Selfsufficientish.com

Hi

Came across this site whilst hunting for tips on making and storing elderflower tea which I have recently started making for my partner who's hayfever is driving both of us nuts!!

I have exhausted the supply in the garden that I can reach and want to know (apologies if this is a repeat question) can i make a big batch of tea and store it? - does it lose its properties (it seems to work pretty well when fresh!) and what would be better? storing the flowers or storing the tea? and if storing the flowers what is the best way to do that? dry them? freeze them? just stick them in a tupperware pot till I am ready for them? OR am I going to have to stop and pick them on my way home every evening and/or get up early in the morning to go foraging for them??

Thanks for your advice

Jx

Hi Jinx & welcome
I wouldn't store the tea at all. I think the best way is to dry the flowers on a very (and I mean very) low heat in the oven and then store in an airtight container.

Yep. what she said.

I am guessing you also know that eating locally produced honey will also get you used to the pollen in your area and help with the symptoms of hayfever.

you might also want to try marigold tea, cinnamon tea, lemons, thyme syrup, chamomile tea.

You know it had never occurred to me to use local honey - though honey in water seems to be helping a bit too... I will try and find some local honey!!

Give the carefully dried stuff a try - Potters use commercially dried stuff in their medicines and it still seems to work.

So the elderflower tea with local honey seems to be workig really well - though with the last few days being colder its not that easy to tell. He is very good about drinking it and then tells me he is feeling better... and then tells me it is cos he is working in an air conditioned building!! sigh!! yes dear!!

How long do you reckon the dried stuuff will keep and I am not convinced i left it in the oven long enough (i was worried about over drying it!!). What would you suggest?