This aromatic tea is easily made when you have fresh flowers of German (Matricaria recutita) or Roman Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) to hand but as with everything in horticulture seasonality comes in to effect and it’s not always possible to have a fresh supply of flowers. By harvesting and drying the fresh flowers you can enjoy this somniferous delight, with its many other health benefits, throughout the darker months when fresh Chamomile flowers aren’t available.
I always have a steady supply of Chamomile growing in my garden and it has become a plant I wouldn’t go without. I initially grew Chamomile from seed to make a small lawn but after falling in love with the plant I then went on to make an informal path with stone leading up to the back gate. Now that the path has established itself and has been allowed to run riot (My fault completely) I now have more of a chamomile hedge than a path. Luckily, I always have a use for Chamomile in the bath as part of a Bath Bouquet and it is excellent for easing aching muscles, soothing cuts, and keeping skin healthy, amongst other things.
Anyway, back to the making of tea. The method of oven drying is very simple and by following a few simple steps you are sure to have home grown tea to hand throughout the Winter.
1) Pick your flowers first thing in the morning as early as possible. Anytime between 6:00am and 12 noon should suffice. Discard any damaged or diseased material.
2) Fill a bowl with cool water and add the fresh flowers. Gently clean the flowers, removing any insects and sieve off any debris that floats to the surface. Allow flowers to soak for a few minutes after cleaning.
3) Remove flowers and strain with a colander or salad spinner ensuring that as much moisture as possible is removed. Paper towels may also be used as long as they do not disintegrate.
4) Heat an oven to 200 degrees and whilst the oven is warming up place the individual flowers on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Once the oven heats up fully turn the oven off and place the baking tray on the lowest rack of the oven. Ensure that the oven door remains slightly open and allow the flowers to dry. Check for dryness at regular intervals and if flowers are not dry after a few hours you can reheat the oven and begin the process again.5) Once the Chamomile is dry, place it in an airtight jar and store for up to 4-6 months in a cool dry place.
6) When you want to make your tea either crush the dried chamomile or leave it whole and allow a tbsp per cup to steep in a pot of boiling water for around 10-15 minutes. Strain with a sieve and add honey, a slice of lemon or other lemon herbs as desired, and enjoy!
