Homegrown Herbal Tea

[ninnymary]

Well due to acid reflux I have had to forego my beloved jasmine tea. The only ones I can have are ginger, lavender, and chamomile. This is according to an acid reflux doctor who tested the ph of many goods. I'm surprised that ginger is ok since I think it's kind of spicy.

I went to a local new tea shop and the woman was so helpful and knowledgeable. She made me a blend of ginger and lavender, lemon balm, and Rooibos Africana to take home to try. She spent quite a bit of time talking to me about ph's and acid foods. I tried to pay for the samples but she refused.

Anyway, I loved the lemon balm! I can't believe I've never had it and will grow some this year. I am a little concerned since a search said not to take lemon balm supplements for longer than 6 months but I'm guessing a cup of tea daily is ok.

Mary

 

[digitS']

I'm surprised that ginger is ok since I think it's kind of spicy.

Yes, it is. I find that it helps with an irritated throat. pH has to do with acidity spiciness, . Chamomile seems so benign ... Interesting that you like the lemon balm and with me . (Lemongrass in my tea is o.u.t.)

The citrus test that I made dehydrating the standard, organic orange peels was a nah. It was surprising that no special bitterness came through with thicker rind. It was the lack of flavor, the limited zestiness. Trying 2 kettles over 2 days led me to think that this is the problem with commercial stuff that I bought. Completely comparable. I made no improvement by drying it myself without the shredding.

I'm okay with staying with the Mandarin oranges. Maybe I should try lemons. DW likes limes and we use the juice squeezed on this or that, often. I was a Green River fan as a kid at the Woolworth lunch counter . Might be a problem finding it organic but, using the rind, I am more comfortable with that. Anyway, Mandarin oranges on the shopping list again!

Steve

 

[AMKuska]

Do you also make your own herbal tea collection?

I am starting an herbal tea garden this year! I've noticed the price of the drinks I like to have are going up, and up, and UP. I've switched to mainly tea and herbal tea because it's still only about 30 cents a bag. Then I thought to myself...surely I can grow my own mint for mint tea...? Chamomile for chamomile tea?

I got a cute stacking pot to plant it in, and will be giving it a go this year.

 

[ninnymary]

Amkusa, you've just motivated me to grow my own chamomile flowers for tea. We'll see how it grows.

Steve, I love lemon grass tea and even have a plant. Strangely I don't use it. I remember my grandmother always making it when I was little and I really liked it then. Wonder if it will still taste the same now that I'm an adult. But I bet it won't be as good as my grandmother's. Well at least it will bring back good memories.

Mary

 

[Dahlia]

Amkusa, you've just motivated me to grow my own chamomile flowers for tea. We'll see how it grows.

Steve, I love lemon grass tea and even have a plant. Strangely I don't use it. I remember my grandmother always making it when I was little and I really liked it then. Wonder if it will still taste the same now that I'm an adult. But I bet it won't be as good as my grandmother's. Well at least it will bring back good memories.

Mary

We moved into a house a while back that had volunteer camomile growing in the garden! I dried the flowers, but haven't used them yet. I should try to make tea!

 

[Phaedra]

Today's bedtime tea, all homegrown, so good!

 

[digitS']

Having a cup of after-breakfast, herbal tea. It was only steeping for about 30 minutes.

I am wondering: does anyone else tend towards long steeping of various herbs to adequately infuse necessary flavors into their cup of hot water?

Steve​

 

[flowerbug]

Having a cup of after-breakfast, herbal tea. It was only steeping for about 30 minutes.

I am wondering: does anyone else tend towards long steeping of various herbs to adequately infuse necessary flavors into their cup of hot water?

Steve​

when i was drinking teas more often i would let them steep for the entire day and keep adding more water and herbs as needed. the end of the day it would all get put into the drying tray where it would go back to looking like what it started out as. eventually those redried herbs would get used in some kind of plant as mulch or put on the compost pile or ..., here and now anything like that gets fed to the worm bins.

the word of art for what i did with teas was "swamp water" and i didn't particularly filter it much that was what my teeth were for. so chewy was also a proper adjective.

 

[Dahlia]

Having a cup of after-breakfast, herbal tea. It was only steeping for about 30 minutes.

I am wondering: does anyone else tend towards long steeping of various herbs to adequately infuse necessary flavors into their cup of hot water?

Steve​

I let my fresh ginger tea steep for 30 minutes or until it's cool enough to sip!

 

[Phaedra]

I've dried some Eucalyptus leaves earlier and didn't realize that their fragrance is so charming. Have you ever tried Eucalyptus tea?