When I think of Great Britain, I think of fish and chips, Sunday roasts, Cadbury’s chocolate, cream teas, and a good cuppa tea.
In English society there is something quite sacred about the common cuppa.
To the point it has become part of the British identity.
So, much so, that the children of the British isle have been comforted by a milky lukewarm version of this classic for years.
Apparently. It’s never too early to experience this little gem, especially with it’s diverse nature.
This entry level version, is a great stepping stone into society.
Society have used this offering for decades, to greet their guests.
But I never really realised until of late, that the common cuppa is more than just a drink.
It allows people to connect and put the world to rights when needed.
Really this traditional black tea is an enabler and arguable a sign of friendship.
But, like most things there has been a need to improve this iconic brew.
And at times there has been a need to broadened its horizons and embrace change.
This hot water complement has gained competition with different brands trying to honour it, but also make it more popular.
By doing this, the consumer have had an influx of different flavours and even if it should be drunk hot or cold?
Gone of the days that you only asked 2 questions when making a friend a cuppa……
milk?
Sugar?
So, over the last 2 weeks, I have been honouring the herbal teas.
By foraging, drying, and storing some of these natural wonders.
One being Mint and the other being Linden flowers.
Mint
In the UK there are many varieties of mint, from peppermint, pineapple mint, apple mint, ginger mint, chocolate mint and many many more.
This little gem is easy to grow and can take over if left un attended.
Mint has many health benefits
- Its high in Antioxidants
- It has a chemical called methanol within its leaves, which helps with fighting the common cold
- It has been used for thousands of years to help with Digestion
- It helps with allergies as it contains anti-inflammatory called Rosmarinic acid.
Drying
There are a number of ways to dry the mint from air-drying, oven drying or a dehydrator.
Due to not having a deadline, I choice air-drying.
This way is very traditional and stops over drying the nutrients out of the mint that can often happen with dehydrators.
But if you need the product to be turned around fast the oven or dehydrator is great for that.
If you do fancy this way, you just need a low heat between 40-50c for around 4 hours.
Leaves should be taken off the stem, before laying them out on your racks.
Method
I bunched up the mint into 2 or 3 long sprig bouquets, tied them together and hung them upside down to dry.
Once dry, remove the leaves and put them into an airtight container or a brown paper bag. If you choose the paper bag, this must be stored in a dry place otherwise the bag will retain the moisture.
Linden Tea
If you call it a Linden Tree, Lime Tree or Basswood, these trees provide a great source for herbal medicine within our woodlands.
Linden has many health benefits
- Reduces inflammation and pain
- Alleviates stress and anxiety
- Lowers blood pressure
- Helps with digestive issues
- Reduces cold and flu symptom
Also, it is known as a natural diuretic, so over consumption is not advised.
Picking
Linden has a short session of only a couple of weeks between mid- June to early July.
The best time to pick is when a few flowers within the small cluster are open and some are still closed.
So early within the flowering stage.
The flowers are small, yellowish-white and have long thin leaves with them, this is the bit of the tree you need for tea.
All you need to do is pinch it off where it meets the main stem.
The flowers can be sticky, so a cloth to wipe your hands maybe useful.
Drying
After you have sourced and picked the Linden flowers, its time to dry it.
This flower is supper easy to dry, just put a thin layer of the flowers on top of newspaper within a tray.
Then leave to dry.
Once dry, put them into an airtight container or a brown paper bag.
If you choose the paper bag, this must be stored in a dry place otherwise the bag will retain the moisture.
Happy drinking!
Remember you may not feel strong but you are
Love
The Rose-Tinted Mum
The Rose Tinted mum 