The Herbalist's Infusion
A clear infusion of speedwell, mint, and lemon balm, flavored with a squeeze of lemon and sweetened with a little honey. The solitary walker's drink, made from the very herbs he arranged in his botanist's box.
A clear infusion of speedwell, mint, and lemon balm, flavored with a squeeze of lemon and sweetened with a little honey. The solitary walker's drink, made from the very herbs he arranged in his botanist's box.
You will find me more often by the water's edge, magnifying glass in hand, than seated at the tables of the great. On the Île Saint-Pierre, I filled my box with simples, and in the evening I threw a few sprigs into boiling water: speedwell, wild mint, lemon balm with its gentle lemon scent. This modest tisane refreshed me better than any wine. Taste it, reflecting that there is no surer remedy for the tumult of the world than an herb gathered by one's own hand.
- •Speedwell (European tea) — a handful (herbaceous bitterness)
- •Wild mint — a few sprigs (freshness)
- •Lemon balm — a few leaves (lemon fragrance)
- •Honey — a drizzle (sweetness)
- •Spring water — a pot (base)
The Herbalist's Infusion
A clear infusion of speedwell, mint, and lemon balm, flavored with a squeeze of lemon and sweetened with a little honey. The solitary walker's drink, made from the very herbs he arranged in his botanist's box.
Why this dish? Rousseau, a passionate botanist, roamed the Île Saint-Pierre with his plant box at his side; this infusion of simples gathered by the wayside prolongs his walks and his love of plants.
You will find me more often by the water's edge, magnifying glass in hand, than seated at the tables of the great. On the Île Saint-Pierre, I filled my box with simples, and in the evening I threw a few sprigs into boiling water: speedwell, wild mint, lemon balm with its gentle lemon scent. This modest tisane refreshed me better than any wine. Taste it, reflecting that there is no surer remedy for the tumult of the world than an herb gathered by one's own hand.
Ingredients (period version)
- Speedwell (European tea) — a handful (herbaceous bitterness)
- Wild mint — a few sprigs (freshness)
- Lemon balm — a few leaves (lemon fragrance)
- Honey — a drizzle (sweetness)
- Spring water — a pot (base)
Ingredients
- Fresh mint — 10 leaves (freshness)
- Lemon balm (or lemon verbena) — 10 leaves (lemon fragrance)
- Dried linden or chamomile — 1 tablespoon (roundness (if speedwell unavailable))
- Lemon juice — a few drops (acidity)
- Honey — 1 teaspoon (sweetness)
- Water — 500 ml (base)
Method
- Bring the water to a simmer, then remove from heat.
- Add the fresh and dried herbs, cover, and steep for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Strain into a teapot or bowl.
- Add a few drops of lemon juice and a little honey to taste.
- Drink hot, or let cool for a refreshing herbal tea.
How it was made : In the 18th century, herbal infusions ("tisanes") were both table beverages and domestic remedies. People gathered speedwell, lemon balm, mint, or linden themselves. Rousseau, an avid herbalist in his later years, left behind Letters on Botany: gathering was for him both a pleasure and a science.
The contemporary twist : Serve chilled in a clear glass with a floating lemon balm leaf: the "Solitary Walker's Tisane" summer version.
Sources : Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Lettres élémentaires sur la botanique (1771-1773)
Jean-Jacques Rousseau · Charactorium
