Heat Relief

Perfect time for cold infusions. Just put some herbs into a pitcher of water in the refrigerator, and as the water cools, the herbs steep, and in a little while you have a very refreshing herbal ice tea. Couldn't be any simpler.

Lots of herbs you would not usually think of make a great tea, like basil, oregano, tarragon, thyme, as well as the mints, lemon balm and chamomile. Add a little zest from citrus fruits to jazz it up. That's been a tremendous help to me during this heat wave.

Those herbs you are growing in your garden that you plan on using for cooking plus the ones you are planning on using for medicinal purposes are all good candidates for cool tea.

Just use your imagination and ingest the healing benefits of herbs along with your water. For example, if headaches or arthritis bother you, try blending equal amounts of feverfew with black tea, and if you are so inclined, add a little bit of orange peel.

A little creativity can bring a lot of relief, and you don't even have to boil a pot of water. Try some cool, soothing relief from this heat. It will be ready when you are.