My World

I’m always looking for natural ingredients for hot teas. It is wonderful when one of my long-time favorite ingredients is also great for medicinal uses as well. I have grown, dried, and brewed peppermint for years. It is a great addition to iced sweet black tea that’s so popular in the south. While I ceased drinking the syrupy iced concoction years ago simply because all that sugar is NOT healthy, I still enjoy unsweetened teas today. My preference now is to drink hot tea. Seems shades of my Scot, Irish, and English roots have grown stronger as I age 😁. That’s not a bad thing, by the way!

I purchased a bag of organic dried peppermint a while back since I was out of my own home grown. I had been placing a steeping ball of leaves in hot water for tea in the evening, requiring taking the time to boil water in a kettle and letting the ball sit in a covered cup before drinking. There had to be a more efficient way to get stronger tea, so I researched how to prepare dried peppermint for medicinal purposes such as calming nerves and settling an upset tummy. I found the herb should be boiled for 5 minutes. Ahh, that makes sense!

I placed several scoops of dried leaves into a small pot with enough water for two large mugs and boiled it while I prepared breakfast. Then, I poured the contents, including the leaves, into covered jars.

The research stated that the brew can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. Eureka! This is a perfect way to have on tap hot peppermint tea by simply pouring into a cup and heating for a couple of minutes in the microwave.

So here I sit, after a very fruitful day of a bi-weekly grocery run and hiking a couple miles before a quick dinner. I’m in my happy place now of books, knitting, and soothing strong peppermint tea to relax with until bedtime.

Blessings to you all.