June 2022 – New Zealand Herbal Brew

Lemon Verbena & Lemon Syrup

This recipe is a delicious, quick and easy syrup that can be made into a non-alcoholic drink with the addition of soda water or created as an alcoholic beverage with the addition of both soda water and gin or vodka.

INGREDIENTS

175ml lemon juice (from approximately 2 large Meyer lemons)
1 heaped tablespoon of lemon verbena whole leaf tea
1 cup of sugar

METHOD

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Strain into a sterilised bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Herbal Beverages herbal tea recipes

Blue Butterfly Pea Curacao Syrup

Blue Butterfly Pea Curacao by New Zealand Herbal Brew

This is a homemade non-alcoholic version of blue curacao using the blue butterfly pea flowers to create the blue-purple colour. It is lightly-spiced and delicious. Use the syrup to create interesting alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages.

As the syrup is heavier than most other beverages, it will sink to the bottom of the glass when added to juice or soda. It is best to add the syrup to the glass first, then add ice, and slowly add your other beverage on top to create a layered effect.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon pieces (finely cut)
4 whole cloves
Dried zest of 4 small oranges
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 heaped tablespoons blue butterfly pea flowers

METHOD

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for approximately 5-10 minutes (the longer it simmers, the thicker the syrup will become)
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Strain and pour into a sterlised bottle. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Herbal Beverages herbal tea recipes

Spearmint & Lime Mojito Syrup

Using spearmint tea, it is easy to create a delicious mojito-style of syrup that can be added to soda water to create a non-alcoholic beverage or made with the addition of white rum for a classic mojito.

INGREDIENTS

200ml lime juice
1 tablespoon spearmint tea
1 cup of sugar

METHOD

Place add ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to the boil.
Simmer for approximately 5 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
Strain into a sterilised bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
To remove the fine particulate matter from the tea, strain through a cheese cloth or fine tea strainer.

Herbal Beverages herbal tea recipes

Hibiscus Grenadine

This is a very simple yet delicious and versatile recipe with a very vibrant colour. This is great for use in both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, and is also excellent for sweetening sour apples in apple crumbles or stewed apples, giving them a lovely pink colour.

A healthier, less shelf-stable version could be made using fresh or dried stevia, although it will not thicken to a syrup and would require a thickening agent such as agar agar or corn flour.

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup pomegranate seeds (approx. 1 medium fruit or 1 packet of pre-packaged seeds)
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon orange zest (juice the oranges and use as the orange juice part of the drink)
1/8 cup Hibiscus flower tea
1/2 cup water

METHOD

Bring everything to a boil in a saucepan and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes to thicken the syrup a little. The longer the syrup cooks for, the thicker it will become.
Remove from heat and allow to cool before straining into a clean vessel.
Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

SERVING

As the syrup is very heavy in nature, you can add it to a glass of orange juice or lemonade and it will sink to the bottom of the glass.
You may also add the syrup to the glass first, then fill the glass with ice and gently pour your orange juice or lemonade over the ice and the syrup will still remain on the bottom of the glass.