Hi Hebalists! I planted a lemon balm this summer and I've had great pleasure drinking home made tea from the green leaves .... is that considered green tea? I'm guessing it is. Before the snow flies how can I keep the leaves? Should I dry them or should I freeze them? Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks , Jill from Iowa
Lemon Balm - preserving? And green tea?
Drying the lemon balm is probably the most common way to preserve it. You can still make great tea with it. The term "green tea" usually refers to the unfermented leaves of the camelia sinensis plant. It the same leaf as black tea (like orange pekoe or darjeeling) but to make the tea black, it is fermented first.
http://coffeetea.about.com/od/preparation/a/growingtea.htm#
Thanks Garden Mermaid, I'll try to dry the leaves before winter. Wish me luck!
I have a bunch I'd like to dry too. Do you use a dehydrator or just hang them, lay them out?
Karen~
If it's a large bunch with stems, I hang them upside down from a shelf in the dark pantry.
If the leaves are loose, I leave them in a strainer in one of my kitchen cabinets.
Once they are dry, I put them in a jar.
I have a dehydrator, but I think the little fan in it would move them around too much. A screen or strainer is probably better.
Please keep in mind that I live in a dry climate, so my suggestions may need to be modified if you live in a area of high humidity. A fan would probably be a good idea if that is the case. The main thing is to dry the herbs in the shade, not in the sun.