, located in the Eastern Caribbean sea, is of great natural beauty. It’s home to spectacular mountains, forests, hot springs, rivers and a number of active volcanos. While the climate of Dominica is mostly pleasant, it is subject to hurricanes during its rainy season. Unfortunately, the country’s economy relies on its agriculture, which is often destroyed during hurricane season. This has contributed to Dominica being one of the poorest of the Caribbean countries.
History of Dominica Cuisine
Dominica is self-sufficient when it comes to fruit and vegetables, meaning its cuisine reflects the local produce found on the island. Its main crops include bananas, citrus fruit, coconuts, coffee and cocoa. Dominica cuisine utilises creole techniques of cooking, and the influence of France, England, Asia and Africa can be seen in its dishes. The cuisine is full of flavour, utilising many of the spices founds on the island along with other punchy ingredients like ginger and lime.
Needless to say, seafood is very popular and features heavily in the cuisine. Chicken and beef are also commonly eaten. The national dish of Dominica is called “mountain chicken”, which despite its name, does not contain chicken. Instead, it contains the legs of a giant frog native to the area, which are fried up with spices and served alongside vegetables. Although animal products are widely consumed throughout the island, the abundance of local fruit and vegetables means there is enough to get by as a vegetarian.
Popular Dominica Vegetarian Dishes
- Callaloo soup– A hearty soup filled with fresh local vegetables and callaloo leaves, which is a native plant similar to spinach.
- Rice and peas– A staple dish around the Caribbean countries, consisting of pigeon peas and rice that are cooked together with spices.
- Fungee– A porridge made from cornmeal porridge that is often served as a breakfast dish.
- Bakes– A popular roadside snack consisting of a fried flour and water dough that is stuffed with things like cheese.
- Sorrel punch– A beverage made from the sorrel plant, which is boiled and blended with ginger.
Making Iced Lemon Ginger Honey Tea
Hot lemon ginger honey has always been a go-to cold remedy. Although it is normally under unpleasant circumstances that I consume such a beverage, I have always appreciated the flavour combination. There is just something about the freshness of lemon, the zing of ginger and the sweetness of honey that meld so well together. When we saw that an iced tea with this flavour combination was popular in Dominica, we figured we’d have to give it a try. Mint is also added into the flavour mix, which gives a lovely freshness to the drink, and both lemons and lime are used for the drink’s citrus kick. The result was a super refreshing beverage that we’d happily drink all summer long!
How to make Iced Lemon Ginger Honey Tea
This iced tea is super easy to whip up as a refreshing beverage for a summer day. You do need to take into account some time to let the ginger infuse and the boiling water to cool down. We left ours for about an hour before completing the rest of the steps and serving.
- Put ginger into a large measuring jug or bowl, then pour boiling water over the top. Add honey and stir to dissolve. Leave mixture to sit until cool.
- Fill a jug with ice. Strain ginger water through a fine sieve and into the jug.
- Add lemon and lime juice to the jug, along with a handful of mint.
- Stir, taste and add more sweetener if needed. Divide into glasses to serve or keep in the fridge for later.
Ingredient notes for Iced Lemon Ginger Honey Tea
- Ginger- The key to this recipe is using fresh ginger as this is really what gives the iced tea its flavour. We wouldn’t recommend subbing for anything else.
- Citrus- You can either use both lemons and limes for this recipe if you want the full citrus hit, or you can choose one or the other. If you don’t have either, adding a little lime or lemon infused water will also work for a more subtle flavor-hit.
- Honey- We used honey to sweeten our iced tea as the flavour melds well with the citrus and ginger. However, you can use an alternative sweetener or leave the sweetener out altogether, depending on your taste.
Serving suggestions for Lemon Ginger Honey Iced Tea
Keep this iced tea in the fridge till you are ready to serve then pour over ice and enjoy!
Lemon Ginger Honey Iced Tea- Dominica
This refreshing Dominica-style iced tea combines a zing of fresh ginger, a citrusy hit of lemon and lime and a refreshing note of mint to create an ideal summer beverage. It's also naturally sweetened with honey, making it a healthy alternative to other iced teas.
Ingredients
- 2- inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 4 cups boiling water
- 1 tbsp honey, or more to taste
- 1 cup of ice
- 2 lemon, juiced
- 2 limes, juiced
- Handful of fresh mint
Instructions
- Put ginger into a large measuring jug or bowl, then pour boiling water over the top. Add honey and stir to dissolve. Leave mixture to sit until cool.
- Fill a jug with ice. Strain ginger water through a fine sieve and into the jug.
- Add lemon and lime juice to the jug, along with a handful of mint.
- Stir, taste and add more sweetener if needed. Divide into glasses to serve or keep in the fridge for later.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Fool Proof Living
Other Caribbean dishes to try
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