Medicinal Tea Stick

B''H

After many years of checking out projects on Instructables, decided to do one for the first time. Time and effort have been put in to make it hopefully good.

These are instructions on how to make a little 'package' of rolled up herbs that will give a nice taste with medicinal benefits when boiling water is poured over and allowed to simmer (~10-15 min).

This is also useful when one does not have the device to catch loose tea in the kettle. Uses basic ingredients from around the garden and in small quantities. Feels good to see and use completed product. Entered 'Green Design' and 'Garden & Homestead' contests. If you feel it is worthy, a vote would be much appreciated.

Herbs Used

• Fig Leaf [Ficus carica] - Amazing for Diabetics, reduces triglycerides (certain fat molecules) in the blood, and more --- Beware if you are allergic to Latex, the milky sap from inside the leaf can be a problem
• Lemon Verbena a.k.a. Louisa [Aloysia citrodora] - Great great taste and some antioxidant benefits
• Spearmint a.k.a. Nana [Mentha spicata] - Great taste and helps with stomach aches
• Rosemary [Rosmarinus officinalis] - Nice taste when used lightly; said to improve memory and contains some antioxidants
• Sage [Salvia officinalis] - Donates a nice flavor and is believed to have many healing effects

Other Potential Herbs

• Damiana [Turnera diffusa] - Relaxant, Aphrodisiac, and other benefits (some sexual related)
• Catnip [Nepeta cataria] - Helps to go to sleep and many other reported benefits
• There is almost a limitless variety of other herbs that could be used, so use your imagination and research it

Useful Materials

• Knife or scissors
• String or something to tie with (e.g. sliver cut off of old shirt)
• Bit of Water

First of all, find the plants you would like to use, then give them a rinse and let them dry a bit...

Pic 1... Found a Fig tree in the valley so used those leaves then grabbed the rest of the herbs from the garden.

Pic 2... Herbs arranged on Counter

Pic 3... Presented on cutting board in approximate proportions of what will be used (based off desired taste); might be good to go lighter on the Louisa and perhaps add some more spearmint.

Pic 4... Chopped up herbs; the extra sage will not be mixed into this lot

This is kind of the hard part for beginners (use less filler herbs to make rolling easier)...

1. Mix up of the previously chopped herbs and dry them out; putting them in a clean pan/pot over stove on low heat for a ~1-3 min can work
2. Moisten the Fig leaf to make it more flexible and have whatever you are going to it tie with ready; stem side of fig leaf should be up with the smooth side down
3. Move the filler herbs onto the side of the leaf that is closest to you (preferably the larger side) and gently roll it up, making sure to tuck it in as you are going [Note: do not roll it too tight/dense or it will not be as efficient]
4. When it is rolled up, tie it; makes it easy if you hold one side in mouth while tying the other and then holding it gently while tying the side left undone.
5. Let it dry for a bit then you should be able to take out the knots around it

Pic 1... Dried Herbs in a large pile (perhaps too large, take out a third to half) with fig leaf ready to go

Pic 2... Mid-roll (a lot easier if you do not stop for pictures)

Pic 3... Tied up and ready to dry a bit

Using another fig leaf, a second technique for rolling is illustrated.

1. Cut off a fat side of a fig leaf to use as an inner wrapper and leave it dry
2. Cut off a nice long piece of fig leaf (most-likely center piece) and moisten it so it is easy to work with
3. Place the dried herbs in the inner leaf and try to roll the inner leaf around it a bit (also giving a cylindrical shape to the pile of herbs inside)
4. Place inner leaf horizontally and then long moist leaf at about a 45 degree angle to it lining up the end and placing it under the inner leaf where you plan on starting the rolling process
5. Ideally the inner leaf should be rolled already so filler will not spill out, then start to tuck the outer leaf and roll it around the inner leaf.
6. Once it is rolled, tie it up and let it dry into shape

[Note: Using bigger leaves for the inner and outer wrapper, as well as less filler herbs, makes the the whole rolling process a lot easier]

Add your fine work to a pot/kettle of boiling water and let it simmer for about 15 minutes (or longer if desired); [might want to tie a long stem around the stick if you encounter problems with unraveling]

Share and enjoy

*this is first instructable, hope some people find positive usage from this; a vote in the 'Green Design' or 'Gardening & Homestead' contests would be much much appreciated

Reason for this creation...

Quit smoking a few years back and missed the meditative/creative process of rolling cigars. Here, the skills were used for the purpose of making something brew-worthy that can be used without those apparatuses used to hold in loose tea. Perhaps if it is strong enough, it can be cut in half and be left with more for another time.

[Warning... Although this is a legal and tobacco-free 'cigar', smoking anything can be harmful. If you want to smoke it for the medicinal benefits, it would probably be less efficient and can be rough on the body. Not advising to smoke this, and not sure of the toxicity of the ingredients]

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Shout-out to Morgan, Schwartzy-Brown, Melech, Zeus, and Anya for making these days nice. To Abbey, Cher, Teeney-Weeney, Little Morgan, and the rest, I got my eyes on you (it's my job)