I decided to grow some herbs I can use for tea infusions and started with one of my favorites – mint. I chose spearmint, as it is the most popular mint to use for teas, and also works well for recipes in the kitchen.
Mint has all kinds of health benefits. It aids digestion (great after dinner!) and has anti-oxidant and anti-fungal properties. Mint may also be helpful in treating a sore throat, arthritis, cramps, toothaches, colds, diarrhea, muscle pain, headaches, fatigue and stress.
Throughout the summer, I pick the leaves, wash them well, and dehydrate them in my Excaliber dehydrator, at about 100 degrees, until they are crispy. This takes a full day. Then I take the leaves and crumble them into small pieces, put them in a glass jar and put the jar in the refrigerator to use for cooking. Want to smell something fabulous and intense? Open the jar of mint over the summer and smell it. It is amazing!
I make mint tea by picking the spearmint leaves, washing them well and then rolling them firmly – almost crushing them – in my hands. This releases the mint oil in the leaves, which will produce a more intense flavor in your tea. Then I place them in my tea/coffee press with hot water and in about 3 minutes you have the best spearmint tea you’ve ever had!
(…and most of all because you grew it and made it yourself.)
