Okay, so today I decided to finally try making white chrysanthemum tea from scratch. I’ve seen those pretty dried flowers in the Asian market forever, and I always hear about how calming and good for you it is. Time to see what the fuss is about!

Getting Started

First things first, I grabbed a bag of dried white chrysanthemum flowers. Make sure they look fresh, not all brown and crumbly. I also made sure I had a teapot with a built-in strainer – those little flowers get everywhere!

The Brewing Process

• I boiled some water. You don’t want it scorching hot, so I let it cool for a minute or two after it reached a boil.
• While the water was cooling, I put a small handful of the dried flowers into the teapot. I didn’t measure exactly, just eyeballed it.
• Then, I poured the hot (but not boiling!) water over the flowers.
• I let it steep for about 5 minutes. You can adjust this depending on how strong you like your tea. The water started turning a beautiful pale yellow color.

Tasting and Tweaking

After 5 minutes, I poured myself a cup. The smell was delicate, kind of floral and slightly sweet. The taste? Pretty much the same! It was really light and refreshing. I added a tiny bit of honey to mine, which I thought was a nice touch. You could also add some goji berries, which are super common from what I’ve heard.

The Verdict

Overall, I’m a fan! This was super easy to make, and it really did feel calming. I can see myself making this on a regular basis, especially in the evenings. I’m going to experiment with adding some other things to it next time – maybe some ginger or even a slice of lemon. Definitely worth a try if you’re looking for a gentle, soothing drink!