Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chamomile flowers
- 1 tablespoon dandelion root
- 1/2 teaspoon gingerroot
- 1 quart hot water just off the boil (about 200 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Raw honey, to taste
Directions
- In a quart-size Mason jar, combine the chamomile, dandelion, and ginger.
- Add the hot water and close the Mason jar to preserve the volatile oils. Bitterness can be regulated by brewing time: 3 to 4 minutes for mild bitterness and up to 10 minutes for a more intense brew.
- Strain and add honey to taste. Drink warm by the half cup or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
More from DIY Bitters:
• Salty Bitters
Reprinted with permission from DIY Bitters by Jovial King and Guido Masé and published by Fair Winds Press, an imprint of The Quarto Group © 2016. Buy this book from the Mother Earth Living store: DIY Bitters
DIY Bitters by Jovial King and Guido Masé (Fair Winds Press, 2016) shows how to make your own bitters at home, to be used alone or in cocktails, tonics, and even main meals. Bitters can then be used to stimulate the digestive system and promote healthy digestion. This recipe for digestion-easing tea utilizes ingredients commonly found in the garden or at the market.
You can purchase this book from the Mother Earth Living store: DIY Bitters
This simple infusion is a great, accessible introduction to using bitter flavor to improve digestion and relieve symptoms of spasm, bloating, and belly irritability. Ideally served warm, it can be sweetened to taste and is approachable for both the skeptical adult and picky child. Once people experience the benefit of this simple ritual, they begin to appreciate and even crave it when they feel digestive discomfort. It can be kept refrigerated, perhaps presweetened with a little honey, and given to kids as an alternative to juice or soda, 4 ounces at a time. And this habit opens up an almost endless possibility of infusions for flavor and health. The amounts listed are for about 1 quart of tea, but the recipe can easily be scaled up or down as needed.
