Loose Leaf Peppermint Tea
Mint is perhaps my favorite flavor of all time. I love it in my ice cream, salads, chocolates and, of course, tea.
The first time I had peppermint tea was also my first (and only) trip to a spa. At the spa, there was a small tea station in the ice-bath room. I had never been much of a tea drinker, but I knew I wouldn't be going back to a spa any time soon. I thought, why not get the full experience? So, I sipped my hot peppermint tea in the ice bath and it was truly delightful. To this day, I drink peppermint tea when I want to treat myself and feel refreshed.
Normally I just buy looseleaf peppermint tea, but this year it clicked that I could just as easily make my own. My mom has a huge potted peppermint plant in her backyard. Mint plants are known for being super prolific and spreading like crazy, so I knew it wouldn't mind a haircut. This recipe requires four cups of mint leaves but it dehydrates down to 1/2 cup, or enough for eight cups of tea. Feel free to cut or multiply this recipe to best suit your mint collection.
Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!
Makes: 1/2 cup loose leaf tea
Serves: 8 cups of tea
Time: 4 hours
Ingredients
60 grams (4 loosely packed cups) peppermint leaves
Extra mint leaves, lemon juice, sweetener or other add-ins to taste
Steps
Preheat dehydrator to 115 F. Carefully wash the peppermint leaves under running water. Arrange leaves in a single layer across 4 closely-knit dehydrator trays and place them in the dehydrator with the lid closed. Let dehydrate for about 4 hours, or until the leaves are very brittle. If you do not have a dehydrator, arrange the leaves in a single layer on several sheet trays. Roast them at your oven’s lowest setting for several hours. Check on the leaves every 30 minutes until they are brittle, but not burned.
Transfer the dried leaves to a bowl and use your hands or the back of a large spoon to crush them. The leaf pieces should be just large enough so as not to fall through your loose-leaf tea steeper. Store the crushed leaves in a well-sealed container.
When you're ready to drink, bring one cup of water to 180 F. Use a loose-leaf tea steeper to steep 1 tablespoon of crushed leaves in hot water for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh peppermint leaves, lemon juice, honey or other add-ins of choice.
Sustainability Tips
Peppermint leaves: The most sustainable (and the easiest) option is to grow your own mint. If you plant it in a pot outdoors, it will come up every spring. Indoors, it will yield all year round. Alternatively, you could buy from a local herb grower. This will help you get to know your local food producers and reduce the travel miles of your food.