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4 Other Uses for Tea

If you're like me, you've only recently made the switch from teabags to loose leaf. And, if you're really like me, you still have some tea bags left. 

Following my upgrade to loose leaf tea, I can no longer enjoy anything less than fresh-brewed tea and so I've researched a couple of alternative uses for my leftover bags of dried tea.  At this rate, I should finish up the stash by the wintertime ;) enjoy:

(1) Gargle the Herbal way. Let peppermint tea cool and use it as a mouthwash whenever a toothache strikes. It'll not only fresh your breath, but soothe the pain too.

(2) Put on, cool off. The tannins present in black tea can help with superficial burn injuries and sunburns. If you happen to hit the beach a couple more times before Labor Day weekend, and get sunburned, apply a cool, damp cloth soaked in tea where it hurts. Teabags seeped in the bathtub can also help if you need full-body therapy.

(3) Shine on. Forget Windex, to make mirrors really sparkle brew a pot of tea, let it cool, and then use the liquid to clean your mirrors. Dampen a soft cloth, wipe it on the glass surface and buff with a soft, dry cloth for a streak-free shine like never before.

(4) All teas go Green. If you have a compost pile, why not pour a few cups of strong tea in the heap?  It'll hasten decomposition and encourage bacteria to create the perfect compost.

(5) Give Your Plants a Boost. Acid-loving plants including Dogwood trees, Pieris and Gardenias get a big boost when watered with brewed tea. You can also try mixing and burying teabags around the base of the plant.

Cinnamon, cloves and apricot spice is a triangle defense invented for a cold winter's day, but can taste even better on a hot Summer day.  Although this European style tea is great hot, it is all the more better chilled.  The ice-and-spicy elements for this sun tea will take you for a stroll down the cobblestone streets and land you a seat at a patio of a European cafe on a hot summer day. 

Ingredients:

4-5 heaping tablespoons of apricot spiced loose leaf tea like Apricot Chai

1 cinnamon stick

3 whole cloves

1 gallon filtered water

Large glass pot with lid

2 teaspoons sugar

Directions:

Add water in the glass teapot.  Stir in sugar until dissolved.  Combine other ingredients into the glass teapot.  Steep in direct sunlight for 6 hours or more according to taste. Strain liquid out into glasses containing ice. Garnish with a slice of orange.

Want ice cream but can't handle the calories?  Tempted for a frozen yogurt but could do without the sugar?  Feel healthy and refreshed with a non-fat, yet delicious dessert: tea popsicles!   The secret to making tea popsicles is to simply double the ingredients.  Here's how:

Ingredients:

1. Iced tea smoothie (recipe to follow):

2. Popsicle tray with sticks

3. Freezer

Prepare your favorite iced tea smoothie recipe, using double the ingredients. Allow the ice to melt for 20 minutes or so. Pour the mix into popsicle trays. Add the sticks. Place in freezer for at least 2 hours.

Fruit Tea Smoothie Recipe with ingredients doubled:

1. Two heaping tablespoons of Fruity Dream herbal tisane

2. Two teaspoons of honey

3. Two cups boiled filtered water

4. Ice, cubed or crushed

5. Whipping cream

Directions:

Combine tea and honey in a teapot. Add filtered water, just below boiling temperature and steep for 4 minutes. Stir until honey dissolves.  Strain brewed tea mixture over ice in a blender. Blend to your desired thickness. Serve with whipping cream on top or a grapefruit slice garnish to really live it up.

Voila!

The summer can become unbearable for tea drinkers.  The hot heat makes it difficult to sip on a cuppa hot tea for some people.  Many resort to iced tea.  I have seen many iced tea recipes in the past, and have been an advocate of steeping hot and pouring over ice, until I found this recipe from a twitter friend!  Cold brewing tea in a refridgerator is what they suggested. At first, I was unsure if it would even work, worrying over whether the tea would steep a bitter cuppa. Here is the recipe if you are interested!

How to cold brew tea:

#1) get a very large pitcher, that is either a gallon or half gallon.

#2) add about 1/4 cup of tea to half gallon or 1/2 cup of tea to gallon pitcher.

#3) fill with cold water

#4) Put in refrigerator,covered for 6-8 hours for first steep, and 12-15 hours for second steep.

#5) Pour a cup and enjoy!

The cold cuppa that I drank after 8 hours was delicious!  The tea was not over or under steeped, like some other iced teas, and it still held up the flavor profile of the tea very well!  For curiosity sake, I steeped the tea once,even though Chris & Amy didn’t say anything about that.  It tastes just as good at the first steep!  So after you are done with your first steep, add more cold water, stick in the fridge for another 12 hours and enjoy a second time the next day!  If you try this, do share with us here at California Tea House!  I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on cold brewing tea!

Sun Brewed or Sun kissed tea's magic is that it allows room for creativity. With honey rather than sugar in mind, this recipe is tailored for a busy bee's palate. Be sure to keep the garden bees away while it steeps!

Ingredients:

5 heaping tablespoons of loose leaf Rooibos tisane (Gingerbread Chai)

Juice of one lemon Lemon slices (save a few for garnish)

1/4 cup of honey, diluted with an equal part of hot water

1 gallon filtered water

Large glass pitcher

Directions:

Pour all the ingredients in the glass pitcher and stir continuously. Place lid on top and position pitcher directly in hot sunlight for 8 hours or so. Pour into glasses containing ice. Add a lemon wedge on top and enjoy!