I like to make my own tea out of foraged, preserved or saved ingredients from the garden, spice rack and fruit bowl, be that dandelion, goosegrass and rosemary from outside, fruit skins and peelings, and spices such as cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. The peelings can be used fresh or dried. Steep orange skin straight after peeling, for example, to make an aromatic cup of tea – or, if you don’t want to make it straight away, or if you have an excess of peelings, preserve them by drying them on a plate or rack in a warm part of the kitchen, or in the oven while it’s cooling down after use. Once dried, they can be stored in a jar for up to a year.
Leftover fruit skin herbal tea
Herbal teas are costly to buy in teabag form, but they are incredibly simple to make from loose tea and ingredients from your garden, larder and fruit bowl. Fruit peelings are full of essential oils and aromatics, so are perfect for making your own tea; the quality and intensity of flavour will also be far superior. Try creating your own flavour combinations inspired by commercial herbal teas: turmeric gold, for example, can be made by mixing turmeric skins with green tea, while I make my own “love” tea with chamomile, lime peelings and dried or fresh edible flowers (marigold, lavender or rose, say). To make relaxing tea, mix fennel seeds with chamomile, orange peel, lemon balm and cardamom seeds. I’m quite happy to have all the different ingredients floating around in the cup, but strain the tea first, if you prefer.
Per serve
3-6 fruit peelings, dried or fresh (apple, orange, pomegranate), preferably organic
¼ tsp dried herbs, or 1 sprig fresh (rosemary, sage, thyme; optional)
1 pinch spice (cinnamon, clove, vanilla), optional, to taste
Depending on how strong you want the tea, and how many you’re serving, put the fruit peelings in a mug, cafetiere or saucepan and cover with a cupful of boiling water per person. A quick steep in a cup or cafetiere will yield a mild flavour and might need the addition of more flavours, whereas a quick boil in a saucepan will create a stronger, more intense drink. If you like, add the dried or fresh herbs, and follow with an optional pinch of spice to taste. Leave to steep in a cup of cafetiere for five minutes, or bring up to a simmer in a saucepan, cook for three minutes, then turn off the heat and steep for five minutes. Your fruit tea is now ready to enjoy.
