Linden herbal tea with honey
A clear golden infusion of linden flowers, mildly bitter, sweetened with a spoonful of honey. An evening drink, soothing, taken before bed or to treat a cold.
A clear golden infusion of linden flowers, mildly bitter, sweetened with a spoonful of honey. An evening drink, soothing, taken before bed or to treat a cold.
When evenings were heavy and the mind too occupied, my grandmother prepared the linden infusion, and I never gave up this habit. You pour simmering water — not boiling, never boiling, for boiling water burns the flower and robs it of its perfume — over a handful of dried flowers, and you cover it for a moment. A spoonful of honey, and you have there a remedy gentler than many medicines. I learned, in difficult hours, that something as humble as a hot cup can restore a man a little peace.
- •Dried linden flowers — a handful (infusion base)
- •Spring water — a bowl (infusion)
- •Honey — a spoonful (sweetener)
Linden herbal tea with honey
A clear golden infusion of linden flowers, mildly bitter, sweetened with a spoonful of honey. An evening drink, soothing, taken before bed or to treat a cold.
Why this dish? Linden tea is the quintessential domestic remedy of France at the time: it was drunk in the evening to soothe nerves and find sleep. It echoes Blum's sobriety and the 'remarkable stoicism' he opposed to trials — the Riom trial, deportation — where comfort lay in simple, calm gestures.
When evenings were heavy and the mind too occupied, my grandmother prepared the linden infusion, and I never gave up this habit. You pour simmering water — not boiling, never boiling, for boiling water burns the flower and robs it of its perfume — over a handful of dried flowers, and you cover it for a moment. A spoonful of honey, and you have there a remedy gentler than many medicines. I learned, in difficult hours, that something as humble as a hot cup can restore a man a little peace.
Ingredients (period version)
- Dried linden flowers — a handful (infusion base)
- Spring water — a bowl (infusion)
- Honey — a spoonful (sweetener)
Ingredients
- Dried linden flowers — 1 tbsp (≈ 2 g) (infusion base)
- Simmering water (≈ 90°C) — 25 cl (infusion)
- Mild honey (acacia) — 1 tsp (sweetener)
- Lemon slice — optional (finish)
Method
- Heat the water without bringing to a boil (small bubbles at the bottom are enough).
- Pour the water over the linden flowers in a teapot or bowl.
- Cover and infuse for 5 minutes, no longer to avoid bitterness.
- Strain, add honey and, if desired, a lemon slice.
- Drink hot, in the evening, in small sips.
How it was made : Herbal teas (linden, verbena, chamomile) served as domestic pharmacy before the widespread use of medicines. People harvested linden flowers themselves in June to dry in the shade, then stored them in cloth bags in the pantry.
The contemporary twist : Serve iced in summer, cold-infused for several hours then sweetened with honey, as a floral 'cold brew'.
Léon Blum · Charactorium