August is sweet, sticky, and over-ripe. Last week, we rewatched Dog Day Afternoon, a movie based on a real life Brooklyn bank robbery that took place in late August, 1972. The sweltering heat depicted in the film is felt viscerally. Some movies can transmit the elements that the actors are living under through the screen so perfectly (another example that comes to mind is Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing). And now I find myself at present in a sweltering August heatwave.
Late summer is such a feeling. I think of plump blackberries staining my fingers as I pick them. Perfect figs fresh off the tree. The juice from too-ripe peaches and plums running down my chin. My skin is always some mix of sticky, salty, and damp. I love it, yet I can feel the subtle shifts of an approaching new season and there is some relief to that. My usual sun worshipping spot is now in the shade when I go for my morning walk - the sun not quite high enough to reach it. The quality of the light feels different, too; less penetrating and more distant. I can feel summer pulling away and welcoming a cooler, damper cycle to take hold. But for now it is still scorching and I’ve been trying my best to stay calm, cool, and hydrated.
Here’s where the herbs come in. I’ve been making some version of an iced tea every day to keep my hydration and electrolytes in check, and bonus(!), it’s really tasty. Here’s what I’ve been doing:
two tablespoons hibiscus
two tablespoons spearmint
two tablespoons marshmallow root
one tablespoon rose petals
heaping spoonful of good quality salt
big splash of lemon juice
and then optional additions of:
splash of apple cider vinegar
a couple spoonfuls of homemade hibiscus and rose syrup
I put all the dried herbs in a bodum or a big mason jar and cover with hot water, but you can use cold water too (you’ll want to steep it longer, like overnight in this case). I let this steep until the tea is luke warm, then I strain, add all the fixins and refrigerate. Once cold, I’ll have a glass over ice. This would also make a great popsicle I’m now realizing.
You can do all sorts of variations on this, but some herbs I would keep constant, like the marshmallow and hibiscus. I wrote about Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis) last month, so you can go back to read all about why we love it. It is a demulcent, so it is a moistening herb. It’s energetics are cold and damp, making it perfect for dry, hot conditions. Beautiful Hibiscus is also a member of the mallow family, and in my mind it is the quintessential herb for a summer’s iced tea (think of agua de Jamaica if you’ve travelled to Mexico). It is sour and tart, and acts on the liver to release heat from the body. Hibiscus is super nutrient dense and is especially high in Vitamin C and other antioxidants. It also makes your drink the most beautiful deep pink colour, which just adds to the whole experience.
I like adding a type of mint to bring in another cooling herb, and rose petals provide a cool and astringent element that I like paired with the marshmallow. Other excellent additions or substitutions would be nettle, raspberry leaf, alfalfa, and plantain, as these herbs are some of the best nutritives we have. For a hydrating elixir we want to be using herbs that have a high mineral content (think sodium, potassium and vitamin C) to replenish what our bodies lose from sweating and being under a state of heat induced stress. Other nice additions would be coconut water, aloe vera juice, or some fruit like cucumber or watermelon. You can make a big pitcher and store in the fridge, or even freeze into ice cubes for a longer shelf life. I brought a mason jar of the elixir along for a swim with some friends the other night and it was a hit, so make enough to share!
When we’re thinking about hydration, the quality of the water we’re drinking matters, too. Ideally we could all be drinking spring water, but if you’re like me and rely on city tap water a good quality water filter is a nice option. I was recently reminded of this website that has a map of free and paid springs (including hot springs!). Unlucky for us island dwellers, this really isn’t the land of hot springs, but we do have some free cold springs to collect water from.
The above photo is of some of the custom tea blends I recently made. I am leaving the country in three(!) weeks and am trying to use up as much of my apothecary as I can, so if anyone reading this would like a tea before I go let me know. Making these blends is such a great way to work my creativity muscle. And drawing the labels with crayons seems to put me in direct connection with my inner child, haha.
OK, that’s all for now. Stay cool and soak up these late summer days. I’ve been getting in the water nearly every day and I couldn’t recommend it enough!
In peace and presence,
Anika