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I took a class recently from the Center for Getting Things Started and supported by the County of Hawaii Research and Development office. The class was called Teas for Resilience and the $25 registration included a tea toolkit with a variety of Hawaii Island grown herbs to brew as well as a House Again brand tea strainer that is perfect for steeping/brewing loose tea. I love this strainer since it can be used with a mug or with a large pot. I’ve been using my large Pyrex glasses to make larger amounts of tea and then letting it cool so I can make more than just one serving of iced tea.

I’ve been using an electric hot water kettle that allows me to control the temperature of the water since I read that tea should be heated at a lower temperature than boiling. Mine is years old but I found this one on Amazon that has 5 different pre-set temperatures and is pretty reasonable. In my class, we got a variety of teas and I am working on tasting them all. We got mamaki, African basil, Jamaican mint, hibiscus, olena, as well as 3 Shaka Tea packets. Additionally, we got some fillable tea bags and the tea strainer I mentioned. We learned that there are all kinds of health benefits with drinking herbal tea. On this morning, I steeped the hibiscus tea that I got in the class. I added some lime juice and some honey to the warm water and let it cool. The color is such a pretty pink! It is pretty tasty too — it is a little bit tart and I like the addition of honey and fresh lime or lemon juice. According to what I read on the My Food Story website, hibiscus tea is not only pretty but it is healthy too!

Hibiscus tea has a ton of benefits. Hibiscus tea has been known to prevent hypertension, lower blood pressure, reduce blood sugar levels, keep your liver healthy, help with menstrual cramps, help with depression, aid digestion and help with weight management. Its rich in Vitamin C, contains minerals such as  flavonoids and has laxative properties. And it tastes delicious! https://myfoodstory.com/hibiscus-tea-recipe/

https://myfoodstory.com/hibiscus-tea-recipe/

The next class is called Growing Fast Foods & Weeds You Can Eat. This class is about quick and easy nourishment you can find in your backyard. The class will be held via Zoom on Saturday, Januiary 30 at 10 a.m. If you want more information about this class, you can email the coordinator Koh Ming Wei at mingwei@c4gts.org. Living Hilo Style.