Hyssop Sunshine Spice: A Taste of Summer
Some teas seem made for a particular season. Hyssop Sunshine Spice is one of them.
Every summer I look forward to brewing a pitcher, filling a glass with ice, and enjoying the first refreshing sip after spending time outdoors. Bright citrus, gentle herbs, and just a whisper of spice come together to create a tea that tastes like sunshine in a glass.
The heart of this blend is anise hyssop, an herb that deserves far more attention than it receives. Although its name suggests otherwise, it isn’t closely related to culinary anise or true hyssop. Its flavor is uniquely its own, offering delicate notes of sweet licorice, mint, and wildflowers that make it one of the most refreshing herbs I know.
In the garden, anise hyssop is every bit as remarkable. Its lavender flower spikes attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds throughout the summer, bringing the landscape to life. Whenever I see those blossoms swaying in the breeze, I’m reminded that a healthy garden nourishes far more than the people who tend it.
To showcase this wonderful herb, I paired it with lemongrass, orange peel, and just a touch of cinnamon. The lemongrass contributes a crisp citrus freshness, the orange peel adds a sunny sweetness, and the cinnamon provides just enough warmth to round everything out without overpowering the blend. Together they create a tea that’s vibrant, balanced, and remarkably refreshing.
Although it’s delicious served hot, Hyssop Sunshine Spice truly shines as an iced tea. Chilling the tea brings forward the bright citrus notes while allowing the natural sweetness of anise hyssop to take center stage. It rarely needs anything more than a handful of ice.
One of my favorite ways to prepare it is as a sun tea. Place the tea in a glass jar of fresh water and let it steep gently in the warmth of the afternoon sun. The slow infusion creates an exceptionally smooth, mellow flavor that seems perfectly suited to long summer days. Pour it over ice, add a slice of fresh orange if you’d like, and you’ve created one of the simplest pleasures of the season.
Like many traditional herbs, anise hyssop has long been appreciated by herbalists for its gentle support of digestion and respiratory wellness. At Maitri Tea, I simply love introducing people to an herb they may have never experienced before—and watching their surprise after the very first sip.
If I had to describe Hyssop Sunshine Spice in a single image, it would be this: a charming English cottage surrounded by blooming herbs, the windows open to a warm breeze, and a cool glass of herbal tea waiting on a little table beside the garden. That’s the feeling I hope this blend brings to your home, wherever you may be.
Tea has a wonderful way of inviting us to slow down. To notice the fragrance rising from the glass, the sound of birds in the garden, or the warmth of the afternoon sun on our shoulders. If Hyssop Sunshine Spice creates even one of those moments for you this summer, then it has done exactly what it was meant to do.
May your cup bring a little more kindness into your day.
With gratitude,
Dan
Maitri Tea