Tea Time

Day 163: "'Twas down by the glenside
I spied an old woman.
She was plucking young nettles
And scarce saw me comin'."

It could have been me in a previous year. I haven't brewed up my annual batch of nettle tea yet because the young nettles have just begun to emerge. Ideally, they should be picked at this stage, i.e., when they're only a few inches tall, and if they're abundant, simply pinch out the top two or four leaves. Wear gloves, because even at this size, they sting. Pick and wash enough to fill a three-quart saucepan with the leaves compacted slightly. Add six to eight large cloves of garlic and a heaping teaspoon of black pepper. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Allow the tea to simmer for 10-15 minutes and then strain it through a wire sieve. This old-fashioned "spring tonic" tastes rather like beef bouillon and will leave you feeling all warm and glowy inside. The young leaves may also be cooked and eaten like spinach.