Herbal Tea Recipes, Books, Supplies?

[njsquarebear]

In the Winter I drink a lot of (hot) caffeine-free herbal tea (pre-packaged like Celestial Seasons, Traditional Medicinals, and now Lipton). Those are all 'OK' (though I've gotten a little bored with their flavors over time). I would now like to try my hand at mixing my own 'tea combinations'. But I have several questions and need help:

1. Do folks here know of good online supplier(s) of herbs, and other tea-making goods that you'll recommend? (Links would be appreciated!)

2. Good books on tea-making recipes to recommend?

3. Personal favorite recipes you'll share? (I'm interested in all kinds of interesting tea recipes for relaxation, medicinal and magickal purposes.)

[Maria de Luna]

Re: Herbal Tea Recipes, Books, Supplies?

The only thing I have ever gone out myself and picked and made into tea is sassafras because it used to grow in my back yard, back when I had a backyard. It brews up fairly well when dried, and is pretty sweet without sweetners, but it was a plant I could readily identify and was non-poisonous. I even tried it because I had heard in school that it was brewed and drunk by native americans... so I tried it and it was decent... That said I no longer have access to that, so I stick with the packaged ones now myself, I also tend to be fond of caffine.

[Clive]

Re: Herbal Tea Recipes, Books, Supplies?

There's a health food store in my area that sells a lot of herbs for cheap, but things I can't find there I usually get from www.otherworld-apothecary.com It's run by a local m/m couple and their stuff runs pretty cheap.

My current favorite herbal tea is 1 tsp. chamomile and 1/2 tsp. passion flower to one cup hot water, steeped for 20 minutes. It keeps my anxiety at bay and if I add 1/2 tsp. valerian root it helps me sleep.

[njsquarebear]

Re: Herbal Tea Recipes, Books, Supplies?

The only thing I have ever gone out myself and picked and made into tea is sassafras because it used to grow in my back yard, back when I had a backyard. It brews up fairly well when dried, and is pretty sweet without sweetners... I also tend to be fond of caffine.

Thanks for the tip about sassafras. I've always heard about sassafras tea, but don't think I've ever had it, so I will check it out. Btw, I LOVE caffinated coffee! I have about 1-2 POTS each morning to get me going... I just have never liked the taste of regular tea.

- - - Updated - - -

There's a health food store in my area that sells a lot of herbs for cheap, but things I can't find there I usually get from otherworld-apothecary.com It's run by a local m/m couple and their stuff runs pretty cheap.

My current favorite herbal tea is 1 tsp. chamomile and 1/2 tsp. passion flower to one cup hot water, steeped for 20 minutes. It keeps my anxiety at bay and if I add 1/2 tsp. valerian root it helps me sleep.

Thanks Clive for the resource link and recipe. West Virginia is one of those states I'd like to visit some time soon... before those mountains are gone!

[thalassa]

Re: Herbal Tea Recipes, Books, Supplies?

I second sassafras tea...I also have some sassafras info over at my blog, if you are interested.

I really like Frontier Herbs to order dried herbs (our local grocery store of awesomeness is supplied thru them), and Richters to order seeds, live plants, etc.

As for books...these are pretty good (I've either libraried or used-booke exchanged them):

http://www.amazon.com/The-Book-Herbal-Teas-Gathering/dp/0811813371/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp

http://www.amazon.com/20-000-Secrets-Tea-Effective/dp/0440235294/ref=pd_sim_b_4

http://www.amazon.com/Herbal-Teas-Nourishing-Blends-Vitality/dp/1580170994/ref=pd_sim_b_3

Recipes though...I tinker alot, and really...my best advice is to have a good collection of useful and complimentary herbs, and test them out for whatever mood or moment you are trying to celebrate, enhance, influence, etc.

For example, my herb cabinet is stocked with the following:
lemon balm
peppermint
sweet melissa
ginger (really, this one is in my freezer)
linden
marshmallow
cinnamon
elderflower
lavender
hibiscus
sassafrass
damiana
corn silk
rose petals
rose hips
apple (fridge)
oranges (fridge)
white pine needles
red clover flowers
chamomile
yarrow

(I have other stuff in my cabinet, but this is what my every day teas are usually made from)

So...if I wanted to relax, I would maybe start with equal parts of chamomile, linden, and lemon balm. Or if I thought that I was starting to feel a bit cruddy due to winter ick, I'd use some white pine needles, oranges and ginger.

The "standard" for a non-medicinal herbal infusions is about 3-4 tsp dry herb (or 2-3 tsp fresh) to 2 c of water that has just been boiled, and seep for 10-15 minutes before straining. If you are mixing herbs, that amount would be divided into "parts". When I write a tea recipe out in my handy dandy notebook, it looks something like this 2 cham: 1 lav: 1 lem balm, and I just sort of "eyeball" it.

Medicinal teas fall into a slightly different category, and it depends on the herbs being used (some of them aren't meant to be used very often internally), and they are prepared by weight of herb (which is more precise), and are generally stronger (and are often prepared differently, as a decoction).

[njsquarebear]

Re: Herbal Tea Recipes, Books, Supplies?

This kind of info was just what I was looking for Thalassa, thanks! I want to learn from the members here, not just books and websites...

[thalassa]

Re: Herbal Tea Recipes, Books, Supplies?

This kind of info was just what I was looking for Thalassa, thanks! I want to learn from the members here, not just books and websites...

Thanks! You actually inspired me for a blog post, so thank you for that too... Its some of the same info here, but proly better written and with some extra stuff added, if you are interested in checking it out.

[njsquarebear]

Re: Herbal Tea Recipes, Books, Supplies?

I loved both parts, thalassa, and actually printed them out together to put in my journal!

[thalassa]

Re: Herbal Tea Recipes, Books, Supplies?

I loved both parts, thalassa, and actually printed them out together to put in my journal!

Thanks! I'm getting ready to do a part three, but I'm not quite there yet. I'm glad you enjoyed it!