To me herbal teas in a bag can have an off taste, but herbal teas made with fresh herbs have a bright garden greenness that I love. This summer I’ve been enjoying fresh mint tea, always a tongue-tingling delight, as well as lemongrass and lemon verbena. Fresh ginger with honey is a winter favorite.
Ingredients (one or a combination)
- Mint
- Lemon verbena
- Lemongrass
- Ginger
- Lemon or orange zest (outer zest peeled from fruit, not grated)
- Black or green tea (if you like a stronger-flavored – or caffeinated – tea)
- Filtered water
Hot tea directions
- Boil water. Let cool in kettle for 5-10 minutes.
- Add fresh herbs to a teapot. Amount depends on the strength of the herb and how strong you like your tea – approximately 1/4-1/2 cup of leafy herbs per cup of water. Ginger can be potent, depending on freshness.
- Pour hot water over herbs and let steep for several minutes. If you like, use a spoon to press herbs against the vessel to release additional flavor. Enjoy with honey or sweetener, if desired.
Sun tea directions
- Add fresh herbs to a glass jar. Amount depends on the strength of the herb and how strong you like your tea – approximately 1/4-1/2 cup of leafy herbs per cup of water. Ginger can be potent, depending on freshness; try a few slices and add more if you like.
- Fill with filtered water and let sit in sun for several hours, or a day or so in the refrigerator. If you like, use a spoon to press herbs against the vessel to release additional flavor.
- Enjoy with honey or sweetener, if desired.
Note
- Experiment with different combinations: Fresh mint with green tea – sweetened, of course – is a Moroccan tradition. Lemongrass and green tea is a favorite or my mom’s; Elise of Simply Recipes writes about having mint and lemon verbena at the Chez Panisse Cafe; ginger and mint is also a wonderfully stimulating combination.
Here’s a link back to the post and pictures.
