Chamomile Tea: Floral Flavor and Brewing
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Instructions 👩🍳
Step-by-step:
- Prepare the chamomile: Place chamomile flowers in an infuser, or put a chamomile tea bag in a cup. Bring fresh water to the boil.
- Make the infusion: Pour the boiling water over the chamomile and let it steep. See the illustrated recipe for the exact details.
- Strain and serve: Remove the tea bag or strain out the flowers. Serve the chamomile tea warm.
Chamomile tea with a gentle floral flavor
A warm cup, a floral aroma and a little time for a break: chamomile tea keeps things simple. Try it plain to enjoy the flowers’ gently sweet character, or add a little honey if that suits your taste.
Flowers give this infusion its flavor
Chamomile is made from flowers rather than leaves of the tea plant. Pure chamomile is naturally caffeine-free and can taste softly floral with a sweet impression even without sweetener. Choose flowers sold for making tea, loose or in a bag. Check blends separately: other ingredients change both the flavor and what is in the cup.
Give the flowers a proper hot infusion
For hygienic preparation, use fresh drinking water at a rolling boil and allow at least five minutes for the infusion, following any longer time on the pack. Dried herbs are not sterile, so merely warm water is unsuitable. Use a heat-safe cup or pot, strain out the flowers and let the drink cool to a comfortable sipping temperature.
Chamomile can cause allergic reactions, particularly in people allergic to related plants such as ragweed or daisies. Honey must not be given to children under 12 months.
Cover the cup while it steeps
A lid helps keep the fragrant oils in the infusion while the flowers steep. With loose flowers, a fine strainer catches small fragments that a wide-mesh infuser may let through. Lift the lid carefully as hot steam escapes.
Optional honey for a different finish
Taste the tea plain before adding honey. A mild honey brings gentle sweetness, while a more strongly flavored one changes the floral balance. Loose flowers are another option if you usually brew a bag; both need to be removed before serving.
A cup beside breakfast
Enjoy it warm with toast or during an afternoon break. For a leaf-based drink on another occasion, try black tea. It comes from Camellia sinensis and offers a different range of flavors from this flower infusion.
Keep the dry flowers protected
Store chamomile tightly closed in a dry place away from heat, light and strong food odors. Use a dry spoon and follow the package’s storage advice. Brew only what you plan to serve fresh; do not leave a prepared pot standing lukewarm for hours.
Frequently asked questions
Are camomile and chamomile different teas?
They are alternative spellings. Here both mean an infusion of chamomile flowers.
Does chamomile contain caffeine?
Pure chamomile is naturally caffeine-free. Check the ingredients if you choose a blend.
Is honey required?
No. The flowers have a gently sweet flavor of their own, and the tea can be served plain.
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