GARDEN FANATIC:Relaxing with herbal tea

“Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.” ? Simon and Garfunkel

“Its [tea’s] proper use is to ? relax the studious and dilute the full meals of those who ? will not use abstinence.” ? Samuel Johnson

Herbs have been used long before the days of recorded history. Man may have consumed his first herb by watching animals. I have always been fascinated that our two cats eat a little of Catharine’s dill when their stomachs are upset, use her mint to keep their breath fresh, and take in an occasional spot of catnip for relaxation purposes.

Early man had various but limited options for injury and disease. Herbs were highly regarded because of their medicinal potency. The Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans have practiced herbal medicine for nearly 4,000 years, and along the course of time, many remedies and traditions have been passed on to our part of the globe. It has been recorded that man has found an herb for nearly every malady.

Over the ensuing several millennium, our ancestors discovered that herbs were useful for reasons other than medicinal, namely for fragrance and flavor.

During the so-called Dark Ages, the air was considered unhealthful. Little wonder ? the streets served as garbage sites and probably smelled similar to Aliso Creek on a bad day. Strewing, nosegays and aromatherapy, all derived from herbs, provided fragrance to mask many of these everyday aromas. The learned even considered herbs to contain properties that could ward off disease.

Old recipe books show that cooks used herbs to flavor beverages and season food. Of course, without refrigeration, meats were served in some state of decay. Without heavy seasoning, it would have been difficult to stomach most meals.

Today, the tradition of herbs continues. Modern science allows us to isolate and identify the active ingredients of most plants. Scientists have discovered that certain herbs used for healing have a firm foundation in medicine. One of the best examples is the foxglove, which is used in treating heart disease.

Renewed interest in aromatherapy and landscaping uses represent our continued reliance on herbs. Many of us grow herbs for culinary uses because of their great taste and the pleasure of cultivating our own fresh food.

One of my favorite uses of herbs is in teas. It has been said that tea can relieve a thousand different ailments and provides a sense of decency and luxuriousness. There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour the English dedicate each day to the afternoon tea. I present my favorite beverage:

Catharine’s Herb Tea

1-1/2 cups cold water

1 tablespoon parsley

1 tablespoon sage

1 tablespoon rosemary

1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon mint

1 teaspoon raw, unfiltered wild honey

Combine water and herbs in your tea kettle. Cover and boil about 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer about 5 minutes. The tea is ready when the liquid is reduced by 1/3 and darker than a strong coffee. Strain into a suitable cup and add wild honey. See you next time.