Archives for posts with tag: Melissa officinalis

Join me at Fleurbain for the LAB Series.

On August 30th and 31st we are all about Lemon balm, otherwise known as Melissa officinalis.

What you might like to know about this herb ahead of time:

Lemon balm:

* is a great tasting herb, so lemony, but it is actually a part of the mint family.

* improves mood, and helps with the less glamorous moments of irritability and forgetfulness.

* can work to relieve stress headaches, heartache, aids digestion, helps you sleep and diminishes seasonal depression.

* is a famous antiviral that is effective against cold sores and shingles.

* can be used by folks of all ages.

* and to top it off, it is a beautiful perennial in Quebec!

At Fleurbain I will share with you the winning, synergistic combinations of lemon balm with other herbs.  We will discuss who should not be taking it in large quantities.  And we will experiment with a plethora of recipes used for refreshment and cosmetic purposes.

There are three opportunities to come to the Lemon balm LAB.  Preregistration is appreciated.

Please send me an email at: fleurbain@gmail.com.

Thursday, August 30th  4:00 – 5:30 p.m. or 7:30-9:00 p.m.

Or

Friday, August 31st      4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Cost: $20.00  This includes notes, recipes and delicious samples.

hello lemon balm, mint and friends!

I like to go for coffee with friends a couple times a week.  These are always important times for me where I am able to relax and unwind and just be with my buds.   When you live in a city and you have such a small apartment that your living room is also your dining room, entertainment centre, arts and crafts room, library and home office, it feels good to get out and embrace the perks of living in a city by going to a favourite coffee shop.

Last week, I was at a famously ubiquitous coffee shop with my friend.  She wanted neither coffee nor tea; she wanted a smoothie.  The problem was that the smoothie cost over $5 once the taxes were included! And that was the ‘prepared’ smoothie; the ‘fresh’ deluxe one was upwards of seven. Yikes. My friend and I go for coffee a couple times a week.  $5 per occasion makes for $10 a week.  Do this around  40 weeks a year, and it all adds up to about $400.  This is a lot of mooola for a few leaves infused in water, a couple percolated beans or a cup of juice and blended fruits.  This calculation is not something new to me. I read about the Latte Factor a couple years ago in a book by David Bach; it still shocks me to figure out the annual expenses for some things.

After feeling a little soured over the high cost of smoothies, my friend suggested that we bring a snack and a thermos containing some sort of drink to a park.  I think this is a great idea, particularly in the summer when Montreal’s parks are so beautiful.

So, this week we are going to try it.  We will enjoy an hour in the park instead of going to the coffee shop.  I can’t rule out coffee shops all together, because they are weather-proof places for me to expand my space.  That said, parks are apart of my space too. I can enjoy fine company in an equally pleasant park as many times as my friends and I wish to do so throughout the summer and into the fall.

To accompany this economical twist to our tradition, here is the recipe for what I am going to bring to our tea-time in the park. It is practically free!

Almost Free Tea

Go to the garden and fill a 1 litre jar with several handfuls of lemon balm, mint and other leaves you can identify as leaves suitable for tea (don’t be a hero and pick something you sort of, kind of recognize… only pick the ones you really know!  🙂 .  Pour a litre of boiling water over the leaves and allow to steep for 15 minutes.  Strain the leaves and allow the tea to cool.  Add a little honey and/or a squeeze of lemon to the tea.  Pour into a thermos filled with ice.  Bring the thermos to a park and enjoy with friends.

*If you do not have a garden or cannot identify plants, then choose a pre-packaged dried tea that you enjoy. I suggest a tangy one made with hibiscus.

Tammy Schmidt, Montreal.

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