The Art of
Blending Herbal Teas
Written by Tania Tyler
Art is defined as "the quality, production,
expression, or realm of what is beautiful, or of
more than ordinary significance." A finely
blended herbal tea can be just that; a colorful
blend of herbs, varying textures, contrasting
and complimenting flavors to create an
extraordinary cup of tea. With a little
creativity and experimentation, the pleasure of
creating your own blend can be a rewarding and
enjoyable artistic outlet.
Before you begin blending herbs for tea, you
should know what the herbs taste like
individually. Make up simple teas with one herb
at a time until you become familiar with the
various flavors. During this process it is best
to drink the tea unsweetened. Sit back, savor
and enjoy. As you begin blending, start with
equal measurements of the herbs (except
lavender, licorice and the spices that tend to
overpower a tea if used too freely). You may
find it helpful to keep a journal of your
creations, including notes on the teas made with
just one herb. Combining herbs will tend to
alter the taste of the individual herbs so
although you may not care too much for one,
adding another herb to the blend may create an
enjoyable tea. Part of blending involves finding
the herbs that enhance or complement each other
to your liking. For some, herbal teas are an
acquired taste much like a fine wine.
Here is a list of some of the more popular
beverage tea herbs categorized by flavor to get
you started.
Florals - lavender, jasmine, rose petals,
chamomile, red clover, chrysanthemum
Lemony/Citrus - lemon balm, lemon
verbena, lemongrass, orange, lemon or lime
peel
Tart - hibiscus, rose hips
Spicy - cinnamon, clove, ginger, cardamom
Sweet - licorice, fruits, stevia,
aniseed, fennel
Woodsy - sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram
Mints - peppermint, spearmint, bee balm,
catnip, hyssop
Herbal teas can provide the additional
benefits of being healthy, nutritious, and
healing. Although this article is intended to
discuss beverage teas, consideration can be
given to the healing qualities of the herbs used
in your blend. Following are the more
traditional uses of some of the herbs you may
use in your teas. Peppermint is calming and aids
digestion. Catnip is relaxing, aids digestion,
and is known to promote a restful night's sleep.
Lavender is calming and good for relieving
stress headaches. Hibiscus, rose hips and
lemongrass are all high in vitamin C. Chamomile
is soothing, promotes sleep, and eases
stomachaches. Ginger is warming, stops nausea,
and relieves headaches. Rosemary eases anxiety,
depression and tension headaches. Thyme is a
decongestant and strong infection fighter. Teas
can be blended with just taste in mind, the
healing properties to be gained, or a
combination of the two.
Some ideas to get you started on creating
your own custom blends:
An iced tea made with equal parts of
peppermint and lemon balm
Lavender and lemongrass
Hibiscus, rose hips, lemon verbena and
orange peel
Orange peel, cinnamon, clove, ginger
and licorice
Rosemary, sage and fennel seed
Be creative, give your tea blend a name.
Package them in decorative tins with a muslin
herb bag or strainer as gifts. Have fun and
enjoy.
Mystic Naturals
Tania Tyler
P.O. Box 417
Mystic, CT 06355-0417
860-536-9617
Website:
http://www.mysticnaturals.com
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