How to Make Tea With Fresh Herbs

A few years ago I had the opportunity to tour a herb farm. After the farmer led me through her fragrant rows of herbs, she asked if I would like a cup of tea. I said, "Yes!", expecting that she would bring out a teapot and a selection of teabags. Instead, she handed me a pair of scissors and told me to harvest herbs for my tea. I selected lemon verbena, orange mint and lemon thyme and we made tea from the fresh herbs. This unexpected brew was light, refreshing and fun to drink. Here's how to make your own fresh herbal tea:

Instructions

1. Fill a tea kettle with cold water and bring it to a rolling boil. Then, remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool down for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, pop out to the garden and select your favorite herbs for the tea. For your average 6-cup teapot, you'll need about one cup of fresh herb leaves. Some of my favorite combinations are Anise hyssop and rosehips, lemon verbena and lavender (use just a bit of lavender) and plain orange mint. I've also found that chamomile and peppermint is the perfect blend for soothing an upset tummy.

3. Bring the herbs indoors and rinse them off in the sink with a gentle stream of cool water. Then, place them into a teapot and pour the hot water over the leaves. Allow them to steep for 4 minutes. Strain out the leaves and serve the tea with honey.

4. This is a fun activity to do with kids and house guests. If you don't have herbs in your garden, try purchasing a selection at a farmers market. If you buy or harvest more herbs than you need, you can always use them up in a recipe or dry them for future use.

Resources

• DigginFood