Fresh Flower Chamomile Tea

First you’ll want to pick a pot to make your tea in. An infuser teapot is ideal. If you don’t have a tea infuser, you can use a doubled-over cheesecloth and a piece of string to make a makeshift tea bag. You can even place your flowers into a heat safe bowl or cup and, after steeping, pour your tea into your teacup through a fine mesh strainer.

Once you’ve selected a pot, harvest your herbs. For the chamomile flowers, it’s ideal to use them the same day they are harvested, as the delicate petals have a short shelf life. Otherwise, they can last a couple of days in the refrigerator, in a plastic bag with a lightly dampened paper towel. To prepare the chamomile for use, pop the head of the flower off the stem. They can even be harvested this way, so that they are immediately ready for use. For the mint, select a small sprig about the size of a quarter off the tender top of the plant. I selected a variety of mint called apple mint because fresh chamomile also has apple undertones, so they complemented each other perfectly. Peppermint is also delicious.

Fill your tea kettle with the water and begin heating. Place 3 to 4 tablespoons (4 for a stronger tea) of chamomile and the mint sprig into your teapot or makeshift teabag of choice.

Pour 8 ounces boiling water over the chamomile flowers and mint and then steep for 5 minutes. To serve, pour into a teacup, using a fine mesh strainer as needed.