I once created a cooking class, called 'Zen in the Kitchen'. Then wrote a book called the same. Then started the group with that name and the blog came after. All this happened in Turkish. Now is the time for the English version of it. Let's see what will cook here!

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Linden flowers


Especially in winters and if someone at home is coughing, linden tea is the cure. The usual Turkish way is to (now I know it is not right to boil the flowers. Adding hot water on the flowers or herbs and letting them wait for few minutes is better) boil the linden flowers in water. What we do is to reheat it several times, which again, is not good for the healing properties of this wonderful flower. The usual additions to it are cinnamon sticks and apple skins. You can add other spices too but it is always good to keep it simple, to be nourished by this early summer medicine of the earth. The reason why I'm adding this post is that it's just the season of linden flowers in the Northern Hemisphere. At least in our area of the world. I'll pick the flowers and lay them on a clean towel in a well lentilated room when they're dry enough, I'll put them in a jar and use in winter, thinking about this season. That simple. Do you have linden trees around where you live? Do you make linden tea? Are there other uses for it that you would like to share?

1 comment:

paraserzen/zentobe said...

Dear Tijen,

Linden is the sweetest tea there is... There is a big linden tree in Upper Hamlet, Plum Village. It was blossoming the time I was there. I remember the sound that hundreds of bees visiting it would do... The impression was that the tree was singing, and about to fly... So I’d take a bowl of hot water, walk to the tree, pick a blossom and drop it into the water... The perfume... I can still recall it... And the delicate taste... It sometimes brought tears into my eyes.

I had never tried it before (we don’t have it in Brazil), and so I was acting like the other people there. Please drink a cup for me, will you?