Lemon Verbena Iced Tea
July 10th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Since the cost buying fresh herbs from the market adds up so fast, and since I inevitably only use a small portion before they go bad, it seems like a good idea to plant a variety of herbs in the garden. The lemon verbena plant was a total impulse purchase because it screamed summer during an unusually cool and rainy late spring.
Now, that we’re in the last day or two of a mini heatwave, and hydration is key, it is nice have something to make iced a little special.
Lemon Verbena Iced Tea
20 ounces heated, but not boiling, filtered water
3-4 teaspoons of loose leaf black tea (try Golden Monkey tea)
1 stem lemon verbena
20 ounces filter room temperature water
20 ounces cold filtered water
You’ll need a nice 1.0 L + iced tea pitcher, preferably with a built-in strainer like this one, so that no tea leaves find their way into your glass. Load your pitcher with the loose leaf tea and the lemon verbena stem. Pour the heated water over the tea and stem and let it sit for a minute or two before adding the cool water. Once the contents of the pitcher cool enough for you to hold it comfortably (without the handle), move the pitcher to the fridge. This method ensures that the tea won’t be so weak that you might as well be drinking water if you add ice or so strong and bitter that you feel the need to add spoonfuls of sugar. And as an added bonus, it keeps your caffeine intake from veering off into the stratosphere.
Fill a glass with ice, pour, and enjoy. Repeat as necessary to maintain your cool.
