DRINK: Iced Peppermint Tea

Summer time mint gluts, and mint is hitting its high season with amazing flavour and high essential oil levels just prior to flowering.

Now is the time to harvest and dry leaves for Winter teas . . . . or enjoy the fresh leaf with Peppermint Ice Cubes to add to your chilled Iced Moroccan Mint Tea.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup of fresh Moroccan Mint leaves

500mL of boiled water

2 tablespoons of local honey

METHOD:

Lightly crush or shred mint leaves into a deep bowl.

Fresh Mint is much stronger than mint tea bags, so go easy on their usage when making fresh teas.

Boil the kettle - allow kettle to sit for two- five mintutes (boiling water will scald leaf causing an acrid flavour to your infusion).

Pour slightly cooled water over the mint leaves.

Allow leaves to infuse for no more than five minutes.

Strain fluid to remove leaves.

Stir through honey while fluid is still warm.

This is a light concentrate, allow to cool and store in the firdge ina sealed glass jar for no more than two days.

Now you can make up your Iced Peppermint Tea - using either chilled water, soda water or sparkling mineral water at a ratio of 1/2cup of concentrate to 1 cup of mixer.

Add fresh mint leaves, slice of lemon and ice cubes to serve.

Mint has many health benefits, but care should be taken when using fresh leaves with any health conditions as Mint is high natural menthols.