HERB TEA

Of all the many uses of herbs, one of the most enjoyable is the brewing and drinking of herb tea. The leaves, flowers, seeds, and roots of many herbs have been used this way for centuries. A nice advantage of herb teas over conventional teas is that they contain no caffeine. They make a healthful, soothing and refreshing addition to the daily diet and can be served hot or iced.

Make leaf and flower teas by infusing them in the same manner as black tea. Use approximately two to three teaspoons of freshly cut or frozen leaves or flowers, or one teaspoon of dried leaves or flowers, for each six-ounce serving. Put the ingredients into a teapot, pour boiling water over them and steep the mixture for four to five minutes. Strain the tea into a cup. Steeping herbs too long can ruin delicate flavors. Make teas stronger by brewing more ingredients and sweeter by adding honey after brewing.

To brew seed tea, add the seeds to a pot of boiling water, and steep for five to ten minutes. To intensify the flavors, crush seeds just before brewing.

For root tea, make a decoction by adding the herb to water and boiling it for 15 to 20 minutes to draw out the fragrant flavor. Iced tea requires three tablespoons of fresh, or two tablespoons of dried herbs. The extra amount allows for the melting ice. Freeze sprigs of herbs such as mint, and lovage in ice cubes and add these to black or herb iced teas for decoration.

Herbs have a long history in other beverages besides tea. Rosemary is on of the 130 or more herbs that the Carthusian monks use to flavor chartreuse liqueur. Anise seeds are used in anisette, caraway in Kummel and mint in creme de menthe.

It's important to be certain of the identity of any herb before ingesting it in any manner. Not all herbs are suitable for tea, and some are not recommended for consumption at all.

Good Herbs For Tea

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