Thyme and armoise tisane from the Aurès with honey
A bitter and fragrant infusion of thyme and armoise gathered on the slopes of the Aurès, sweetened with mountain honey. A comforting and healing drink, sipped in the evening by the fire.
A bitter and fragrant infusion of thyme and armoise gathered on the slopes of the Aurès, sweetened with mountain honey. A comforting and healing drink, sipped in the evening by the fire.
You have a knotted stomach and a burning forehead? Come near the fire. I know the plants of these slopes better than I know the face of my enemies: the thyme that awakens, the bitter chih that soothes the guts. I throw them into boiling water, I let the steam rise, then I sweeten with a spoonful of honey so that the bitterness passes. Drink slowly, and let the mountain heal you as it has always kept us.
- •Wild thyme (zaâtar) — a pinch (aromatic and tonic plant)
- •Armoise (chih) — a few sprigs (bitter plant reputed to soothe)
- •Mountain honey — to taste (sweeten bitterness)
- •Spring water — one bowl (infusion)
Thyme and armoise tisane from the Aurès with honey
A bitter and fragrant infusion of thyme and armoise gathered on the slopes of the Aurès, sweetened with mountain honey. A comforting and healing drink, sipped in the evening by the fire.
Why this dish? Dihya is called Kahina, "the divineress": a woman of knowledge as much as of war, to whom tradition attributes knowledge of hidden things. The mountain plants — thyme, armoise (chih) — treated stomach aches and fevers at home; an infusion sweetened with honey evokes this herbal knowledge attributed to a queen-prophetess.
You have a knotted stomach and a burning forehead? Come near the fire. I know the plants of these slopes better than I know the face of my enemies: the thyme that awakens, the bitter chih that soothes the guts. I throw them into boiling water, I let the steam rise, then I sweeten with a spoonful of honey so that the bitterness passes. Drink slowly, and let the mountain heal you as it has always kept us.
Ingredients (period version)
- Wild thyme (zaâtar) — a pinch (aromatic and tonic plant)
- Armoise (chih) — a few sprigs (bitter plant reputed to soothe)
- Mountain honey — to taste (sweeten bitterness)
- Spring water — one bowl (infusion)
Ingredients
- Dried thyme — 1 teaspoon (aromatic)
- Dried armoise (or rosemary if unavailable) — 1 small pinch (bitter note)
- Honey — 1 teaspoon (sweetener)
- Water — 250 ml (infusion)
Method
- Bring the water to a simmer.
- Remove from heat, add the thyme and armoise; cover and let steep for 5 to 7 minutes (armoise is very bitter, do not use too much).
- Strain into a bowl.
- Add honey, stir and drink hot, in small sips.
How it was made : White armoise (chih) and thyme are emblematic medicinal plants of the Maghreb, used as infusions for digestive troubles and colds; wild honey served both as food and a soothing remedy. The use of simples was part of domestic knowledge, often female.
The contemporary twist : Serve in a clear glass to admire the golden color, with a sprig of thyme laid across.
Dihya · Charactorium
