Our friends Bobby and Maire Greenya, proprietors of Champion's Pub, 2417 N. Bartlett Ave., recently introduced us to my new favorite summer libation, a Firefly Sweet Tea vodka press. Sitting in the sun on the patio at Champion's and sipping this sweet tea cocktail made all the months wading through cold, damp weather just float away.
According to the Firefly Web site, sweet tea products come from South Carolina, created by two gentlemen with a penchant for the south, wine, and tea. The 70 proof vodka comes in a variety of flavors (raspberry, peach, mint and lemon) and is distributed locally through Badger South in West Allis.
At this writing, I've already seen the product in several local bars around town, we were able to score a bottle at Siegel's on KK for $21.99; and saw it later on at G. Groppi's Food Market for the same price.
If you like iced tea, this is dangerously delicious. The bottle recommends mixing it with lemonade for an alcoholic take on the Arnold Palmer, but we prefer the press: a shot of sweet tea vodka mixed with equal parts sweet and seltzer over ice, and garnished with a lime.
Cheers!
Amy L. Schubert is a 15-year veteran of the hospitality industry and has worked in every aspect of bar and restaurant operations. A graduate of Marquette University (B.A.-Writing Intensive English, 1997) and UW-Milwaukee (M.A.-Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Writing, 2001), Amy still occasionally moonlights as a guest bartender and she mixes a mean martini.
The restaurant business seems to be in Amy’s blood, and she prides herself in researching and experimenting with culinary combinations and cooking techniques in her own kitchen as well as in friends’ restaurants. Both she and her husband, Scott, are avid cooks and “wine heads,” and love to entertain friends, family and neighbors as frequently as possible.
Amy and Scott live with their boys, Alex and Nick, in Bay View, where they are all very active in the community. Amy finds great pleasure in sharing her knowledge and passions for food and writing in her contributions to OnMilwaukee.com.
