How to Make a Lemon Balm Tisane

A lemon balm tisane is a soothing hot drink that you can sweeten to taste. It is a great use for the lemon balm that can grow like a weed once it is established in the herb garden. Lemon balm is in the mint family. The leaves are larger than many mints, lighter green and soft to the touch. Crushed lemon balm leaves produce a lemony scent.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh lemon balm
• Boiling water
• Sugar or honey
• Teapot
• Tea strainer

Instructions

1. Pick fresh lemon balm on a hot sunny day. It is important that the plants are totally dry when you pick them, and to make your lemon balm tisane the most flavor-filled, it is best if it hasn't rained for several days.

2. Strip the lemon balm leaves from the stems. For each cup of lemon balm tisane, you need 2 oz. of leaves.

3. Boil 4 cups of water in a tea kettle. When it has boiled, swish about 1/4 cup of the hot water in the bottom of your teapot and up the sides. This will warm the pot before the lemon balm tisane begins to brew. Pour out this water after it has swished all through the teapot.

4. Place the lemon balm leaves into the teapot. Fill the pot with boiling water and allow it to steep for about 5 minutes. If you like your lemon balm tisane to taste very strongly like lemon, let it steep for up to 10 minutes.

5. Pour the steeped lemon balm tisane through a tea strainer into teacups. Serve with sugar or honey to taste. This is delicious when served to friends with a vanilla- or almond-flavored sugar cookie.