Spearmint Tea

Dried spearmint leaves, cool and naturally sweet

Spearmint is the gentler of the two mints. Where peppermint is sharp and menthol-heavy, spearmint is softer, sweeter and rounder, which is why it is the mint used in Moroccan tea. Ours is dried spearmint leaves from Nepal, with nothing added.

It is caffeine-free and brews a pale green cup. Use one to two teaspoons per cup of boiling water and steep for three to five minutes. It needs no sweetener, though a spoon of honey suits it, and it is a good tea to drink after a meal.

Spearmint is also a useful blending leaf. A pinch lifts chamomile, hibiscus or a green tea, and it makes an excellent iced tea on its own with a squeeze of lime.