Lemon Verbena

Bright, clean lemon with none of the pucker: that is what a cup of lemon verbena tastes like. The long green leaves brew a fragrant, lemon-drop cup with no caffeine and no sourness, a gentle way to get citrus flavor into a drink. Steep it hot in the evening, brew it over ice for summer, or pair it with rose or mint in a fragrant tisane. The leaves also perfume simple syrups, sorbets, and poached fruit.

Lemon verbena is a gardener's herb, the kind that takes over a summer bed and leaves you with more fragrant leaves than you know what to do with. Drying preserves that lemon-candy aroma for the cooler months, and it blends beautifully with rose petals for a genteel afternoon cup. A spoonful of honey and a squeeze of fresh lemon suit it well, and its clean citrus lift carries into baking and cold drinks alike.

Single ingredient: whole dried lemon verbena leaves. Caffeine-free, no sugar, no preservatives, and vegan. Packed fresh so the lemon aroma stays lively.

How do I brew it?
Use one teaspoon of leaves per eight ounces of water. Heat fresh filtered water to around 200°F, pour it over the leaves, and steep for five minutes for the best flavor. Use fresh leaves each time you brew. For iced tea, brew it double-strength and pour over ice.

Does it taste sour like lemon?
No. That is the appeal. Lemon verbena gives you a bright, sweet, lemon-candy aroma and flavor without the tartness of actual lemon juice, so the cup stays smooth and fragrant rather than sharp or puckery.

I have a surplus of leaves. What do I do with them?
Dry them to lock in the aroma, then brew them through the cooler months or blend them with rose petals and mint. Beyond tea, steep the leaves into a simple syrup for lemonade and cocktails, infuse them into cream for sorbet or custard, or drop a few into poaching liquid for pears and peaches.

Does it have caffeine?
No. Lemon verbena is a caffeine-free leaf infusion with no black or green tea, so it works hot in the evening or iced all day.