When I was a child, my mother would prepare linden tea in the evening for me and my sister. It was not every evening, and I am not sure how, but she could somehow sense when we needed it. That very simple warm beverage, embodied for me her maternal care, and even as a grownup, whenever I want to feel comforted, I put on a pot of linden tea.
So this week, with Mother’s Day approaching this Sunday (Happy Mother’s Day to our favourite new mother, Marianna!), we’ve prepared something special. A warm milk with honey, infused with lavender and chamomile.
For this, we’ve used a very special honey. The rare “bitter” arbutus honey is made by bees feeding on the Arbutus Unedo tree flowers (Strawberry tree). It comes in very limited quantities, from a small family of beekeepers in the Peloponnese. It also pairs perfectly with the aromatic lavender and chamomile flowers.
We are serving it with lavender floral water, that is water which is produced by organic steam distillation of lavender. It can be used as a body mist or linen spray, but our personal favourite use is, of course, in the kitchen! You can find it in our Mother’s Day and Winter Pampering hampers!
So this Sunday, make this warm milk and raise a glass to all mothers and mother figures in your life, past, present and future.
Serves two
2 cups milk (cow’s, oat, almond, whatever you prefer!)
1 tbsp chamomile
½ tbsp lavender
1 tbsp Strawberry tree (Arbutus) honey or any other honey of your choosing (or more, to taste)
Lavender floral water (to serve)
In a small pot place the milk, chamomile flowers, lavender and honey. Warm it up over medium-low heat, stirring often. When the milk is hot, but before bubbles form, remove it from the heat.
Taste and add more honey if you want.
You should be able to taste the aromas of chamomile and lavender. You can let it steep a bit longer for a more intense taste.
Strain and serve in your favourite cups or mugs, spraying with the lavender floral water.
Oh, and this infused, aromatic milk is perfect for your overnight oats!
