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Articles The Art of Blending Herbal Teas
A rewarding
and enjoyable artistic outlet By Tania Tyler Art is defined as "the quality, production,
expression, or realm of what is beautiful, or of more than ordinary
significance." A finely blended herbal tea can be just that;
a colorful blend of herbs, varying textures, contrasting and complimenting
flavors to create an extraordinary cup of tea. With a little creativity
and experimentation, the pleasure of creating your own blend can
be a rewarding and enjoyable artistic outlet. Before you begin blending herbs for tea, you should
know what the herbs taste like individually. Make up simple teas
with one herb at a time until you become familiar with the various
flavors. During this process it is best to drink the tea unsweetened.
Sit back, savor and enjoy. [See the article "Brewing
the Perfect Cup of Herbal Tea" for brewing instructions.] As you begin blending, start with equal measurements
of the herbs (except lavender, licorice and the spices that tend
to overpower a tea if used too freely). You will find it helpful
to keep a journal of your creations, including notes on the teas
made with just one herb. Combining herbs will tend to alter the
taste of the individual herbs so although you may not care too
much for one, adding another herb to the blend may create an enjoyable
tea. Part of blending involves finding the herbs that enhance or
complement each other to your liking. For some, herbal teas are
an acquired taste much like a fine wine. Here is a list of some of the more popular beverage
tea herbs categorized by flavor to get you started.
Florals - lavender, jasmine,
rose petals, chamomile, red clover, chrysanthemum
Lemony/Citrus - lemon balm,
lemon verbena, lemongrass, orange, lemon or lime peel
Tart - hibiscus, rose hips
Spicy - cinnamon, clove, ginger,
cardamom
Sweet - licorice, fruits, stevia,
aniseed, fennel
Woodsy - sage, rosemary, thyme,
marjoram
Mints - peppermint, spearmint,
bee balm, catnip, hyssop
Herbal teas can provide the additional benefits
of being healthy, nutritious, and healing. Although this article
is intended to discuss beverage teas, consideration can be given
to the healing qualities of the herbs used in your blend. Following are the more traditional uses of some
of the herbs you may use in your teas. Peppermint is calming and aids digestion. Catnip
is relaxing, aids digestion, and is known to promote a restful
night's sleep. Lavender is calming and good for relieving stress
headaches. Hibiscus, rose hips and lemongrass are all high in vitamin
C. Chamomile is soothing, promotes sleep, and eases stomachaches.
Ginger is warming, stops nausea, and relieves headaches. Rosemary
eases anxiety, depression and tension headaches. Thyme is a decongestant
and strong infection fighter. Teas can be blended with just taste in mind,
the healing properties to be gained, or a combination of the two. Some ideas to get you started on creating your
own custom blends:
An iced tea made with equal parts of peppermint
and lemon balm
Lavender and lemongrass
Hibiscus, rose hips, lemon verbena and orange
peel
Orange peel, cinnamon, clove, ginger and licorice
Rosemary, sage and fennel seed
Be creative, give your tea blend a name. Package
them in decorative tins with a muslin herb bag or strainer as gifts.
Have fun and enjoy. 
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