flipAgüita de hierbas (cedrón and mint)
Agüita de hierbas (cedrón and mint)
Why this dish? In Chilean homes, agüita de hierbas closes the meal and soothes the stomach — a universal grandmother's remedy. A trained doctor attentive to balance, Bachelet embodies this bridge between popular knowledge and care: a simple infusion, without unnecessary sugar, to digest after a long day.
A clear, fragrant infusion of lemon verbena (cedrón) and mint, sometimes with lemon balm, drunk hot after the meal. Slightly bitter, lemony, soothing: Chile's domestic digestif.
After almuerzo, my grandmother didn't ask for coffee: she said 'an agüita de cedrón.' You toss a few leaves into simmering water, cover, wait, and your stomach thanks you. As a doctor I know the limits of these remedies, but I also know their sweetness: a little cedrón from the garden is worth many promises. Drink it hot, without too much sugar, and let the day settle.
- •Fresh cedrón (lemon verbena) — a few leaves (main herb)
- •Mint — a sprig (freshness)
- •Lemon balm (toronjil) — optional (soothing)
- •Spring water — one cup (infusion)
Agüita de hierbas (cedrón and mint)
A clear, fragrant infusion of lemon verbena (cedrón) and mint, sometimes with lemon balm, drunk hot after the meal. Slightly bitter, lemony, soothing: Chile's domestic digestif.
Why this dish? In Chilean homes, agüita de hierbas closes the meal and soothes the stomach — a universal grandmother's remedy. A trained doctor attentive to balance, Bachelet embodies this bridge between popular knowledge and care: a simple infusion, without unnecessary sugar, to digest after a long day.
After almuerzo, my grandmother didn't ask for coffee: she said 'an agüita de cedrón.' You toss a few leaves into simmering water, cover, wait, and your stomach thanks you. As a doctor I know the limits of these remedies, but I also know their sweetness: a little cedrón from the garden is worth many promises. Drink it hot, without too much sugar, and let the day settle.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh cedrón (lemon verbena) — a few leaves (main herb)
- Mint — a sprig (freshness)
- Lemon balm (toronjil) — optional (soothing)
- Spring water — one cup (infusion)
Ingredients
- Dried or fresh lemon verbena — 1 tbsp per cup (main herb)
- Fresh mint — a few leaves (freshness)
- Lemon balm (optional) — 1 pinch (soothing)
- Simmering water — 250 ml per cup (infusion)
- Honey (optional) — 1 tsp (light sweetness)
Method
- Bring water to a simmer without boiling vigorously.
- Pour over cedrón and mint leaves in a teapot or cup.
- Cover and steep for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Strain, sweeten very lightly with honey if desired, drink hot after the meal.
How it was made : Agüitas de hierbas belong to a mixed popular medicine between Mapuche knowledge and plants introduced by colonists. Cedrón, mint, toronjil, and manzanilla grew in kitchen gardens and constituted the domestic pharmacy before and alongside modern medicine.
The contemporary twist : Served iced in summer with a lemon slice, agüita de cedrón becomes a homemade unsweetened iced tea.
Michelle Bachelet · Charactorium
