Tantalizing Tisane

I am a budding tea aficionado. I drink all varieties, often without honey so I can experience the natural flavor of the particular blend in my cup. Recently, I have become interested in concocting my own herbal blends. I enjoy a steaming cup of tea for the taste and aroma, but more often than not I opt for a caffeine free variety to avoid the jitters that I normally experience with caffeine. With these preferences in mind, transitioning to naturally caffeine free herbal infusions rather than tea is a no brainer.

The sleepy time tea I have come to adore is one example of an herbal "tea"that is not really a tea at all. Sleepy time tea contains chamomile, spearmint, West Indian lemongrass, tilia flowers, blackberry leaves, orange blossoms, hawthorn, and rosebuds. Tea leaves are completely absent from the list of ingredients. One misconception most people have is that tea is a universal term to describe pretty much any assortment of plant parts steeped in hot water to be consumed. The only beverages that are technically tea are those brewed from actual tea leaves. So if it's not tea what is it? Well if you care to be politically correct, the proper term for an herbal infusion is tisane. As nice as it is to expand your vocabulary, spouting off this word to any average tea drinker may induce a look of utter confusion, even if they are regularly, maybe unknowingly, drinking tisanes.

A tisane is a great option for anyone who isn't looking for a caffeine boost, but enjoys an inviting cup of something steamy that warms the hands and the throat. Most herbs also possess certain medicinal properties of which my knowledge is still virtually nonexistent.  While I aspire to learn more about the magical medicinal properties of herbs and grow and dry my own assortment of herbs, I recognize the need to first experiment with some store-bought ingredients to see which flavors I fancy most. Luckily, there is a fabulous natural foods store not far from my house in Syracuse, and I recently spent some time scouring the impressive collection of herbs and spices lining the shelves of the store. I had done some preliminary research to gain a sense of common herbs to use, but in the store I also based my purchases on which herbs gave off the most enticing fragrances. I came home with an ounce of each of the herbs listed below.

Each of these herbs possess unique medicinal and cosmetic qualities when added to tisanes, soaps, lotions, face masks and other products, all of which can be easily made at home. The properties listed below were gathered from two books: The Complete Book of Herbs: A Practical Guide to Growing and Using Herbs, by Lesley Bremmes as well as Your Backyard Herb Garden by Miranda Smith. Additional research was compiled from the following websites:

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-ginger-root.html

http://suite101.com/article/ginger-and-spa-fusion-a65805

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-rose-hip.html

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-rose-hip.html

http://www.jcrows.com/remarkableraspberry.html

http://www.ehow.com/list_6865715_uses-leaves-cosmetics-skin-care.html

http://www.universal-tao.com/article/benefits.html

German chamomile flower

• Culinary: Make excellent teas.
• Cosmetic: Make rinses and conditioners to heighten blonde highlights, help prevent dandruff, and condition dry hair. Cosmetic preparations containing chamomile are also used to soften the skin and refresh the eyes.
• Medicinal: Teas are said to be sleep inducing. People who have known sensitive to ragweed may also suffer allergic reactions to chamomile.

Ginger root

• Culinary: Can be pickled and served with sushi, can be candied for a sweet treat. As a steeped hot tea or a chilled ale, ginger is a refreshing, purifying beverage.
• Cosmetic: Used in facials and body wraps to soften the skin and aid in detoxification.
• Medicinal: Used as a remedy for travel sickness, nausea and indigestion. Eases inflammation of joints and muscle tissue.

Hibiscus flowers

• Culinary: Used in sauces, curries and chutneys.
• Cosmetic: Antioxidant and exfoliating powers.
• Medicinal: High vitamin C content. Used as a diuretic and circulation conditions. Calming and cooling effect on the scalp. Remedy for headaches.

