Chamomile tea is one of the famous teas nowadays. Chamomile is a flowering herb, looks like a tiny daisy, having a yellow central disc surrounded by white petals. It is more fragrant than its same class of flowers, proving a gentle floral, apple-like aroma that is much soothing. For this particular reason, and because of its numerous health benefits, Chamomile is well-known in herbal teas or aromatherapy.
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What is chamomile tea?
This tea is an herbal infusion prepare from dried chamomile flowers steeped in water. Following are some potential feature of chamomile tea;
- It is naturally caffeine-free.
- It is a flowering plant having white petals or a mustard-yellow center that appears just like a daisy.
- There are some types of Chamomile, and among them, two popular kinds are utilized for tea, such as German Chamomile and the Roman Chamomile.
- Chamomile is taken as help in relaxation; therefore, it is a typical ingredient in the tea mix to help you sleep.
This tea contains a robust and heady aroma. It tastes earthy with floral or apple notes.
How is it made?
Harvesting of Chamomile
Harvesting chamomile is typically a summer pastime. You’ll harvest its flowers for use in teas, although leaves are also gathered for therapeutic use. If you keep the patch picked regularly, it will continue to bloom all summer.
In any provided patch, the flowers don’t bloom at the once. It is the actual challenge of chamomile. Each bloom should be picked at its peak if you want the real advantage and flavor, and this takes plenty of time! Below is the picking process;
- Begin harvesting chamomile flowers early in the morning after the dew has evaporated. Avoid picking when the sun is high.
- Choose flowers that are quite open. Pinch the stalk below the flower head. Gather them in a tightly woven basket.
- The flowers that are completed blooming allow you to gather seeds or permit the plants to self-seed next year’s patch.
How to Dry It
Slightly shake the flowers and check them to eliminate any bug or dirt on the flower. You can wash the flowers in a basin of water. Drain adequately and lightly pat dry.
Air Dry
Spread out these flowers in a single layer and dry for 1-2 weeks in a dark, warm space.
Dehydrate
- Dry flowers on dehydrator tray to stop tiny dried blossoms from falling via the mesh. To avoid blossoms from blowing off the tray, keep a mesh liner on the head of chamomile flowers.
- Adjust the dehydrator on its lowest setting (95°F or 35°C) and dry for 13 to 18 hours.
- Sensitive herbs and flowers must always be dehydrated at the lowest settings for positive results.
What does chamomile tea taste like?
The taste of this unique tea is not at all bitter compare to black tea, green tea or even other herbal tea. The tea is lightly yellow tinted and has a mild flowery taste. The scent of chamomile tea originates from real chamomile flowers. Its unique taste makes it different from all other kinds of teas.
Different types of Chamomile tea have different flavors
Different kinds of chamomile teas have different flavors like;
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Roman Chamomile
Roman Chamomile is utilized to prepare teas, creams, and extracts that originate from the white and yellow flower part of the plant. Flower heads are initially dried, then utilized to form powders or tea.
They may also be steamed to make its essential oil that may help to minimize swelling and have anti-fungal or anti-viral features. Roman chamomile tea has a bolder, slightly bitterer taste than German Chamomile. That makes a difference!
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German Chamomile
German Chamomile is well-known with the botanical name Matricaria chamomilla. It is an annual plant that is usually famous as wild Chamomile or Italian Chamomile. Their flowers droop from hollow yellow cones along every stem.
German chamomile tea gives a subtle apple flavor that is perfect for most tastes. This kind of chamomile tea is gentle and relaxing without any robust flavors. In essence, it is sweeter than other chamomile varieties.
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Egyptian Chamomile
The famous Egyptian chamomile flowers provide a tea with a flavor reminiscent of apples and the body of Chardonnay wine. It is a relaxing herb and may aid those individuals with insomnia, depression, and is merely restless. The Egyptian Chamomile forms an excellent deep-yellow cup, and it is totally caffeine-free that boosts its importance!
Chamomile Tea brewing guide
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh chamomile flowers
- 8 oz boiling water
- One small, fresh sprig of mint
Directions
- The first thing is; you need to take a pot to prepare your tea in. If you don’t have a tea infuser, you may even utilize a doubled-over cheesecloth or a piece of string to prepare a makeshift teabag. You can place your flowers into a heat-safe bowl or cup and, after steeping, place your tea into the cup using a fine-mesh strainer.
- Once you have chosen a pot, you’ll need to crush your herbs. For the chamomile flowers, it is better to utilize them the same day they are harvested because the light petals contain a short shelf life. To make the Chamomile able for use, pop the head of its flower off the stem.
- For the mint, choose a little sprig near the size of a quarter of the plant’s tender top. You can select a different variety of mint known as apple mint as fresh Chamomile also comprises of apple undertones; therefore, they will go perfect with each other. Peppermint is also delicious.
- Fill your tea kettle with the mentioned amount of water and start heating. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons (of Chamomile and your mint sprig into the teapot to make your fantastic tea!
- Pour boiling water over the chamomile flowers or mint and then steep or almost four minutes. For serving, pour into a cup, utilizing a fine mesh strainer as required.
How to make chamomile tea taste better
Besides the regular chamomile tea that is particularly naturally caffeine-free, it also comes in plenty of different flavors such as citrus chamomile tea, honey vanilla flavored chamomile tea, and ginger chamomile tea, Chamomile, and lavender tea and mush more unusual flavors.
You may also add more flavors to the chamomile tea by stirring in a spoon of raw honey and including a pinch of ginger powder.