This recipe for a warm, spicy brewed tea is just what the doctor ordered for chilly days, and might just inspire you to mix up a batch of your own.
Illustration by Carol Jessop, Black Trout Design, excerpted from Herbal Teas.
I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to discover the satisfaction of drinking a pot of tea made from herbs that grew in our own garden. Perhaps it’s about convenience; perhaps I’ve been intimidated by the trial-and-error process of getting the balance of flavors right. But after spending the weekend sipping peppermint tea — pure, unadulterated peppermint, with leaves that came straight from our garden bed — I realize making tea doesn’t have to be complicated.
Do you make your own tea or buy your blends? Here’s a recipe for a warm, spicy brew that might just inspire you to mix up a batch of your own on a wintery day. — Emily Spiegelman, Digital Features Editor
Brigitteʼs Best Brrrrr-Blast
Recipe by herbalist, author, and raw food chef, Brigitte Mars
This is a good tea for the cold season, warming and spicy. “Have a toast to a great winter with someone you want to be warm with,” Brigitte suggests.
Ingredients
- 2 parts roasted dandelion root
- 12 part cinnamon bark
- 12 part dried ginger root
- 12 part (decorticated) cardamom pods (See Note)
- 12 part star anise
Directions
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Crush all the herbs in a mortar and pestle or mix briefly in a blender.
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Add approximately 1 teaspoon of the herb mix to 1 cup water, then simmer at a low boil for 10 minutes.
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Strain. Add honey and rice or soy milk to each cup and garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Note:
Available at most health food stores.
Recipe excerpted from Herbal Teas © Kathleen Brown. All rights reserved.
