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Lemon Verbena-Mint Tea
from the kitchen of Sharmagne Leland-St. John


1/2 cup of fresh English mint leaves
1/2 cup of fresh lemon verbena leaves
2 cups of water


Pluck around 20 mint leaves from the stem
and approximately 15 large lemon verbena
leaves from the stalk. Rinse them lightly in
cold water.  Do not soak.

Bring a kettle of fresh water almost, but not
quite to a boil. Place the mint and verbena
leaves in a prepared teapot. Pour the hot water
over the leaves. Let steep for 3-5 minutes. Strain
into tea cups or mugs. Sweeten with stevia leaves
or a drop of honey if desired.

To serve cold, add sweetener while still hot. Cool
down and add ice.

Lemon Verbena is a delightful fast growing, hardy
perennial garden bush, which can be used in many
dishes, teas and sachets.  You may recall Scarlett
O’Hara describing her mother as, “ My mother’s back
never touched the back of a chair and she always
smelled of lemon verbena.”  This phrase sent me to
the botanical dictionary and later down to the local
nursery in search of this plant with the small lemony
flowers and lemon scented leaves. Lemon Verbena
also know by its official name of aloysia tryphilla, is
an incredible medicinal herb/tea most commonly
known to reduce fever, alleviate stomach and colon
spasm, calm the nerves, soothe coughs and ease colic.

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