I don’t know about you, but I keep seeing things on Substack or Youtube and I forget to book mark them.
It’s like they never existed when I try to find them again, even a few minutes later!
Somewhere I saw a post about spice tea. I got Google to tell me what to do because I lost the post.
I was a bit put off because it said to filter the tea to get rid of the powdery spice remnants after steeping but they would be too fine for a tea strainer.
What can I do? Fabric might work but I couldn’t be bothered getting some out. Then suddenly I remembered that I had planned to make my own herbal teas at some point and bought myself a pack of empty tea bags.
Now, I have been putting everything away because we are selling the house and I had to sit and think for a few minutes. Where would I have put those tea bags? I was so pleased with myself when I remembered putting some tea things away in an old T2 box in the kitchen draw.
The little Delft Blue cat jug I bought on a trip to Amsterdam
The little timber dish I got in Tasmania.
You can just see the corner of a white plate in the bottom. That is a lemon dish I picked up in a town on Lake Como.
Anyway, I made my tea with an added teabag of chamomile tea because I thought it might need a bit more body. I was surprised at how easy it was to drink. I might try having a cup of spice tea after lunch some days.
I wanted to know if steeping was ok instead of simmering so I asked Google again.
For spice tea, simmering is better if you are using whole, hard spices like cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom pods, or cloves. The gentle, continuous heat extracts up to 30% more flavour and active compounds, allowing these dense ingredients to properly soften and release their oils.
However, the best method depends entirely on what is in your cup:
Simmering (Whole, Hard Spices & Roots): Place your fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a saucepan with water and boil for 10-20 minutes. This builds a rich, robust base. (If using traditional tea leaves like black or green, add them only in the final 3-5 minutes so they don’t turn bitter).
Steeping (Ground Spices & Floral Teas): If your spice tea uses pre-ground spices (like nutmeg, powdered cinnamon, or turmeric) or delicate ingredients (like dried petals), boiling will cause bitterness and evaporate delicate flavors. Pour boiling water over them and steep covered for 5-7 minutes.
So, it seems steeping is good for my powdered spices.
Anyway, that’s another week down. I managed to exercise, eat healthy, journal every day, read my cosy mysteries, relax with herbal tea, follow my sleep routine, go for a walk, watch you tube and listen to some podcasts, talk with my family, play wordle, and reminisce about my travels. All in all a good week.
Cheers,
Val