Dry Your Own Tea Herbs

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Dry Your Own Tea Herbs

 

Herbal Teas: Soothing Blends for Life's Ups & Downs

by Kathleen Brown

A complete, hands-on guide to making and using herbal teas to relieve

common ailments and promote wellness.

 

Making Your Own Herbal Teas

 

If you want to make tea from fresh herbs, first wash them thoroughly

in clean cold water, then shake or pat them dry with a towel. Herbs

that grow close to the ground like parsley and thyme need to be

washed carefully because they are most likely to have soil on their

leaves. Remove the stems and any dead and imperfect leaves, chop or

bruise the herbs, and pop the green goodies into a teapot. It's that

simple. But, if you want to dry and store them, follow these handy

herbal hints:

 

An important thing to remember when drying herbs is to process them

as quickly as possible after picking to ensure maximum flavor. Once

gathered, shake gently to remove dust and insects. It's important to

keep the herbs out of strong light and sun to prevent the color and

flavor from fading. Be sure to keep the herbs separate and well

identified, because, as they dry, many look the same.

 

To Dry Herbs Quickly: Spread on a mesh rack and place in a slow oven

set from 100-degrees to 125-degrees F. Using more heat causes the

volatile oils in the plants to be destroyed. Leave the oven door

open, and stand nearby because some leaves dry quickly.

 

To Air-Dry Herbs: Make sure the herbs are not left in places that

could be attacked by insects or rodents. Vermin are especially

common in hot, humid climates. In cold climates, mildew is a factor

to consider.

 

The drying area should be dry, well ventilated, and out of direct

light.

 

In damp or cold climates, some artificial heat may be necessary to

supplement the natural drying process. If you're hanging the herbs in

bunches, don't make your bunches too large or he leaves could turn

black or moldy. You can hang air-drying herbs inside paper bags to

keep the dust off. But just be sure to punch many holes into the

bags to let the air in and keep moisture out.

 

Some herbs dry very well when spread on trays, but don't spread them

too thickly. Parsley leaves, for instance, are so thick they can be

spread only one layer deep. Thyme, however, holds so little moisture

you can just leave a big pile in a basket.

 

When drying small-leaved herbs such as thyme, pick branches instead

of leaves and hang them in bundles to dry. Once they're dry, it's

easy to strip the leaves from the stems by running your fingers

gently backward down either side. The larger-leaved herbs like mint

and sage are better picked separately from the branches before

drying. In a warm, dry spot, most herbs will air-dry in anywhere

from 4 to 7 days, depending on climate. Heavy-leaved herbs may take

several weeks, however. To check if your herbs are totally dry,

crumble a bit between your fingers. If they're crispy and break

cleanly, they're dry. If they bend and are still flexible, they need

more time to dry. Leaves, properly stored, may last 1 to 2 years but

are usually best used within 1 year. If you're drying your own

herbs, at least you know the date they were dried. When buying dried

herbs commercially, you really don't know when they were processed.

 

Storing

Here are some simple, but very important considerations in storing

dried herbs.

 

.. The type of container is vital, with glass or metal being the best.

Dark glass is especially good, since it prevents light from fading

the herbs' vitality. If using clear glass, store in a dark place, if

possible.

.. Herbs must be completely dry or they will mold.

.. Store immediately after drying to best preserve volatile oils,

color, texture, and flavor.

.. Use airtight containers to keep dust and vermin out.

.. Package each herb separately and label every container carefully.

.. Store in a cool, dry, dark place for the best results.

.. Monitor containers regularly to make sure there is no condensation.

 

Freezing Herbs

 

Freezing works very well for some herbs - dill, lemon balm, lemon

verbena, mint, rosemary, and thyme to name a few. Wash the herbs

well, and pat them dry with towels. You can freeze them whole or

chopped. Plastic bags work well, as they take up little space when

stacked flat. Or add a little water and freeze the herbs into ice

cube trays. When frozen, pop the cubes from the trays into plastic

bags, and take a few out when needed. Another good technique for

freeze storing is to put about 1 part chopped herb in 2 parts butter

and freeze. The butter preserves the color and flavor and is great

for cooking, too.

 

Lunar Tips

 

Leaves gathered when the moon is waning tend to dry most rapidly

since they retain less sap in their leaves and stems.

 

Try to gather roots when the moon is waxing, since their roots are

the most tender then.

 

- From Herbal Teas: Soothing Blends for Life's Ups & Downs

by Kathleen Brown

 

" To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or

that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only

unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American

public " . Theodore Roosevelt

 

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