Sweet Tea Vodka

It's been a long time since I've developed a new cocktail recipe, and for that I apologize.

A few weeks ago, a friend and I caught wind of the latest trend in flavored vodkas: sweet tea. Naturally, I had to try a homemade version. The recipe for one cup of vodka is as follows:

• 1 cup vodka (I used Imperia because I bought a bottle on sale, but I'd definitely use something cheaper like stoli or Tito's)
• 2 bags good, strong black tea. I particularly enjoy the flavor of Luzianne, a Southern brand that reminds me of chicory-laced black tea from Taiwan.
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Steep the tea in the vodka for two hours. Remove the bags and stir in the sugar until it's dissolved. The vodka might need to rest for a few minutes before all the sugar will dissolve. This vodka is great in a 1:1 ratio with club soda and a generous squeeze of lemon. It's like a shortcut to a Long Island iced tea! Alternatively, I poured some over ice and added chunks of apples and oranges to simulate the flavor of Chinese fruit tea, which is usually hot black tea with a medley of fresh fruit cooked into it. This vodka is so tasty, I'm already contemplating future infusions of green or oolong tea.