HERBAL TEAS
In these recipes, leaves, flowers, and chopped roots are measured by the rounded teaspoon, seeds and powders by the level teaspoon. About three times the volume of fresh herbs may be substituted for the dried herb amounts. Fresh herbs should be loosely mounded in the measuring spoon, not packed.
Each of the following recipes yields enough tea for two cups. If you are preparing tea for several people, multiply the herb and water amounts accordingly.
FLOWER POWER
2 teaspoons dried chamomile flowers
1 1/2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers
1 teaspoon elder flowers
1/8 teaspoon powdered cloves
2 cups water, barely boiled
Place the herbs directly into teapot, pour the boiling water over them, steep 5 minutes. strain and sweeten with honey
SWEET STABILITY
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon dried licorice root
2 teaspoons dried orange peel
1 teaspoon dried caraway seeds, crushed
2 teaspoons dried catnip leaves
Bring water to a boil in a glass or stainless steel pot over high heat. Add the licorice root, caraway seeds, and orange peel, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, uncovered 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place catnip in the teapot. When simmering time is up, pour the unstrained decoction into the teapot, cover and steepp 5 minutes. Strain and serve hot, or chill and serve over ice.
ROSE BLUSH
2 teaspoons dried rose petals
1 teaspoon crushed dried rose hips
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 small dried hibiscus flower
2 cups water, barely boiled
Combine herbs in teapot. Add boiling water, cover, steep 7-10 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey to taste. Or chill and serve over ice with a fresh mint sprig for garnish
JOURNEY TO ANTIQUITY
3 cups water
2 1/4 inch slices fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons crushed dried rose hips
1 teaspoon dried aniseed, crushed
Bring the water to a boil in a glass or stainless steel pot over high heat. Meanwhile cut the ginger into 1/4 in. slices and hit each slice gently with the broad side of a knife to break up the pulp a bit. Add the herbs to the boiling water, reduce heat to medium, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Strain and sweeten to taste with honey. Serve hot or chill and serve over ice.
TASTE OF THE FOREST
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, bruised
1 teaspoon dried juniper berries, crushed
1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaves
1 small fresh bay leaf, bruised
2 cups water, barely boiled
Place all herbs into teapot. Pour the boiling water over them, cover, steep 5 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey. Serve hot or chill and serve over ice.
SAIL AWAY
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek seeds
1 small dried hibiscus flower
1/4 teaspoon powdered cardamom
1/4 teaspoon dried cinnamon
Bring water to boil in glass or stainless steel pan over high heat. Add the fenugreek, reduce heat to medium, simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Place the cardamom, cinnamon, and hibiscus into teapot. Pour the fenugreek decoction over the herbs, cover pot and steep 5 minutes. Sweeten with honey. Serve hot or iced.
SARSPARILLA SOMBA
4 teaspoons dried sarsparilla root
2 teaspoons dried spearmint leaves
8 black peppercorns crushed
2 cups water, barely boiled
Place all herbs into teappot. Pour the water over them, cover, steep 15 minutes. Strain and serve hot or chill and serve over ice.
VERY BERRY BLEND
2 oz fresh raspberries ( about 1/2 cup )
2 teaspoons dried lemongrass
2 teaspoons dried strawberry leaves
1 teaspoon dried hyssop leaves
1 teaspoon honey, or to taste
2 cups water, barely boiled
place the fresh berries into teapot and mash lightly with a fork. Add the lemongrass, strawberry leaves, and hyssop. Pour the boiling water over the herbs, cover the pot and steep 10 minutes. Strain, stir in honey until dissolved, and serve hot.
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I always fear that creation will expire before teatime.
~Sydney Smith
Green tea, the most popular beverage in the world, but so many people don't recognize it as a herb. Green tea has been used in Chinese medicines for 5000 years. Scientists, in the 1970's, discovered that people who drank green tea, were less prone to heart attacks, high cholesterol, strokes, cancer, infections, and high blood pressure. Today, and tea that contains flowers, bark, buds, leaves, or seeds, is called tea, but real tea is Camellia sinensis, and can be either black or green. Tea loves acid soil, with lots of leaf mulch dug in. Their leaves like to be kept moist, with a mist sprayer system. The top 3-4 leaves are nipped off the top sprig of every branch.
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