Finding a
good source of dried herbs, spices and dried flowers can be difficult if you
live out of the way. If you have a green thumb, you'll be well aware of what
can easily be grown in your climate and what cannot (thank goodness for
greenhouses). But it is well worth searching such places out as you might
benefit from some simple homemade remedies, including some tasty teas.
I'm a big fan of tea infusions. I am a creature of comfort, at heart - and I'm
fond of things that I can enjoy with more than one of my senses. The best way
to a man's heart, or anyone's heart, for that matter, is through their stomach.
Ingesting the right things can really put you on a path to good spirits, good
health and possibly even extended longevity. I add honey to my teas too because
I have a sweet tooth and honey raises antioxidant levels, which is always nice!
My current favourite tea infusion:
Jasmine and Chamomile - Dried jasmine flowers, chamomile flowers and
green tea leaves. This is really good for aiding sleep. Chamomile is well
known to sooth and helps relax the body as it has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic
properties. Jasmine smells so sweet and tastes as delicate and lovely as it
smells as long as you don't let it steep for too long, as this can make it
taste slightly bitter. The mixture of jasmine and chamomile could have a
soothing effect on your nerves simply from smell and taste alone. Green tea has
polyphenols which are antioxidants; green tea has been said to help prevent the
development of things like heart disease and cancer. With the antispasmodic
properties of chamomile and the soothing and warming benefits of jasmine
flowers, this tea infusion is really good for settling down at night.
If you want to make the same strength that I use - I tend to use half a
teaspoon of dried jasmine flowers, half a teaspoon of dried chamomile flowers
and a teaspoon of dried green tea leaves to make a strong cup and a half of
tea, then I let them steep together in very hot water. If you have a teapot,
now is the time to use it. Let it steep for about 5 minutes. If you decide not
to use jasmine, let it steep longer. Infusions with a strong amount of jasmine
can leave a slightly bitter aftertaste. Use a strainer to filter the leaves and
blossoms as you pour the tea into your cup. There may be a few tiny flecks of
leaves or flowers, but they are harmless and will most likely settle.
As always, I use honey in my teas. It cleanses the mouth by killing germs as it
has antibacterial properties and it raises antioxidant levels in the blood. And if
you have any problems with a night cough, it can be more helpful than a store bought
cough syrup. Lemon teas with a goodly amount of honey are especially useful for
soothing and helping with coughs accompanying colds.
Well, I'm quite finished banging on about teas and whatnot. For now. <_< Hehe ^_^
9:36 AM, Saturday, June 14, 2008 .. Posted by gareth lane
I live in Hertfordshire with my partner and we pick Chamomile in the fields near our home. It is great as an aid to sleep, it sooths the nerves and smells of summer.
We use lots of herbs for cooking and grow Thyme, Mint. Rosemary, Bay, parsley and sage. I love French Taragon, Basil, Oregano and Coriander which we set in spring. I've found that oregano tastes better dried but that's only my opinion
I really enjoyed reading your blog and have come away with some handy tips, anyone would think I'm an old hippy blush lol
Kind Regards
Gareth
Edited by garethlane on Saturday, June 14, 2008 at 9:37 AM