Today is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Many cultures throughout history have marked or celebrated the summer and winter solstices - and some still do today - I saw some lovely photos from Stonehenge this morning!
We will mark this "longest day" with a celebration of herbs, one of the gifts of summer. So we will put in some new plantings, and enjoy refreshing herbal iced tea, a delicious salad made from garden pickings, and a simple scented centerpiece made with mints and lemon balm.
Herbal Iced Tea - 1/2 gallon
2-4 Tbs of your favorite black or green tea leaves (or you can use 4-6 teabags)
Handful fresh mint leaves
1-2 Tbs (to taste) each chamomile and lavender flowers
Slices of fresh, organic lemon
Method
Add all ingredients to a gallon jar. Fill to top with cold, non-chlorinated water. Cover and let steep naturally overnight. Strain into a clean gallon jar and sweeten to taste - we prefer to use stevia or a touch of agave syrup, but you may prefer honey or raw sugar. This also works well as a "sun tea" blend!
If you prefer to avoid caffeine altogether, you can leave out the tea and increase the herbs. And do experiment with other combinations! Some love to add rosehips for the vitamin C and the beautiful pink color.
NOTE: For non-chlorinated water from the tap, either use a filter or simply let the water sit out overnight and the chlorine will evaporate out.
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