Let's be honest, herbal tea making is not for everyone and can be extremely intimidating , especially if you weren't a tea drinker growing up or dealt with herbs at all. I personally have friends and family who want no parts in making tea from scratch because it feels a bit too much for them and THAT'S OKAY. But, for those who are wanting, thinking about it or ready to take the step in becoming more familiar with herbs, recipes, infusions and more; this post will provide a few simple tips to get you started with ease!
You do not need to buy all the herbs
When we are ready to start something new , we are SO eager to dive all the way in. DON'T DO THAT. I promise you that you do not need to buy all the herbs to start off no matter how exciting or tempting it may be; save your money. Honestly, if you are truly starting off in your tea making journey start with buying bagged teas because it will teach you about brewing, the different flavors, and your bodies response to it all. Get to know tea at the most basic and for many, the most cost effective way first.
When you are ready to buy a FEW loose leaf herbs, start with 1-2 from what I feel are the "go-to basics", chamomile, mint, lavender, ginger, and earl grey. Take your time, start small and ease into your tea journey
Get the proper tea accessories
Purchasing inexpensive accessories such as tea infusers, tea pots, mugs, tea bags, etc, is key when beginning your tea-journey. Now, I am all about keeping it simple and honestly, I started off with my steel ball infuser, go-to mug and pot to boil my water; it was perfect for me at the time. Whatever you decide to start with , make sure it works for YOU but also keep in mind having the proper tea accessories can drastically alter your tea experience and we certainly want to avoid negative experiences. So, when purchasing your tea tools, think about what you will actually use and need to start off and keep in mind that not all tea tools are created equal; specifically calling out some of those ascetically pleasing accessories (more on that in a later post).
Here are inexpensive beginner friendly suggestions: Tea Ball Infuser , Tea Kettle
Work with ONE herb at a time
Once you have your loose leaf herbs it is normal to be filled with so much excitement that you want to start looking up recipes and blending all of them right away. Don't let the excitement takeover, take a deep breathe and start with one herb at a time. Working with your loose leaf herbs individually is important for you to get to better learn about your herb, its steeping process , flavor and other properties. Learning about your herbs individually will help you once you begin blending, trust me!
Study your herbs
Study, Study, Study! But make is fun. I know, "studying" and "fun" probably shouldn't be in the same sentence BUT hear me out, studying your herbs does not have to be boring, think about it - you are creating something you can benefit from and enjoy while learning! You won't even realize you're "studying". Take the time to learn about your herbs individually and their benefits. Learn how to measure your herbs probably, theirs purpose/uses, remedies, etc, and more importantly during this learning time, figure out what YOU are wanting to experience from your herbs.
Start building your library by tapping into helpful beginner friendly books. A few I would suggest that have been AMAZING and well used during my journey are:
Complete Herb List Guide For Beginners by Paul Otote,