Long ago, when I lived at a sweet yellow farmhouse on a hill overlooking a river valley, I discovered the value of a thermos. I was never a coffee drinker back then, and I was just being introduced to the wonder of herbal teas. I began as most of us do—boiling a little water and pouring it over a tea bag into a cup. This is sufficient, but let me tell you, there is a lot more magic out there waiting for you if you’re still in the bag-in-a-teacup days!

Tips for Brewing the Best Pot of Hot Tea

First, abandon the teabag, at least most of the time. If you have the option to brew loose leaf herbs, please do. This a process in which you can immerse yourself—well, you’re really immersing the flowers and leaves—but your senses will enjoy it much more. By investing in a teapot that you like (a decent sized teapot that will hold at least four cups) you will avail yourself of many creative and sensory options.

Teabags aren't that great for you or the environment, anyway. For instance, most teabags are synthetic or even may contain petroleum; they are filled with “filings” or dregs, the bits of herb or tea leaf that fall away from the cut herb in the manufacturing process, which are less tasty than coarsely chopped herbs that have been processed carefully. And teabags restrict the free movement of the hot water and don't allow for proper infusion like bulk herbs in a pot do.

When you grow your own, or when you purchase loose-leaf cut and dried herbs, you generally get better quality than what you purchase in most tea bags. Also, you now have the chance to collect a variety of herbs to add to this teapot.

Suggested Herbal Blends

Here are some blending suggestions. To a teapot that holds 4 cups of water, add 1 giant handful (or cup) of:

• Nourishing, Bone-Building Blend:
  • Nettle, alfalfa, oatstraw and lemon balm
• Digestive Blend:
  • Catnip, spearmint, fennel, and ginger root
• Adrenal Support Blend:
  • Licorice root, nettle, cinnamon chips, clove, rooibos
• Night-Time, Restful Blend:
  • Chamomile, catnip, rose petal, lavender, skullcap, passionflower

To any of these, pour 4 cups just-boiled water over the herbs in the teapot, cover, and let steep 8 to 12 minutes. For the Adrenal support blend, consider steeping only 5 to 8 minutes as the licorice can get quite sweet the longer it is brewed.

The Beauty of 1-Quart Brewing

Here is the beauty of brewing four whole cups at once: you can strain the tea from the teapot directly into a large thermos and keep it hot for hours. This means you no longer need to re-brew tea throughout the day, and you have ready access to fresh, hot, nutritious tea all day, which is especially nice when it’s cold outside.

How Much is a Dose?

For most medicinal teas, a daily dose is 3 to 4 cups, or just about a quart, which makes a 4-cup thermos perfect. Consider getting a thermos that has a built-in drinking cup so that it is convenient to carry and drink throughout the day.

When you’re finished brewing the tea, compost the herbs from the teapot, give it a rinse, and it’s ready for the next day’s brew.

Can You Steep Your Tea Overnight?

You can also steep the herbs overnight for an extra strong infusion – simply pour the hot water into a stainless steel or glass pot, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and allow it to sit overnight. This is only good for herbs that are not bitter or overly sweet. For instance, don’t do this with yarrow or licorice. But it works incredibly well with herbs that are nutrient-dense and mineral-rich, such as stinging nettle, alfalfa, violet leaf, red clover, oatstraw or oats milky tops, lemon balm, raspberry leaf, passionflower, and (to a lesser extent) catnip.

Excerpted/adapted from Llewellyn’s Little Book of Herbs by Holly Bellebuono