If you have a garden, one flower you may already be growing could be your next cup of tea.
The scoop
There's nothing like a hot cup of fresh tea, and one Instagram gardener has an incredible way to enjoy it. Dagny Kream (@thecottagepeach) shared a neat recipe for tea that uses chrysanthemums from your garden.
"Your fall porch mums have a secret," Dagny says. "They actually make an incredible healing tea."
To make the tea, pick a teaspoon's worth of chrysanthemums, and give them a quick rinse. You should only be steeping the flower itself — avoid using the stems, as they can make you sick. You can dry the mums if you'd like or use them right off the plant if you're impatient. Steep the mums in hot water — 185 degrees Fahrenheit is the sweet spot, according to Dagny — for three to five minutes.
Dagny notes that you should only use plants that have not been sprayed with pesticides or weed killers, as you don't want to ingest any poisonous chemicals.
Beyond the taste, Dagny explains mums are "rich in antioxidants and may also reduce inflammation and make you feel relaxed."
How it's working
This easy tea recipe is a stepping stone for people who want to try growing their own food or foraging. Foraging is gathering (and eating) wild natural resources such as berries, mushrooms, and nuts.
Foraging might seem strange, but it's a fun hobby and a great way to save money on snacks if you forage enough. It can also help keep invasive plants in check.
It's not just eating plants right out of the ground, though you certainly can do that, including with this wild radish. There are a ton of creative recipes that use foraged foods, such as daylilies sautéed in garlic oil and dandelion salad.
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When foraging, never eat anything that you're not 100% sure is safe. It's better to be safe than sorry.
What people are saying
Many users had no idea chrysanthemums could make such a nice cup of tea.
One user said, "Didn't know you could make tea with mums!"
"As long as it's safe, everything is fair game for tea in my garden," another user commented. "Will definitely be trying this."
"Interesting. I want to try!" a third agreed.
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