Immune-i-tea blend

When colder weather sets in, and you start spending more time indoors with other people, it’s always good to boost your immunity to reduce the likelihood of getting sick. There are lots of ways of doing this, and our favourite is to increase the number of immune-boosting foods we eat.

A firm favourite is Fire Cider: a punchy infusion loaded with nutrients from fresh ingredients. Then there’s Honey Fermented Garlic, which is equally delicious straight off the spoon as it is in a salad dressing. And if you’re a meat-eater, our Quick Pâté is loaded with good stuff to strengthen your immune response.

But sometimes, what you crave is a nice warm cup of tea, and that’s where this blend comes in. Every ingredient does something useful in the bid to fortify and heal, so it’s worth checking them out if you’d like to learn more.

A few examples: ginger is anti-inflammatory, liquorice helps soothe sore throats by lining mucous membranes, and elderberry has been clinically proven to reduce both severity & duration of cold, influenza, and it’s currently being trialled in long-term studies to see how it can be included in the treatment of Covid.

We’ve given exact measurements here, but really, it’s just the ratios that matter: ie use more of milder-flavoured ingredients and less of overpowering ones. You can use any measuring device you like – teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, bushels, or even bathtubs! – just keep the ratios about the same and you’ll be right. But equally, if you want to adjust ratios to suit your tastes, go ahead!

Hooray for zero-waste, health-supporting tea!

INGREDIENTS:

(Makes 1x 290ml jar – enough for 3-4 teapots)

2 tbsp dried hibiscus/roselle
1 tbsp dried rosehips
1 tbsp dried elderberry (Sambucus nigra)
1 tbsp dried calendula
2 tsp dried yarrow
1 tsp dried orange peel
1 tsp dried ginger
1 tsp dried liquorice root
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp whole cloves

METHOD:

1. Chop or crumble all dehydrated ingredients to be roughly the same size.

2. Use 1-2 teaspoons of blend per cup, and steep in boiling water for 5+ minutes for best flavour.

3. Strain and drink. Sweeten with raw honey for an extra immunity boost if you fancy, and enjoy warm or cold.

That’s it!

Notes:

Breaking ingredients into small pieces helps the flavour steep out easily and evenly.

You can use fresh ingredients in place of dried ones. Obviously just dry them if you want to store the blend.

You can forage ingredients like yarrow and elderberry (Sambucus nigra) in SE Australia and around Europe, but equally, they can be bought dried from good health food shops.

Hibiscus, liquorice root, elderberry, calendula and yarrow can all be bought from health food shops. Look for packaging-free options if possible.

All rose hips will work, but certain varieties give better flavour. Make sure they’re whole so the irritating inner hairs don’t end up in your tea. Also, make sure they’re not sprayed with chemicals!

If you’re storing this blend, make sure all ingredients are thoroughly dried so no residual moisture causes it to clump, as this can lead to spoilage over time.

Permaculture Principle 2: Catch & store energy; 6: Produce no waste; 10: Use and value diversity; 11: Use edges and value the marginal