Situation: You love tea.
Problem #1: It costs the big bucks.
Problem #2: Mucho packaging + unnecessary baggage = environmental no-no.
Solution: DIY.
In the land of culinary do-it-yourselfing, few things are easier than tea. Here's what it boils down to: Get some herbs, place them in a pot, pour in boiling water, steep for a few minutes, and strain. (Optional: tea ball.) Where's the thrill factor? It's all the blends.
A quick trip to our local herb emporium landed us with dried and deliciously aromatic ingredients: star anise, licorice root, lemongrass, hibiscus petals, cardamom seeds, sweet basil, peppermint, rose buds, and rooibos.
(Note to the horticulturally inclined: You can also use fresh herbs, plucked straight from the garden, but the brew won't be as strong.)
Once back at the TuttiFoodie test kitchen (i.e., home), we tinkered with ingredients, enlisting the useful aid of our noses. We came up with four blends. Feel free to emulate—or try making your own blends.
Licorice root and rose buds: Flowery and very perfumey, a light summer tea with a strongly sweet finish. We used a half-teaspoon of licorice root and a single rosebud for one pint glass.
Hibiscus and lemongrass: A beautiful bright pink color with a flowery aroma and a tart finish. It's even better cold—perhaps with a sprig of fresh spearmint? We used about a quarter-teaspoon of hibiscus and a half-teaspoon of lemongrass to make a single pint glass.
Rooibos, orange peel, and cardamom seeds: Toasty and earthy with a light touch of sweetness, plus a warming vibe from the cardamom. Try a half-teaspoon of rooibos, a quarter-teaspoon of orange peel, and just a pinch of cardamom for one pint glass.
Kukicha (twig tea) and crystallized ginger. Sweet and smoky with a surprising little zing. We finely chopped 1 tablespoon each of crystallized ginger and dried pineapple, then placed in a teapot with 1 star anise pod and about a quarter cup of kukicha. Try pouring about 3 cups of boiling hot water over the mixture, and steep for a few minutes before straining and sipping.
Herbs are the word.