Tag: mint tea

My Tea Addiction

TeaI think it’s safe to say that I am slightly addicted to tea.

Every day I drink several super sized mugs. And I do mean super sized. My nieces called them “Aunt alinna’a BIG tea”.

The problem with a tea addiction is that one tends to buy a lot of tea.

And that tea soon takes over the cupboard.

I have Christmas teas from two years ago.

Three kinds of Chai teas from one of Dagmar’s past obsessions.

Green tea, black tea, white tea, and herbal tea.

A little bit of this.

Three bags left of that.

Enough already.

I have decided that from now till Christmas I will drink up the tea in my stash and clean it out. Even if they aren’t my favorites.

I will drink Chai tea.

I will drink sugar plum fairy tea.

I will drink the little bit of this and the little bit of that in my tea cupboard.

And I will like it.

Then – I will start restocking with all my favorites. 🙂

The kettle’s boiling – anyone want a cup of tea to help me out?

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint plantWe just started a fresh batch of peppermint tea using our own freshly grown mint.

I always feel like such a culinary wonder when I can go out and snip my own fresh herbs!

But if you want to know the truth, I don’t have many and I often forget that they are there. I just haven’t had time to cultivate herbs the way I would like to. I guess that’s a job for when the babies are all grown and gone!

Peppermint is one of those fool-proof herbs. You plant it in a controlled situation and let it be. It will come up every year whether you still want it to or not. If you don’t control it, it will totally take over!

You can always tell members of the mint family by their square stem. (Now that’s a great question for Jeopardy!)

We use the mint mainly for tea, but the kids love to eat it raw and on rare occasions I actually cut some to use as a garnish! (Then I really feel like a culinary wonder!)

To make mint tea simple cut several springs of mint, check them for bad spots or creepy crawlies, and wash them well. Then place in a heat proof jar and cover with boiling water. Let steep until the water is lukewarm.  Remove the mint and refrigerate. (I use long handled kitchen tongs to get the mint out!)

It makes a refreshing summer time treat!