🌿Fresh garden basil makes an enchanting and satisfying cup of tea, either hot or iced, in an endless variety of flavors and colors. Such a wonderful experience from the garden!
I love this, Shell. I had no idea basil had so many varieties, and the idea of turning the flowers and leaves you trim into tea makes it even more special. I especially love how you shared the different flavors and ways to enjoy it, both hot and iced. Such a lovely way to make the most of what grows in the garden. 🌿☕️
Thanks, Florence! You’re welcome to come and tour the herb garden if you’d like, and we could do a tasting together. I’m about 45 minutes away from you, and it would be fun to meet you and show you around. Thanks so much for bringing Substack members together so we can get to know more members of the community! ❤️
Hmmm, never ever thought of making basil tea, but did make basil ice cream once, which was surprisingly delish! I will let you know how the tea turns out :)
Amiee, I need to make some basil ice cream too! I love to make simple syrup and cocktails with it too. And I have a recipe for a white balsamic basil vinaigrette dressing that’s wonderful. I just love growing basils from around the world each year! Please let me know how your tea turns out, and which varieties you’re growing and using! So exciting. 💚
Oh my gosh, you can still buy a basil plant??? Only in California, sigh. Mine are about to go downhill next week when the nighttime temps slide down into the low 50s, signaling the return of the 9 months of winter. If you get your basil plant, can you please keep sending me photos to get me through while this place is blanketed with snow? 🙏🥹
I'm going to start throwing in random and hopefully apt LOTR quotes now in my responses, in the hopes that you've enjoyed the (extended version!) of the trilogy with the fam. Keep it secret. Keep it safe! 💚
I mean, that’s how we’re supposed to feel. Did you see the rat bastard of a dad that he had? In the extended edition of Fellowship, you get a chance to see just how awful Denethor is before experiencing this again in Return of the King. Just horrible.
And it’s the ring that ultimately corrupts Boromir. This is the true tragedy of it. And I found his redemptive arc trying to save Merry and Pippin and then his allegiance to Aragorn in his last breath to be so very moving.
So passes Denethor, son of Ecthelion. Good riddance!
I started basil in a small pot at home in my window, not realizing how fast it grows. But if it doesn't flower can I still make tea? It's just regular green basil
Cori, Yes, for sure you can still make tea. You can trim off the uppermost growing tips of the leaves even before the flowers form to still cause the plant to grow fuller. And you can use those to make your tea. The young flowers and leaves both have such wonderful flavor.
I trim the flowers off all summer until there’s a night in the forecast with temperatures down to about 52 F (11 C). This is when I find the leaves start to yellow, and the plants start to go into decline. Not all of them, though. The ones that have been the most susceptible to the cold for me have been sweet basil (likely the one you have), lemon basil, Chinese sweet basil, and lettuce leaf basil. Some of the others can take a little more cold.
I try to anticipate when cool nights like this are about a week ahead in the forecast, and then I just let the flowers grow. It’s nice to finally see them at the end of the summer after trimming them off for weeks.
Good luck with your basil, and please keep me posted on how you like your tea! You can also brew it with tea leaves or other herbs. I just adore making basil tea in so many combinations! 💚
I had to come back and let you know my basil grew flowers! They're so tiny 😆 but it counts
Hooray, Cori! This absolutely counts! I’m so glad for you! 💚
I love this, Shell. I had no idea basil had so many varieties, and the idea of turning the flowers and leaves you trim into tea makes it even more special. I especially love how you shared the different flavors and ways to enjoy it, both hot and iced. Such a lovely way to make the most of what grows in the garden. 🌿☕️
Thanks, Florence! You’re welcome to come and tour the herb garden if you’d like, and we could do a tasting together. I’m about 45 minutes away from you, and it would be fun to meet you and show you around. Thanks so much for bringing Substack members together so we can get to know more members of the community! ❤️
Hmmm, never ever thought of making basil tea, but did make basil ice cream once, which was surprisingly delish! I will let you know how the tea turns out :)
Amiee, I need to make some basil ice cream too! I love to make simple syrup and cocktails with it too. And I have a recipe for a white balsamic basil vinaigrette dressing that’s wonderful. I just love growing basils from around the world each year! Please let me know how your tea turns out, and which varieties you’re growing and using! So exciting. 💚
I love this idea! We need to get going on our annual purchase of a basil plant.
Oh my gosh, you can still buy a basil plant??? Only in California, sigh. Mine are about to go downhill next week when the nighttime temps slide down into the low 50s, signaling the return of the 9 months of winter. If you get your basil plant, can you please keep sending me photos to get me through while this place is blanketed with snow? 🙏🥹
Haha, I guess I take a lot of things for granted!
I'm going to start throwing in random and hopefully apt LOTR quotes now in my responses, in the hopes that you've enjoyed the (extended version!) of the trilogy with the fam. Keep it secret. Keep it safe! 💚
My daughter really didn't like Boromir but I am more forgiving for his character as an adult.
I mean, that’s how we’re supposed to feel. Did you see the rat bastard of a dad that he had? In the extended edition of Fellowship, you get a chance to see just how awful Denethor is before experiencing this again in Return of the King. Just horrible.
And it’s the ring that ultimately corrupts Boromir. This is the true tragedy of it. And I found his redemptive arc trying to save Merry and Pippin and then his allegiance to Aragorn in his last breath to be so very moving.
So passes Denethor, son of Ecthelion. Good riddance!
I started basil in a small pot at home in my window, not realizing how fast it grows. But if it doesn't flower can I still make tea? It's just regular green basil
Cori, Yes, for sure you can still make tea. You can trim off the uppermost growing tips of the leaves even before the flowers form to still cause the plant to grow fuller. And you can use those to make your tea. The young flowers and leaves both have such wonderful flavor.
I trim the flowers off all summer until there’s a night in the forecast with temperatures down to about 52 F (11 C). This is when I find the leaves start to yellow, and the plants start to go into decline. Not all of them, though. The ones that have been the most susceptible to the cold for me have been sweet basil (likely the one you have), lemon basil, Chinese sweet basil, and lettuce leaf basil. Some of the others can take a little more cold.
I try to anticipate when cool nights like this are about a week ahead in the forecast, and then I just let the flowers grow. It’s nice to finally see them at the end of the summer after trimming them off for weeks.
Good luck with your basil, and please keep me posted on how you like your tea! You can also brew it with tea leaves or other herbs. I just adore making basil tea in so many combinations! 💚