Brewing and enjoying a cup of hot tea can be an incredibly relaxing and rejuvenating experience. What many tea enthusiasts don't realize is that growing tea herbs at home is an easy way to enhance their enjoyment of tea. In fact, it's one of the best ways to discover new and unusual flavors that aren't commonly available.
At the Twinings Tea Shop in Epcot's Japan exhibit, horticulturist Melissa Shepherd shows host Kim Haworth the basic process of harvesting and drying herbs for tea and also describes what type of flavor is produced by each of the featured varieties. The first plant she highlights is the Camelia sinensis (figure A), which is used to make black, green and oolong teas. (A different harvesting process for each tea yields the three distinctive flavors.)
To harvest and dry tea leaves at home, says Shepherd, simply pinch off a few good-sized leaves, place them on a small screen (figure B) and allow them to dry until they're nice and crumbly. Then gently crush them and press a small amount into a tea infuser (figure C), which is used like a standard teabag. Shepherd explains that the leaves can also be used fresh, which will produce a slightly fuller flavor; for storing and convenience, however, it's easiest to keep a supply of dried leaves on hand. Featured herbs include the following: - Chamomile (figure D)
- Lemon balm (figure E)
- Peppermint (figure F)
- Thyme (figure G)
- Ginger (figure H)
- Lovage (figure I)
- Mexican tarragon (figure J)
- Bergamot (Figure K)
- Rosemary
- Parsley
Once you've become well acquainted with the process of harvesting and drying herbs for tea, you may want to share the flavor! Shepherd says homegrown teas make wonderful gifts that can be attractively presented in a simple Mason jar capped with a square of fabric and tied with a ribbon.
Safety Tip: Know your herbs! Never use an unfamiliar herb to brew tea or add to any food. If you're unsure of which herbs are safe or if you have questions on identifying a certain herb or plant, check with your local extension agent.
Fun Fact: As host Jessie Mack Burns tells us, tea was discovered by accident in 2737 B.C., when a few tea leaves blew into some boiling water in the residence of a Chinese emperor. Instead of throwing out the brown-tinted water, he decided to taste it, and a new drink was born.
Note: For a tour of Disney's Epcot Center map, click here , available using  .
RESOURCES :
American Horticultural Society Practical Guides: Herb Gardens
Model: 0789441500
Author: Richard Rosenfeld
80 pages
(April 1999)
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