Brewing my first lavender tea with the lavender flowers I picked
I pruned the lavender that was blooming at my front door.
I decided to try brewing lavender tea with the flowers I picked during the pruning.
This is my first time having lavender tea.
Listening to talk in the health community, it seems like almost every grass or leaf is being tested, to the point where I wonder if they all have some kind of benefit. Corn silk, dandelions, horsetail, burdock—I'm amazed that people actually tried those.
I believe that kind of adventurous spirit is what has sustained humanity this far.
I was surprised by how delicious burdock tea actually was.
However, when I was around twenty, I once plucked some grass nearby on a whim and tasted a few of them. It was a youthful indiscretion. But aside from plants everyone knows by name, they were bitter or acrid and not something I would want to eat by choice. It made me deeply appreciate that the vegetables sold in supermarkets and greengrocers are there because of the accumulated experience of our predecessors, humanity having cultivated and sold what is suitable for consumption. I learned that bitter lesson firsthand.
What am I talking about?
I digressed, but when I looked up lavender tea, I found that its benefits include a relaxing effect.
The flowers contain linalool (for relieving stress and anxiety), linalyl acetate (for balancing the autonomic nervous system, easing insomnia and tension, and serotonin secretion), and geraniol (for antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, and soothing skin problems). In short, it seems good for stress relief and mental stability.
Linalool and linalyl—they sound like cute names that would appear in an anime. The signature spell of Linalyl from Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is Linalool, which generates roll cakes. Or the spell to calm an enemy's anger, Geraniol.
I want to be able to use Geraniol. I really do.
What am I talking about?
I digressed, but here is a recipe for brewing lavender tea using lavender flowers.
1. Plant lavender in a sunny spot in your garden or on your balcony in the spring. For English lavender and lavandin varieties, which are sensitive to heat, autumn planting is recommended.
2. Harvest the flowers once they bloom from early summer to summer. The flowers turn brown after they finish blooming, so harvesting them from the bud stage until just before they wither will keep the flower color beautiful.
3. Put your desired amount of lavender flowers into a teapot or similar vessel.
4. Pour in hot water and let it steep for about 3 to 5 minutes to your liking. The flavor changes depending on the amount of flowers and the steeping time, so it is safer to taste it as you go.
5. Pour into your favorite cup and it is ready.
Wishing you a wonderful tea life.
Thank you for reading this far.
I would be happy and encouraged if you could like and follow. Thank you in advance if you would be so kind.
PS. I wanted to get the relaxing effect, but I felt the flavor, or rather the taste, of the lavender was a bit peculiar. You never know until you try and experience it for yourself. However, I wish for my wife to be relaxed at all times, so I think I will recommend it to her. I hope the magic works.
Until next time, farewell.