This garden-fresh twist on a classic half-and-half drink is bright, aromatic, and genuinely refreshing — the kind of thing you want to sip slowly on a warm afternoon. Steeped black tea gets layered with fresh mint and basil, plus an optional hint of culinary lavender, giving the whole drink a floral, herbaceous depth that goes way beyond the standard version. The homemade lemonade side is just fresh lemon juice, water, and a simple syrup you whip up in minutes, so every ingredient is completely transparent and plant-based by nature. For anyone navigating alpha-gal syndrome, beverages can be a surprisingly tricky category — hidden additives, flavorings, and mammal-derived ingredients can lurk in pre-made mixes and bottled drinks. Making this entirely from scratch means you know exactly what's going in the glass. The result is a stunning, layered drink that looks impressive over ice with a sprig of mint and a lemon slice, but comes together with nothing more than a saucepan, a strainer, and a pitcher. It's the kind of recipe you'll want to keep on rotation all season long.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
Learn more →4 servings
Bring 2 cups of the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags, mint leaves, basil leaves, and dried lavender (if using), and steep for 5 minutes.
Remove and discard the tea bags. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher, pressing the herbs gently to extract their liquid, then discard the solids. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of cold water and let the tea cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!
(16k)
