We drink a lot of iced tea. For years rooibos was our go-to—naturally sweet and never bitter—until a Whole Foods Foodie Friday tasting changed everything. One Friday, an employee named Brian showcased a blend from the bulk section that we all fell in love with. Since then, rooibos hasn’t made an appearance in our house.
At our local Whole Foods, employees create themed dishes and drinks every Friday. The themes vary—around Cinco de Mayo you’ll find carne asada tacos and spicy guacamole; near the Fourth of July there’s plenty of BBQ and berries. The week we discovered this tea featured employee recipes using bulk ingredients. Brian’s combination of dried herbs and a hint of spice was a revelation.
Nearly everyone who tried the tea scrambled for paper and pens to copy the recipe. It’s that memorable. The name highlights lavender, chamomile and peppermint, but the full blend also includes dried nettle and a whisper of cayenne. The balance of floral, soothing, and cooling notes with that faint warmth from the pepper is what makes it so unique.
I weighed the cost of the bulk ingredients and was pleasantly surprised: you can make ten or more pitchers for roughly $2 worth of tea. I usually add the juice of a couple of lemons and a little honey dissolved in warm water for depth and gentle sweetness, though the iced tea is lovely without any additions.
For brewing a pitcher I like a large tea infuser or an extra-large tea ball that’s easy to fill and clean, and a simple glass kettle for boiling. For serving, a two-liter glass pitcher works perfectly. The tools make preparation effortless so you can focus on enjoying the flavor.
Cheers!
Lavender Chamomile Mint Tea with Lemon and Honey
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried lavender flowers
- 1/2 cup dried chamomile
- 1/2 cup dried peppermint leaves
- 1/2 cup dried nettle leaves
- 1 generous pinch ground cayenne pepper
For each pitcher (optional)
- juice of 2 whole lemons
- 1/4 cup honey dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
Instructions
For the tea:
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Combine dried lavender, chamomile, peppermint, nettle and cayenne in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
To make a pitcher of tea:
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Bring 8 cups of water to a boil, then remove from heat. Place about 3 rounded tablespoons of the tea blend into a large tea ball or infuser and submerge it in the hot water. Steep for at least 5 minutes, pressing the tea ball gently with a spoon to extract extra flavor. Stir in lemon juice and the honey mixture, if using.
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Let the infusion cool, transfer it to a pitcher, and refrigerate until chilled.
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Serve over ice if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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