The Chamomile Tea recipe
for your table
Spoon the dried chamomile blossoms into a strainer or directly into the glass. Loose flowers have more room to open than the fine pieces in a teabag, and you can taste the difference.
Pour in boiling water, up to an inch or two below the rim.
Place a saucer or a lid on the glass and let it steep for five minutes. Covered, the flowers’ volatile oil stays in the glass instead of disappearing with the steam.
Remove the strainer or strain out the flowers, stir in a teaspoon of honey to taste, and add a slice of lemon.
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The story
Chamomile is a field plant with small white flowers and a yellow center, and it is precisely those flower heads that end up dried in the tea tin. The Greek name chamaimelon means something like earth apple and refers to the scent: put your nose in a jar of dried chamomile and you can smell something like ripe apple. Because the plant has nothing to do with the tea bush, a cup of chamomile is officially called an infusion, not tea. In the Netherlands, you mainly know it from teabags, but loose flowers work at least as well in a glass, if only because you can see them open.
The right glass
Chamomile is a cup worth looking at: the flowers open up and the water slowly turns light gold. You can see that happening in a clear glass, but not in a mug. A double-walled glass keeps the heat in while the outside stays cool enough to hold, which is handy if you leave the cup covered for five minutes. More glasses like these can be found in the double-walled glasses collection.
Luigi Bormioli Thermic Glass tea glass 22 cl (2 pieces)
Pasabahce Timeless tea glass 25 cl (2 pieces)
Both sets together € 34,90.
The right tools
For a cup of chamomile tea, in addition to the glass, use a fine strainer to hold back the loose flowers and a bar spoon to stir in the honey. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 47,85.
Which splash goes with chamomile tea?
Chamomile tea is caffeine-free and alcohol-free. If you do choose to have something stronger later in the evening, a glass of liqueur is the most obvious choice. Well-known names include Pallini and amaretto. On every drinks page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The same approach works with other dried flowers and herbs: linden blossoms, verbena or a spoonful of rooibos. If you want it sweeter, stir honey into the hot cup, because in a cold cup it stays at the bottom. Let the chamomile cool and pour it over ice for a cold version for summer. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Place the glass on a saucer and leave the lid on until you are ready to drink; it will stay warm and no aroma will be lost. A long spoon helps you scoop the honey from the bottom. You can pour a second glass from the same flowers; it will be lighter, but perfectly drinkable.
Good to know
Is chamomile tea really tea?
No. Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis shrub, while chamomile comes from a flower. Strictly speaking, anything brewed from other plants is an infusion or a tisane. In shops, it is simply placed with the tea.
Loose flowers or a tea bag?
A tea bag usually contains finely broken material, while loose tea consists of whole flower heads. Loose flowers need space: use a roomy infuser, or let the flowers float freely and strain them out when pouring.
Why steep it covered?
Chamomile's fragrance comes from volatile oil carried along with the steam. A saucer or lid on the glass keeps that steam in; when you lift the lid, you smell exactly what you would otherwise have lost.
How long should you steep it?
Five minutes is a good standard. Longer is fine: chamomile has no tannins like tea leaves, so it does not quickly become astringent. It does not get much stronger after about eight minutes.
Can it contain caffeine?
Not from the chamomile itself. Do watch out for blends: as soon as green or black tea is included, they also contain caffeine. The packaging states what is inside.
Frequently asked questions
How much chamomile do you use per cup?
Two teaspoons of dried flowers per 250 ml of water. If you use tea bags, use one bag per cup.
Why does chamomile taste a little like apple?
It comes from the flower's aromatic compounds, and this is reflected in the name: the Greek chamaimelon means something like earth apple.
Which glass do you use for chamomile tea?
A clear tea glass of about 22 to 25 cl. Double-walled glass retains the heat and stays cool on the outside, so you can hold it without a coaster.
Can you drink chamomile tea cold?
Yes. Just brew it hot, let it cool, and pour it over ice cubes. Make it a little stronger, because the melting ice dilutes the tea.
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