I’m in love with this recipe from Letitia L. Star at Mother Earth Living.com. I’ve been a bit under the weather after all the Christmas feasting and wanted something along the lines of a lemon and ginger drink. This recipe goes further, introducing lavender (which I just happen to have growing in the garden) and herbal tea which provides further flavour and health benefits.
I made only one or two tweaks – while the recipe suggests green tea, I reckon you can add any flavoured herbal tea you fancy. I added a raspberry leaf tea to mine and look forward to trying out a range of fruit tea flavours in the future. I also added the clove of garlic into the mix at the beginning, rather than at the end of the process; I bruised it with a knife as opposed to crushing it completely so that its flavour wasn’t too intense.
And, oh my… it was really delicious.. surprisingly so! While the recipe calls for it to be hot, I actually had mine cold (the photography session always comes first!), and loved it. I can see me enjoying this as a hot drink in the winter and a cool, tall drink with ice in the summer. Divine.
LEMON, GINGER & LAVENDER ‘HOT TODDY’
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp lavender buds
- 1 tsp ginger (or a small peeled knob of fresh ginger)
- 1-2 tbsp honey or agave nectar, to taste
- 2 tbsp loose green tea (or choose your favourite herbal tea instead)
- 1-2 cloves raw garlic crushed (or bruised for a more subtle flavour)(optional)
Instructions
- Combine water, lemon juice, lavender, ginger, sweetener, garlic (if using) and tea bags in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and steep for at least 5 minutes.
- Strain the brew and pour into a cup or glass. Enjoy warm or cold.
Can’t wait to try this – the flavor combination sounds lovely and soothing.
Sure is.. I could drink it by the gallon!
I wish I had had this last week. Love Mother Earth Living. Guess I missed this one. Thanks! Beautiful photos.
Thank you! Yes, it’s a goodie!
Author Letitia L. Star responds: Thanks so much Kiwicook and readers for your positive comments regarding my Lemon, Ginger & Lavender Hot Toddy, originally published in The Herb Companion and now posted on the Mother Earth Living web site. I’m glad to learn that you’re enjoying my own special recipe. Kiwicook, it would be wonderful if you could share your comments on the Mother Earth Living web site so that other readers might benefit from your suggestions.
It is now summer where you are? You may enjoy my “Lavender-Hibiscus Grapefruit Granita” published in my “8 Recipes for Strong Bones” article, now available on the Mother Earth Living site. Another suggestion is my “Lavender-Peach Jam with Vanilla” published in my article, “Herb-Infused Jams in a Jiffy.” There are six more warming drinks recipes published in my article, “Warm Up from the Inside Out.” (A quick way to located my articles is to search for “Letitia L. Star” on the Mother Earth Living site.) Warmest wishes to all — Letitia Star
Letitia, thanks for your visit and thanks for the opportunity to promote your recipe. I’m happy to comment on your site and will do that shortly. All the very best – love your work! PS: I’m from New Zealand – we’re coming to the end of summer.
Hello Kiwicook,
It’s great hearing from you. It’s also good to know that somewhere in the world it’s summer and warm. Here in the Chicago, USA, we’ve had a particularly long and brutal winter with sub-zero (F) days. Just the weather for warming beverages! In the summer months, I’ve enjoyed the lavender-lemon hot toddy served chilled — it tested great that way.
I welcome your comments and suggestions — and those of your readers — on any of my recipes. Warmest regards — Letitia Star
I have some lavender herbal tea, do you think that would be an acceptable substitute for the fresh lavender?
Hi Joy. Yes, absolutely – you can’t do much wrong with this recipe and lavender tea sounds like a great alternative. Enjoy.