Sun tea is nature’s equivalent of the crockpot… minus the electricity.
We each have our own way of dealing with the Middle East’s harsh sun and humidity during the summer, especially in August. For some it’s sun dresses, for others it’s catching the breeze by the beach, and for some it’s a popsicle. If none of those options do it for you, how about some low-carbon emitting, low muss and fuss herbal sun tea? The formula is simple: take your pick of the multitude of herbs currently available, add to water, and let sit in the sun so it can do its thing.
Okay, so maybe it’s a tiny bit more complicated than that. But not much more.
For your sun tea, you first need an assortment of herbs. If you’re not familiar with the full spectrum of Middle Eastern spices, check out fellow Green Prophet Miriam’s A-Z guides. Or, if you’d like a more herbal-tea-specific recommendation on what herbs to put in your tea (and there are some surprising ones – rosemary, who knew?) read some of Naomi’s recommendations.
Of course, if you have a green thumb and have lots of herbs readily available in your garden, it doesn’t get much more locavore than that.
Okay, so you’ve selected your herbs. Now place them in a glass jar, add sweetener if you wish, and fill the jar with water. The ratio of herbs to water should be around 1 part herb, 4 parts water. Since this concoction will probably be very yummy, you might want to use the biggest jar you have.
Tightly seal the jar, give it a good shake, place out in the sun, and come back in about 5 hours.
And here comes the eco-friendly part: you (well, actually the sun) is making herbal tea in a totally electricity-less way. You’re not boiling all that water, the sun will do it for you. Energy straight from the source.
Once the tea is brewed, if you’d rather have it cold you can either put in the fridge for a while (removing the herbs first), or add some ice cubes.
Got a recipe for delicious sun tea? Please share below.
[image via: TheGirlCalledLaura]
Stew some more with these articles on herbs and tea::
6 Herbal Teas – A Natural Way to Cure What Ails You
The ABCs of Traditional Middle Eastern Spice Medicines (A-C)
Recipe: Reap Your Wild Oats to Make Nourishing Outstraw Tea
Author: Karen Chernick
Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
