Saturday, October 15, 2011

Lemon Balm Tea


Lemon Balm Tea is very soothing and delicious.  It tastes great hot or cold.  Here's what you do:  Grow some Lemon Balm.  Then cut it back.  I use kitchen snips. Lemon Balm can be cut all the way back to the bottom two leaves of each stem.  Rinse the cut leaves and stems, removing any leaves that are brown or damaged.   


Simple Lemon Balm Tea

Equal parts Water and Lemon Balm  


Please do not be intimidated by this photo.  I was making a gallon of Lemon Balm Tea and this photo shows that you need about as much Lemon Balm as the pot will hold. 

For example, let's pretend we are making a nice, hot cup of Lemon Balm Tea on a chilly evening.  Place 3 cups water in a sauce pan.  Place the sauce pan over high heat.  When the water begins to boil, turn off the heat.  (Do not boil the Lemon Balm.)  Place 3 cups loosely packed Lemon Balm leaves and stems in pot.  (This may seem like a lot of Lemon Balm, but it really isn't.  The green leaves will wilt when they touch the hot water.)  Use a spoon or chop stick to press any stray Lemon Balm leaves under the hot water.  Place lid on sauce pan.  Let steep for at least 10 minutes.  Strain hot, steeped tea into large cup.  I like it just like that.  Many people add honey, sugar or lemon.

Leave it plain or add what you like.  Share our joy!

2 comments:

  1. I have lots of lemon balm in my yard and appreciate this recipe for tea. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Does lemon balm have any medicinal properties or health benefits?

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my Stone Cottage! I love hearing from you! Just recently, though, anonymous comments have been blocked.