Iced Herbal Teas

There's no shortage of good news where herbs are concerned. They're ultra-nutritious, packed with flavor, and you can even drink them.

Iced Herbal Teas

Many herbs are tender things, and often need to be used up within a few days. To keep herbs fresh, treat them like cut flowers. You want them to stay out of the fridge, out of the bright sun, and right out on the counter in a little jar of water. If you’re going to use them up in a few days, that’s all you need to know.

If you know for sure you’re not going to get to them right away, consider processing them for later. You can make an herb butter by softening a stick of butter, then mixing trimmed fresh herbs right in, rolling the butter up like a Tootsie roll in waxed paper, and freezing the whole thing for later. Deluxe and amazing for wintertime.

But this time of year, I’m not thinking much about making my life better in February. This time of year, my favorite thing to do with herbs is to make iced herbal teas.

The method couldn’t be easier. Just cram a bunch of herbs into the bottom of a Mason jar and pour boiling water over them, just to cover. Use a fork to make sure the leaves stay down under the water, or the ones at the surface will discolor on you. Stick the whole thing into the fridge right away. When you’re ready for a glass of iced tea, pour off a couple inches, and add ice and cool water to taste.

Our favorite tea herbs include: lemon balm, spearmint, purple shiso, and purple basil.