On the afternoon of the Fourth of July my friend and I decided to pick ingredients from the garden and make our own herbal teas!
We decided to try lavender, lemon balm, chocolate mint, Bee Balm leaves and flowers, and Bee Balm leaves alone. We just washed the herbs, stuck them in jars and poured on the hot water.
Did you know that Bee Balm's other name is "Bergamot"? That's where Earl Grey gets its flavor! (The red and pink firework-looking flowers in the arrangement are Bee Balm.)
It was really a fun experiment! We both loved the chocolate mint, especially paired with a piece of dark chocolate! My other favorite was the lemon balm. Several of the teas tasted best with honey added. And, we let the lavender steep too long and it tasted like perfume. I found the Bee Balm to taste quite like Earl Grey (without the black tea) while my friend, Karen, thought it was too close to thyme flavor and wasn't as enthusiastic.
It was the perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon!
Last week during VBS Laura and I went to Auntie C's to spend one morning. She had prepared a tea feast for us to enjoy on the deck out back. What can be better in summer! Tea, flowers, friends, knitting, cousins playing.....
John and Laura had their own table (the very table and chairs Christina and I sat at when we were little).
And now another weekend is upon us! I think cooler weather is ahead......
3 comments:
I planted bee balm for the first time this year. Mine hasn't any flowers, yet. However, I will pick some leaves in the morning to try making tea with it. I've never made tea with it before, it was planted to attract hummingbirds. :)
My husband loves lemon balm tea and it is good for people with depression. Mine went all buggy with all that rain. It grows near the house which probably made it hold more moisture than out in the garden.
I've already had lots of apple mint tea and I was letting the rest of the mint flower. Instead I've decided to cut more of it again for iced tea.
What an interesting idea! When we lived in the States we used to make "sun tea" with teabags in the summer - just left them in a tall glass bottle (a very American item!) to steep in the sun. Then into the fridge to chill. I used to love cold almond tea, I remember.
As you know, here in Scotland, the concept of cold tea is not at all part of the general consciousness!
... and the concept of HOT tea is ALMOST not part of the southern US general consciousness!
My family and I just got back from our trip from home (Connecticut) to Louisiana. My husband's family is in LA He was born and raised there. When I ask about a cup of hot tea , I get some looks like "there goes that yankee wife of his". I went out and bought a sampler box of Bigelow teas. I DO drink it cold too!
Your herbal tea making sounds like it was a lot of fun.
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