What could be more luxurious than making delicious drinks from flowers. Not just healthy drinks, but simply divine drinks! Why not spoil yourself, forage some flowers and create one of these fantastic hot or cold beverages!
Lime Blossom Tea
Lime blossom, also commonly known as linden, is an ideal herb whenever a relaxing effect is needed. With its sweet, clean aroma, lime blossom tea is a soothing remedy for a hard day, a difficult week, or a troubling year.
How to Make Lime Blossom Tea
To make lime blossom tea, pour one cup of boiling water over one teaspoon of the dried flowers. For a strong enough diaphoretic effect for fevers, use two teaspoons. Let the tea steep for about ten minutes, covered. Drink lime blossom tea three times a day while treating nervous tension, hypertension, or a cold or flu, or as a relaxing night cap enjoy a cup at the end of the day.
Iced Rose Tea
Like the rose hips, the petals of the rose flowers also have numerous medical uses. They are presumed to be both healing and calming and can cleanse the pallet as well invigorating the nervous system.
How to make Iced Rose Tea
Press dried rose petals and a few fresh into a tea pot and cover securely. Pour boiling water into a pot and let brew to the desired strength.
Strain the tea into a tall jug and refrigerate for an hour or so. When ready to drink simply serve in a tall glass with ice and a few fresh rose petals.
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Lavender Hot Chocolate
Lavender like the two flowers above is also known for its health benefits. Its aroma is believed to benefit anxiety and insomnia. Its oil is used as an antiseptic agent and it is also used as a relaxant, carminative, and sedative in aromatherapy. This recipe is a little naughty, but hey surely the health benefits out way the naughtier bits??
How to make Lavender Hot Chocolate
• 3 cups of Full Fat Milk
• 2 teaspoons lavender (good English Lavender)
• 1 Bar Dark Chocolate (70% Cacao)
• A little cream (whipped lightly – Lavender honey cream if you have it)
In a saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat (don’t let it catch on the bottom of the pan!). Turn off the heat, cover the pan, add the lavender, and steep in the hot milk for 3 to 5 minutes, keep checking the flavour for your desired strength. Strain the milk through a tea strainer. Now, here’s an even more fun bit.. Take the still wrapped chocolate bar and smash it on the worktop, taking turns at both ends, undo one end of the wrapper and pour the smashed chocolate into the warm milk. Over a low heat whisk the milk vigorously until the chocolate is melted and the mixture froths (if you like a sweeter mix add a little sugar now). Pour equal amounts into 4 small mugs or as I like it 2 huge mugs! Top each with the whipped cream, and why not sprinkle some chopped pistachios and a few more flowers over the top too!
I know, I know, the last one was a little less healthy than the first two but hey… Live a little and enjoy these little gifts from nature!
Do you want to find out more about the medicinal value of wild plants? Visit our shop and buy Wild Medicine Books.