Herbal tea is generally brewed by pouring boiling water over the herbs in the proportion of 1 cup water to 1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh herbs, a bit stronger if you are planing to serve it over ice. Cover the pot to prevent the aromatic steam from escaping and let the infusion steep from 3 to 10 minutes, depending on the herb. If you want a stronger flavor, use more herbs, because longer steeping may bring out a bitter flavor. Or put some fresh herbs and water in a clear glass jar and set it in the sun to brew on warm summer days. For convenience, mix up large quantities of your favorite blends and store them in tightly closed glass jars in a cool, dark cupboard. Use dried ingredients, stored separately, to create variations. You’ll find that mint, chamomile, linden, and lemon verbena mix well with most other herbs.

TEA HERBS

Aniseed---Licorice flavor. Nerve soothing, sleep inducing, digestive, breath sweetener.

Basil---Spicy. Promotes alertness, eases motion and morning sickness.

Bee Balm---Minty. Sleep inducing, relieves headaches and nausea.

Borage---Mild cucumber flavor. Exhilarating; high in calcium and potassium.

Caraway seeds---Refreshing. Digestive

Chamomile---Fruity aroma. Relaxing, aids digestion and nausea.

Catnip---Minty. Sedative, lots of vitamin C.

Dill seeds---Eases colic pains, mild tranquilizer.

Fennel seeds---Anise flavor. Warm and stimulating, eases colic, diuretic.

Ginger---Pungent. Stimulating, aids digestion.

Hibiscus---Tangy citrus flavor. Sweetens stomach and breath.

Hops---Bitter. Calming. Sedative, relieves hangover headaches.

Lavender blossom---Sweet, exotic flavor. Relieves fatigue.

Lemon balm---Lemony. Counteracts stress, soothes nerves.

Lemon grass---Mild diuretic.

Lemon verbena---Distinctly lemony flavor. Mild sedative.

Linden---Mildly sweet. Tranquilizing, soothes nerves, indigestion.

Marjoram---Pungent. Calming

Mints---Aids digestion, relieves nausea and flatulence, sweetens breath.

Orange blossom---Sedative.

Parsley---Rich in vitamin C, natural diuretic, more like a broth.

Rose geranium---Spicy rose flavor.

Rose hips---Slight citrus flavor. Rich in vitamins C and A.

Rosemary---Aromatic. Good for nervous headaches.

Sage---Pungent. Aids digestion, relieves sore throats.

Thyme---Spicy, pungent. Eases tension headaches, sore throats.

If you want to substitute fresh herbs in any of the following recipes, triple the amount.

Zesty Lemon Tea
(Delicious hot or iced)

1/4 cup dried lemon balm leaves
2 tablespoons dried lemon thyme leaves
1/4 cup dried lemon verbena leaves
1/4 cup dried lemon geranium leaves
2 tablespoons dried lemon grass leaves
1 tablespoon dried lavender blossoms

Makes about 30 cups

Spicy Tea
(This is also good Iced)

1/4 cup dried lemon verbena
1/4 cup dried chamomile
1/4 cup dried orange peel
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 3-inch cinnamon stick, crushed

Makes about 30 cups


Afternoon Tea

1/4 cup dried hibiscus flowers
1/2 cup dried chamomile
2 tablespoons dried rose hips
1 tablespoon dried orange peel
1 3-inch cinnamon stick, crushed

Makes about 30 cups


Therapeutic Tea

1/3 cup dried thyme
1/3 cup dried leaf sage
1/3 cup powdered ginger

Makes about 30 cups

Digestive Tea
(good for when you have eaten to much)

2 Tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1/4 cup dried mint
2 tablespoons aniseed
1/4 cup lemon verbena


Bedtime Tea
( drink before bedtime for a good nights sleep)

1/4 cup dried chamomile
1/4 cup dried linden leaves
2 tablespoons dried mint
1 tablespoon dried orange blossoms (optional)
2 tablespoons lemon verbena

Makes about 25 cups

Herbal Sun Teas

Place herbs and flowers in a gallon jug of water and set this in the sun early in the day. By late afternoon, the sun has brewed for you a nice jug of tea for your evening cookout. You can add honey or sugar just remember to shake it or stir it up good before you strain it to serve. Make sure you use a lid or cover the top so bugs or anything else can't get in it. Even if you don't have all of the herbs listed in each of these recipes these will give you an idea of some of the combinations of herbs and flowers you can use to make sun tea.

Lemon Tea

A handful each of lemon catnip,
lemon balm, lemon verbena,
lemon basil, and some lemon
and tangerine-scented marigolds,
plus 1 cup of honey, if desired.
Place all in a gallon jug of water.
Citrus peel, optional.


Herb flavored Tea

A handful each of spearmint,
lemon balm, and chamomile
flowers, 3 or 4 regular tea bags,
and 3 packets of low-calorie
sugar substitute.


Minty Balm Tea

A handful each of applemint,
peppermint, lemon balm, and
bee balm leaves and flowers.
Honey, if desired.

Celestial Seasonings & Lemon Tea

4 Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger
tea bags, 2 or 3 handfuls of lime balm,
a few lemon-and tangerine-scented
marigolds, and 1 cup of honey.


MINT SEKANJABIN

2 1/2 cups water
4 cups sugar
1 cup wine vinegar
8 sprigs fresh mint

Combine water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring frequently until sugar dissolves. Add vinegar and simmer 1/2 hour. Remove from heat and plunge mint sprigs into hot syrup. Let cool and bottle (supposedly the syrup need not be refrigerated, but I usually do). Leave the leaves in the syrup till you're ready to use it; discard them after removing. To make a light, refreshing drink, mix the syrup with water at about 10 or 12 parts water per part of syrup.

Apparently it's the technique, not the mint, that makes this "sekanjabin" -- I've seen, though not made, recipes for citrus-based sekanjabins. This can also be made from dried mint, and I imagine that other fresh/dried herbs could be used the same way, or even combinations of herbs. If anyone experiments, I'd love to hear how it turns out.

WARNING. Contact dermatitis has been reported from handling dandelions. This is most likely from the latex in the leaves and stems. Do not eat dandelions from lawns that have been chemically treated with herbicides, preemergents or weed-and-feed type fertilizers.

DANDELION WINE

4 quarts dandelion flowers (remove stem & sepals)
4 quarts granulated sugar
p.05 4 quarts boiling water
juice of 2 lemons
juice of 1 orange
1 yeast cake

Add dandelion flowers to a large stone crock or jar. Cover with sugar. Add boiling water. When water has cooled to lukewarm, add the lemon juice and orange juice. Break up the yeast cake and add to the liquid. Stir well. Cover loosely and let stand 24 hours. Strain through cheesecloth and discard solids. Return liquid to the crock, loosely cover and let stand for 3 days.

Strain through several layers of cheesecloth. return liquid to crock and allow to ferment. bottle when all fermentation action stops. Keep at least 3 to 4 months before drinking.

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