For centuries herbs have been used to make various flavoured teas;
although in the past the beverage was often referred to as a tisane
or a potion. There are two ways in which herbs can be used to make
a refreshing and unusual drink.
The first method is to add a small quantity of the selected herb (
fresh or dried ) to the tea leaves when brewing the tea, in the same way
as when making mint tea. The second method is to
follow the
directions for making tea on the " A Perfect Cup Of Tea " page,
substituting herbs for tea leaves. It is also possible to buy packets
of herb flavoured teas. Many herb teas are improved by the addition
of a little lemon juice, and honey makes a good sweetener.
If you find the flavour of the herb teas bitter it may be that you
have let the beverage brew too long; most herbs need a maximum of 5 minutes'
standing time. Herb teas can be served iced or hot.
Some of the most suitable and readily available herbs to use for tea
are :
balm ( often called lemon balm )
basil *
bay **
bergamol ( Oswago tea )
borage
caraway ( use the seeds )
chamomile ( use the flower heads )
elder ( use the young flower heads )
fenugreek * ( use the seeds and only the young leaves )
feverfew **
hyssop
lemon verbena
lovage
juniper ( use the berries )
mint ( particularly apple mint, peppermint and spearmint )
rosemary
sage
tansy
tarragon
thyme ( particularly lemon thyme )
* the leaves are strongly flavoured, so should be used sparingly
** the leaves are very strongly flavoured so use very sparingly until you
are sure you like the flavour.
In addition to the plants known as herbs you can use cultivated plants too - rose or marigold petals make an excellent flavouring for tea, as do the leaves of rose geraniums.