Readers asked for a mint tea recipe. It is my pleasure to oblige.
Mint family members typically have square stems and their leaves grow opposite each other on the stem. When they flower, take a close look and you’ll see bilaterally symmetrical flowers. Wild mint ( Mentha arvensis), bee balm (Monarda didyma), pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides), horse balm (Collinsonia canadensis) and wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum) are all members of the mint family. More familiar mint family members include peppermint, spearmint, catnip, and gill-over-the-ground.
Mint tea is refreshing iced in summer or warm in winter. Like pine needle tea, it’s easy to make. Always make sure to positively identify the plant and ensure you are gathering from areas more than 50 feet from motorized travel.
Mint Tea
2 cups washed mint leaves
2 quarts boiling water
sweeten to taste
1. Remove leaves from stem and chop finely
2. Wrap leaves in cheesecloth, gauze or a tea strainer
3. Bring water to a boil, then steep leaves 3-5 minutes
4. Add honey or sweetener to taste
5. Garnish with a sprig of mint
For iced tea, steep a bit longer, cool and add ice
Catnip may excite your cat, but a cup of tea will relax you, very much like chamomile.
Mint Tea Punch
2 quarts mint tea, per above instructions
1 cup white grape juice
2 tablespoons lemon or orange juice
16 oz ginger beer or seltzer
Combine ingredients and serve over ice - or make ice cubes from this mixture and add to chilled mint tea.