Lavender

• Culinary (flower): Used to flavor jams, can be mixed with savory herbs for fragrant stews.
• Cosmetic (flower): Can be used to make tonic water for delicate and sensitive skins and as an antiseptic against acne.
• Medicinal (flower): Soothes headaches, calms nerves, eases flatulence, fainting, dizziness and halitosis (bad breath)

Marjoram (similar to oregano)

• Culinary (leaf): Chop finely for salads and butter sauces for fish. Add to meat dishes in last few minutes of cooking. Add to pizza. Rub into roasting meat.
• Cosmetic (leaf): Infuse for a relaxing bath. Infuse strongly as a hair conditioner
• Medicinal (flowering top): Infuse in a tea for colds, headaches, simple gastrointestinal and nervous disorders

Peppermint

• Culinary (Leaf): Infuse either individual or blended mints as a refreshing tea. (Spearmint and peppermint) Use for mint sauce, vinegar, syrups and with chocolate in rich desserts. Crystallize as a sweet for decoration. Add fresh leaves to new potatoes, peas, fruit salads, drinks and punches. Use sparingly in soups and stuffings.
• Cosmetic (Leaf): (Spearmint) Decoct strongly to heal chapped hands. Add to bathwater for an invigorating bath.
• Medicinal (leaf): (Spearmint) Inhale drops of essential oil or sprinkle on a handkerchief, for relief from heavy colds. (Peppermint) Infuse as a tea to help digestion, colds and influenza. Sip cold tea  for hiccups and flatulence. (Spearmint and peppermint) Macerate leaves in oil; then massage affected areas for migraines, facial neuralgia and rheumatic and muscular aches, especially in winter.

Red raspberry leaf

• Culinary: Raspberry leaf tea popsicles are delightful and refreshing
• Cosmetic: Natural astringent that tightens and firms the skin and relieves irritation
• Medicinal: Known as the woman's herb. Helps with painful menstruation and flow and lessens and over-abundant period.

Stevia

• Culinary: Extremely sweet. Can be used to sweeten dairy products, puddings, sauces, salads and custards.
• Cosmetic: Sometimes used in facial cleansers.
• Medicinal: Helps the body regulate blood sugar. Inhibits growth of bacteria that cause gum disease and tooth decay. Helps heal lip sores, open cuts and other skin ailments including acne.

Whole Rose hips

• Culinary: Pulp may be used in sauces or made into a jelly.
• Cosmetic: Astringent qualities. Helps regenerate new skin cells. Can be used to treat scars, acne or burns. High vitamin A content helps regenerate skin.
• Medicinal: Because of high vitamin C content (50% more than an orange) they are an excellent immune system booster. Fruit acids and pectin in rose hips help relieve symptoms of kidney disorders or help ease mild constipation.

Yarrow (milfoil)

• Culinary (leaf): Finely chop slightly bitter, peppery young leaves into salads and soft cheese dips. Use to garnish
• Cosmetic (flower): Infuse fresh flowers for a facial steam and tonic lotion. Use the infusion as a basis for a face pack for greasy skin or in a relaxing bath.
• Medicinal (leaf): Chew fresh leaf to aid toothache. Infuse as a tea for digestive problems and to regulate menstrual flow, induce perspiration, cleanse the system and clear a cold. Make a decoction for wounds, chapped skin and rashes. Use as a mouthwash for inflamed gums.

This collection of ten herbs, roots
and flowers only set me back $13

German chamomile

Whole rosehips

Hibiscus flower

Lavender flowers

With my new collection of herbs in stock, I was excited to put them to good use. After careful consideration, I opted to start off with a simple recipe. I learned from a friend that raspberry leaves can make a lovely, slightly fruity infusion, so I decided to give it a go. I've made tea with loose tea leaves before, but I wasn't quite sure if the same concentration of herbs could be used in place of tea leaves. I suspected I may require more herbs to adequately flavor a single cup.I started off with roughly the equivalent amount I would use for loose tea, to keep the experiment consistent. I would then add more raspberry leaves if it became necessary. Is this starting to sound like the written procedure for a scientific experiment?

From what I've read, tea leaves require shorter brewing times to avoid bitterness. Herbs need a little more time for their full flavors to permeate hot water, usually between ten and twenty minutes. While some herbs also give off a bitter taste, there are sweeter herbs you can add to a blend to counteract that bitterness.

Bitter Herbs

Hibiscus

Rose hips

Sweet Herbs

Stevia

Anise

Licorice

Vanilla (bean)

The raspberry leaf infusion I made had no detectable bitterness, though I certainly don't have the most refined palate.The initial amount of raspberry leaf flavored the water wonderfully. In fact, I could have used a bit less and conserved my raspberry leaf provisions. A successful first experiment with a new found hobby, I look forward to trying a more complex herbal blend soon.

Packing the infuser

The raspberry leaves tinged the water a delightful emerald hue