Linden Tea / Ihlamur
Story of Linden Tea
Have you ever had the pleasure of breathing in the sweet-scent of linden flowers in the spring? No wonder Linden Tea is a favourite among herbal remedies for my family. Here is how to pick and dry Linden flowers to make an amazing cup of homemade Linden Tea from scratch!
Linden Tea is the second favourite tea in Turkish Cuisine, right after Turkish black tea. In Turkish culture, foods and drinks are the number one wellness articles. So, linden flowers are used to make an aromatic and a relaxing herbal tea and the most popular home remedy. A cinnamon stick and a couple of cloves are added to enhance the fragrance and health benefits of Linden Tea.
Linden tea not only enhances recovery, but it is also used to prevent illness due to cold weather or seasonal transitions.
So, if you stay long time in the cold weather, prepare a large glass of linden tea when you turn back to home.
If you have the flu, Linden tea will soften your throat and help you expel microbes by making you sweat.
If your baby has gas-pain, cover his/her abdomen with a warm towel and give him/her a couple teaspoons of Linden tea. He/she will calm down and sleep soon.
How to make a Linden Tea / Ihlamur: A fantastic herbal remedy and traditional cure for the common cold
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Ingredients
8-10 Linden flower stalks (fresh or dry)
1.5-2 cups hot water
1 cinnamon stick and/or 4-5 cloves (optional)
1 lemon (optional)
2-3 tbsp honey or sugar (optional)
Notes from the Kitchen
*Just like any other herbal plants, Linden flowers should be dried in an aerated place and away from direct sunlight.
**Easy air flow between the petals makes for a faster drying and prevent colouration
***Store the dried flowers in cotton bags or glass jar, in a dark pantry.
Linden tea gives heavenly aroma to your various herbal tea mixtures, homemade syrups, cocktails, and dessert.
Directions
LINDEN FLOWERS
Picking & Drying
Linden trees blossom in late Spring. Linden flowers are a treasured gift of nature with their splendid fragrance and countless health benefits The flowers are picked when they have just about blossomed.
Both the flowers and the wing-like leaves are edible. I prefer not to wash the delicate flowers, so pick them from the cleanest and most natural environment possible and keep them clean during drying process. Gently pick the flower stalks and lay them into a clean container.
Linden flowers should be dried in an aerated place and away from direct sunlight. Cover an oven tray with a loosely woven cotton cloth, place the Linden flowers onto the tray. Make sure to separate out the flowers**.
Cover the Linden flowers with another loose woven cotton cloth to catch any dust, but to allow air circulation Within about 2-3 weeks, Linden flowers, stalks, and leaves will completely dry out.
Once they are crispy, it is time to store them.
Storage Traditionally, dried herbs are stored in tightly woven cotton bags that can be hung in a pantry. I highly recommend this technique, especially for long-term storage. Gently place the dried Linden flowers into a cotton bag and store them in a dark pantry***.
For daily use, I prefer a glass jar. (!) Don’t abuse the flowers to fit them into a container. Try to maintain their natural aesthetic.
LINDEN TEA
PREPARATION
Linden Tea is both an effective cold remedy and a relaxing herbal drink with a wonderful aroma In Turkish Cuisine, a cinnamon stick and a couple of cloves may be added to enhance the fragrance and health benefits of Linden Tea.
Place 8-10 stalks of Linden flowers into a tea pot (“demlik” in Turkish). If you’d like, you can also add 5-6 cloves and a cinnamon stick.
Boil 1-1.5 liters of water in kettle (“Çaydanlık” in Turkish). Once the water boils, turn down the heat to the lowest setting. Slowly pour 1.5-2 cups of hot water into the tea pot, over the Linden flowers.
Cover the tea pot with a lid and place it over the kettle (The kettle’s lid must be removable for this).
Steep the Linden Tea for 10-15 minutes over the hot vapour from the water simmering in the kettle.
Once the Linden flowers release their fragrance and colour, prepare thin lemon slices, honey, or sugar for serving preferences.
SERVING
Serve Linden Tea in Turkish tea glasses for a more concentrated and gourmet experience. Or serve it in a Teacup or mug of your preference.
Use the hot water in the kettle to dilute the tea to everyone’s preferences.
Try this delightfully warm herbal tea in the winter, or when you feel slow and sluggish.
Add to your glass a slice of lemon juice to freshen the Linden flavour. You can also add sugar cubes or a spoon of honey for a soft and sweet tea.
In any case, you will experience the energy of spring in your body. The heavenly aroma of Linden flowers will amaze you. Follow for more on preparing medicine tea varieties, syrups, cocktails, desserts, and other delicious Linden flower recipes.
Enjoy the booster of nature!
