Grandmother's Honeysuckle Tea

When I was a child, I absolutely loved spending time with my grandmother during the summer. For one, she would allow me to get away with just about anything. Most of all, her special, honeysuckle tea is what jovially lured me inside during a sweltering summer day. She was always inspired by ingredients that she could find in her own yard or garden.

I have always loved wild honeysuckle. Almost all of us have picked a delicate blossom, and carefully extracted the nectar onto our tongues. It’s a permissible part of childhood. If you're anything like me, even adulthood can’t stop you from pinching the bottom of the flower, and licking that sweet drop of nectar off of the stem.

During the summer my grandmother’s backyard was filled with honeysuckle vines. I would literally spend hours picking those beautiful, ambrosial blossoms. I made wreaths, decorations, hair accessories. and even lip gloss from honeysuckle. As a child, this was the prime of the year.

Have you ever tasted honeysuckle tea?

Honeysuckle tea has a lovely, pale greenish, yellow color, a wonderfully, attractive, light floral scent, and a surprisingly, pleasing sweet flavor. My grandmother would also garnish her tea with a sprig of fresh mint from her garden, and sometimes float some beautiful (pre-washed) honeysuckle blooms on top. It’s an absolutely beautiful creation that is not only super healthy (don’t tell the kiddos!) but it’s also incredibly sweet, and easy to make.

Come to think of it, she also made honeysuckle lemonade, honeysuckle jelly, and honeysuckle ice cream, but those are entirely different stories best saved for another time.

It wasn’t until I was older that I truly began to appreciate this phenomenal, summer treat. I was surprised to learn that very few people actually know about this enchanted, seasonal potion. I was also astonished to discover that it has some pretty spectacular health benefits, such as preventing infections, improving digestion, regulating blood sugar levels, reducing inflammation, and treating cold and flu. (Kudos to my grandmother who always knew that it wasn’t only beautiful, and delicious, but also salutary, and nutritious.)

Before I spill my grandmothers secret, let me to warn you about adding sweetener to your tea. The nectar is sweeter than honey. I was amazed by how much flavor I got out of a jarful of flowers. You should probably wait until you have tasted the tea, before deciding to add any extra sweeteners. If you find it to be too sweet, a squeeze of lemon will lighten it right up.

Chances are, you already have some amazing honeysuckle vines growing right in your own yard. So, let’s grab a jar (or any type of container) and begin making our tea.

We want to want to pluck the blossoms right at their base, where the nectar is. Look for the freshly opened flowers, and avoid or pick out the leaves, stems, and berries. Although these parts are edible, they can also cause an upset tummy, so we’re going to shun those parts away.

We’re going to collect 2 cups of these lovely blossoms. Next, take them inside, and soak them in some cool water for about 30 minutes.

While they’re soaking, let’s start boiling some water on the stove.

I have a mason jar prepared and waiting.

When our blossoms are finished soaking, I’m going to strain off all of the water and place them in the jar.

Now, fill the jar with 2 – 2 ½ cups of boiling water, fasten the lid on tightly, and give it a good, vigorous shake.

We’re going to walk away now, and let the honeysuckles steep at room temperature for about 3 hours.

Next, we’re going to give it another good shake, and place it in the refrigerator overnight. (Waiting is the hardest part!)

In the morning I want you to grab your chilled tea, and strain it through a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or a coffee filter. The coffee filter will yield a crystal-clear result, and is my go-to method.

Finally, it’s time to pour it over ice with a mint sprig and a few blossoms for a fresh, delightful garnish.

Yes! It's really that simple!

I sincerely hope that this special treat from my childhood will bring back some wonderfully, fond nostalgia, and maybe even become a relished summer tradition for you, and your family as well.

Safety note: gathering and foraging wild edibles is fun and safe when you know what you’re doing. Make sure you can identify the plants that you are picking, and don’t pick from roadsides or anywhere where pesticides have been used.