Vitamin C Tea Blend

Today I'm sipping a version of a Vitamin C tea blend I used to serve at the studio. This base recipe is just that, a base that may be adapted to suit your taste, constitution, your whims, to what you have on hand, or whatever! 

So, here's that base...

4 parts hibiscus
4 parts rosehips
2 parts lemongrass
2 parts lemon peel
1 part cinnamon chips/granules
1 part ginger chips/granules

Now, when I speak of "parts" - especially when teaching, or blending in bulk - I speak of weight measures. If you don't have a scale, use volume measures. Either way, start with a small batch and adjust to your liking with subsequent versions until you hit your sweet spot. Know what I mean? Or, if you're like me, simply blend up a version without rigid measuring, which is exactly what I did today, replacing lemongrass for goldenrod, and using both dried and fresh ginger root for added heat.

I'm drawn to this blend today because it's cold and damp outside. Even with my fiery constitution I feel I need something today to warm me from the inside out, at least until the fire is stoked up, so adding that fresh ginger, and plenty of it (because I have it) will accomplish that. That said, I find this base blend - as expressed above - to be rather neutral, neither too heating nor cooling, and it makes a nice chilled beverage (as well as hot) in any season. 

Anyhoo... this is how I make a pot (about a quart) of this tea:

Bring fresh water to a boil. Place 5(ish) tablespoons of the blend in your steeping vessel (tea pot, canning jar, measuring cup, etc.) and pour the boiled water over the botanicals. Cover and let steep about 15 minutes. Strain it, serve it, be well, and enJOY. Or, as I most often do, make this - and other loose tea blends - in a french press. ::nods:: 

If you make more than you need in a day, refrigerate it, and use it up within 2 days. That rarely happens in our little hut, but it's nice to know it's an option.

As I go through my files I'll be sharing more of these "recipes" here. Keep watch.

Peace. 🕊

Dried Genovese Basil

This harvest of Genovese Sweet Basil is headed for the dehydrator.

Dried sweet basil is so different from fresh, yet I do love to keep it on hand. I’ve been trimming it throughout the season to use fresh, and to toss in the dehydrator with whatever else was in there. This respectable harvest should now pack the jar I have started to keep us in dried sweet basil till next year.

Plus, I sometimes make a sweet basil tea with the dried stuff. Sometimes I drink it with honey, or with one of my syrups... sometimes I sip it salty, like bouillon.

There’s more to harvest, and those will become a simple basil ‘n’ olive oil pesto that will be packed in a glass jar with a nice sealing layer of olive oil on top. And this will last for months in the refrigerator. ::nods::

I’ll be doing this with Shiso as well!

🕊 Peace.

Victorian Afternoon Tea

Today, among other things, I made 34 little sample packets of my "Victorian Afternoon Tea" blend to include in this week's CSA share for Dinebergs Farm. I'll be dropping them off at the farm early this evening for tomorrow's delivery. Then I'm off to Passiflora Tea Room where I'll be offering a lecture and discussion centered around the ways in which we can preserve our herbs for health, wellness and enjoyment in every season.

Peace.

A Delicious Dandelion Brew

Today I made a delicious and nutritious roasted taraxicum brew. Yep. That's what I made today.

Peace.

.

Cups of Love

For over two years I've been hosting a monthly gather that I've most recently dubbed "Foolish Wisdom." It's a discussion group that I still look forward to every month. I look forward to brewing tea for friends of like mind and heart, to discussing our chosen topic, to sharing, to laughing, to crying … to loving.

Peace.

My Way Into the Garden & Out Again

I made my way into gardens today for a little clean-up and a little harvest.

Today's modest harvest included a few crookneck squash hiding at the bottom of the basket that I'll cook up tomorrow. The zephyr squash and green onion were all grilled for supper and a few tomatoes made the green salad extra special.

The first horseradish roots were dug and cleaned ...

... and will soon be macerating in a nice jar of apple cider vinegar.

I enjoyed the work, the bending, the sweating and the sunshine before I made my way out of the garden.

And my reward was a nice cold hibiscus tea in a fancy glass.

Vinegar, Tea & Impressions

Yesterday I made time to gather a handful of garlic scapes. I chopped them, added them to a quart jar and covered them with apple cider vinegar.

They are macerating nicely and already the aroma is quite vibrant!

This morning I made tea for a visiting friend. At her request I blended a delightful mix of organic linden flower and rose petals. I made a disaster of a shortbread that I dared not serve. I'm generally quite talented in the kitchen - if I do say so myself - and screwing up a shortbread is especially perplexing, if not downright embarrassing. I mean it's barely four ingredients. Ah well, humility is a steadfast friend, though one that rarely follows me into the kitchen.

The clouds finally evaporated and I made a beautiful peppermint-hibiscus-green sun tea to enjoy with supper ... and now ... and tomorrow too.

I reviewed my notes and made final preparations for tomorrow's episode of "In the Garden" where I will be sharing my technique for making "Impressions of Nature" like the one you see above.

Victorian Earl Grey

My friend Ruth told me about a Victorian Earl Grey that she had recently enjoyed. I asked her about it and she said it was Earl Grey with rose petals and touch of lavender. Well, I have all those - and organic too. So today, as I attempted - yet again - to get myself out from under all that is on my plate, I enjoyed a lovely pot of "Victorian Earl Grey" tea. Mmmmm.

That's what I made today.

Tea & Love

I made a few simple promo-packages and got those in the mail this morning. I also made a gratitude package that will be mailed on Thursday. I made some phone calls and when these and other matters of utility were managed, I started to prepare for Sunday's Summer Solstice Faire in Coventry, CT. The Faire is part of the Coventry Regional Farmers' Market'. I happily agreed - a while back - to offer a brief lecture on brining as a method to preserve our harvests throughout the growing season. I was offered a vendor's space and hemmed-n-hawed ... and learned yesterday that a space had been confirmed for me. Thus the preparations yesterday!

So today I made a nice batch of the ever-favorite Tea for Every Goddess ...

A batch of C-Tea ... 

Something inspired me to blend together a bit of organic & fair-trade Ceylon and organic pink rose petals, for a really nice and simple blend called "A Little Love Tea." 

 

I made labels and such and eventually ... made my way to the gardens ... 

And I made only one mis-harvest in the effort. And how lovely is she, this maiden berry?

So much love ... and the day's not over yet! Enjoy!!

Stuff for HerbFest

I made adjustments to the final version of this year's HerbFest tea donation by adding a bit more peppermint and rose petals and love . . .

. . . I brewed it . . . and I sipped it.

Delightful! I just hope it brews as successfully tomorrow as a sun tea as this heat infused cup. I am calling this blend "HerbFest 2008 Tea." It is an intuitive blend of organic lemon balm, raspberry leaf, peppermint, red clover, lemon verbena, pink rose petals and lots of love. It is rare that I mix so many herbs together like this, but this is one of those times I just do what the voices tell me. 

I also made my give-aways. I still have more to do, but "well begun is half-done!" I make these because I like for folks to walk away from the workshops that I offer with a little something to have and hold. 

Now, to gather my drums and rattles, my business cards and workshop notes, these creations you see here, as I prepare and pack for the big day. With that - Hope to see you tomorrow at HerbFest!