Homemade Tea

So, you're making your own tea. I was so excited to grow my herb garden this year. I planned on planting chamomile, lemon verbena, lemon balm, spearmint...and i did. But once everything was growing and ready to be picked and dried for tea, i realized i had no idea how to make tea.

Here is some "tea-making" info. Making your own tea is awesome, cheaper and i think "very witchy" lol. You go out and buy little jars to keep your dried herbs in so you can mix and match for a great tea anytime. Don't forget you can make cold tea (iced tea) too.

Harvest tea leaves in the early morning or late evening (when it's not so hot). Gather a small bundle of leaves at the stems and snip with scissors. Try and remove only what you need (take no more than 1/4 of the plant). You can make the tea with fresh leaves immediately or dry them. There are a few different ways to dry your leaves. I have found a dark closet works best( dark, cool and dry)...on a cookie sheet. Be sure to only dry one type of leaves on one tray at a time. Once leaves shrivel up they are hard to identify. Let them dry (takes about 1 week). After they are dried, check for mold or any bugs. Then remove all the leaves from the stems. Seal them up in a plastic baggie or a glass jar w/lid. Keep them in a dark place.

To make one cup of tea, use approximately 3 teaspoons of fresh leaves or 1 teaspoon of dry leaves for each cup of water. Simmer the leaves in the water for about 2 minutes, and then remove from heat and let steep for 5 to 20 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. Strain the leaves out of your tea and sweeten to taste with honey or sugar.

Herbs that are tasty: mint, chamomile, hibiscus, lemon verbena

Herbs that add spice: scented leaf geranium, hibiscus, rose blossoms,
orange and lemon peel

Herbs that are relaxing: chamomile, skullcap, oat straw. lemon balm,
linden flowers, valerian (sedative)

Herbs that are medicinal: mint, sage, thyme, burdock, dandelion,
chickweed, echinacea, st. john's wort, red clover, licorice root,
juniper berries, ginger, lady's mantle

Recipes::these are ones i've found online. i will post some of my own "personal" creations as soon as i taste test them! Also...CHECK HERE TOO

Love Tea

To bring love into your life, make this tea every Friday and sip slowly by the light of a pink candle while projecting your readiness for love to the universe. Rose petals, lemon balm, jasmine flowers, with a pinch of cinnamon, ginger and coriander. Sweeten with honey.

Tonic Tea

3 slices fresh ginger (spicy, warming, immune tonic)
1 tsp. mint (sweet, digestive)
1 tbsp. chamomile (sweet, relaxant)
1 tsp. nettles (green, system/kidney tonic)
3 slices burdock Root (woody, system/liver tonic)
1 tbsp. red clover (sweet, blood cleanser)
1 tsp. rose hips (sour, vitamin c)

Steep for 5-15 minutes for a balanced, healthful tea. Best drunk over
the period of a few months, for maximum effectiveness as a tonic. One
cup a day is good.

Exotic Spice Tea
This one is nice for tea parties.

4 rose blossoms (spicy, fragrance)
1 tsp. hibiscus flowers (sour, pink color)
1 tsp. orange rind (sweet, spicy)
3 slices fresh ginger (spicy, warming, headache calmer)
1 tsp. clover (sweet, cool)
1 clove (spicy, warming)
2 leaves fresh scented leaf geranium (spicy, balancing)
1 tsp. lemon balm (green, relaxing)

Steep for 5-10 minutes and enjoy with a teaspoon of honey.

Calming, Sedative Tea
This tea can be made truly sedative by adding valerian, but best to
start slow and see how it affects you.

4-5 linden flowers (sweet, relaxing)
1 tsp. chamomile (sweet, mildly sedative)
1 tsp. skullcap (bitter, mildly sedative)
1 tsp. mint (sweet, spicy)
2 leaves fresh scented leaf geranium (spicy, balancing)
1 tsp. lemon balm (green, relaxing)

Again, steep 5-10 minutes and sweeten with honey if desired.

Cold and Flu Tea (especially with runny nose)
This recipe makes one mug.

3 slices fresh ginger (spicy, warming, immune balancing)
5-10 leaves chopped sage (spicy, antihistamine)
2-3 springs fresh thyme (spicy, antibiotic, antiviral)
1 tbsp. honey (sweet, simple sugar)
Juice of half a lemon (sour, vitamin c)
A dash of cayenne pepper (hot, immune enhancing) [optional]

This mug of hot grog will make you feel stronger while it gives you a
break from cold symptoms.