Double Lemongrass White Iced Tea - Tea Blend of the Month

A wonderful iced tea with great antioxidant properties and bold lemon flavor with a nice bit of caffeine,

Double Lemongrass Iced Tea

• Lemongrass Simple Syrup
• stalks of lemongrass
• 8 cups water (cold)
• 8 white tea bags
• Ice cubes

Directions

To prepare the lemongrass simple syrup: Take 6 full stocks of lemongrass with 1 cup of sugar or honey and 1 cup of water.  Bring the water and sugar to a boil stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Crush and chop the lemongrass stalks and add to the water and bring back to a boil.  Remove it from the stove and steep it for about 20 - 30 minutes. Once it's cool, strain the lemongrass syrup into a cup and set aside. 

For the Tea: Take a large saucepan and heat it. Add 8 cups of cold water and bring to a boil with 2 to 4 stalks of lemongrass cut in half length and crosswise.  Remove from heat and allow to steep for 1 hour.  After an hour bring the water to a boil once again. Immediately remove it from the heat and add the 8 white tea bags into the mixture and steep it for about 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags from the lemongrass tea and allow everything to cool down until it reaches a room temperature. 

Transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate until completely chilled. Remove the pitcher from the refrigerator, add ½ cup of lemongrass syrup for sweetness and stir. Serve in a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemongrass stalk. 

The mixture of two lemongrass recipes gives you a 'double iced lemongrass tea on the rocks!'

Aromatic Mint Tea - Tea Blend of the Month

This week I was harvesting a large amount of mint. And contemplating a harvest of sweet woodruff. As a result, it got me thinking about refreshing mint-based teas and I remembered this one I posted on Facebook back in 2015.

The recent rain has cleared our air of the smoke from the Canadian Wildfires, but I fear it will come back in a few days.  This tea can assist with coughs, sore throats and congestion from not-so-great-air.

Aromatic Mint Tea  

• 2 parts Spearmint
• 1 part Marjoram
• 1 part Sweet Woodruff
• 1 part Sage

Combine Fresh leaves in a quart jar (about half full total) and cover with boiled water.  Let steep 15 minutes or so and enjoy hot or iced.  If you only have dry herbs, use 1 to 2 teaspoons per cup of hot water.

Spearmint leaves are often used in herbal teas and remedies for their potential respiratory benefits. It may help alleviate coughs, congestion, and sinus discomfort.

Marjoram is known for its calming effects on the nervous system. It promotes relaxation, relieves stress, and improves sleep quality.

Sweet woodruff contains antioxidant compounds that help protect the body against oxidative stress and free radicals, potentially reducing cellular damage. Sweet woodruff also has mild sedative properties and has been used as a relaxant to help promote relaxation and relieve stress.

Sage has natural antiseptic and antibacterial properties that may help soothe sore throats, alleviate mouth ulcers, and support oral health.

It's important to note that while herbs like spearmint, marjoram, sweet woodruff, and sage have traditional uses and potential medicinal benefits, it's always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or herbalist before using them for specific health concerns or if you have any underlying medical conditions.