The Butterfly Pea Flower Mimosa

Butterfly pea flower tea is the most visually dramatic ingredient in contemporary cocktail making — a deep indigo-blue infusion that transforms to vivid violet or electric pink upon contact with acid (lemon juice, lime juice, or any citrus). In a champagne flute topped with dry Prosecco, the colour shift happens in real time, and guests invariably lean in to watch it. This is a mimosa that creates a moment.

About Butterfly Pea Flower

Butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea) is a flowering plant native to Southeast Asia, used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic and Thai medicine. The flowers are dried and steeped in hot water to produce a vivid blue tea rich in anthocyanins — the same pH-sensitive pigments that give blueberries and red cabbage their colour. When exposed to acidic ingredients, the anthocyanins change structure and the colour shifts dramatically.

The tea has a subtle, earthy flavour with hints of floral notes — mild enough that it functions primarily as a visual element in cocktails. Dried butterfly pea flowers are available from specialty tea suppliers including Harney & Sons and on Amazon; the pre-made syrup is available from Monin.

Ingredients (serves 6): - ¼ cup dried butterfly pea flowers steeped in 1¼ cups hot water for 10 minutes, then strained and chilled — or ¾ cup butterfly pea flower syrup - ½ cup fresh lemon or lime juice (this triggers the color change) - 1 tablespoon honey or simple syrup - 1 bottle (3 ⅛ cups) chilled Prosecco Brut

Instructions: Make the butterfly pea infusion: steep dried flowers in just-boiled water for exactly 10 minutes (longer produces a more bitter tea). Strain and cool completely. Stir with honey or syrup until dissolved.

Chill flutes for 5 minutes. Pour 1 oz of butterfly pea infusion into each flute — the liquid will be deep indigo. Add ¾ oz of fresh lemon juice — watch the colour shift from blue to violet to pink as the acid reacts with the anthocyanins. Top slowly with chilled Prosecco poured down the side of the glass. The effervescence creates further colour movement. Garnish with a dried butterfly pea flower or a lemon twist.

For a Mimosa Bar (serves 12): - 1½ cups butterfly pea flower infusion - 1 cup fresh lemon juice - 2 tablespoons honey - 2 bottles chilled Prosecco

Keep infusion and juice separate in labelled pitchers. Guests combine in the glass and add Prosecco — experiencing the colour change themselves.

Variations: - Replace lemon juice with fresh grapefruit juice for a Butterfly Pea Grapefruit Mimosa with a more complex bitter note. - Add 2 tbsp of St-Germain for a floral dimension that complements the tea's earthy quality. - Use Champagne Blanc de Blancs for a drier, more refined version.

Pairing: This mimosa pairs beautifully with light appetisers — watermelon feta skewers, cucumber bites, and anything fresh and clean. The citrus in the drink bridges both savoury and sweet brunch dishes effortlessly.

Pro Tips: The colour change requires acid — if your lemon juice is not fresh-squeezed, the reaction may be less dramatic. Bottled lemon juice is too oxidised to produce the vivid pink shift that makes this drink spectacular. Pre-mix the infusion and juice in a pitcher to make service easier, but present the colour to guests in the glass rather than showing a pre-shifted mix in a pitcher.