Date With Fig Leaf Tea

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Aaron4USA

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Posted 1396335937	Reply with quote #1

This was my greatest yet, newly found pleasure. Had never experienced such a gentle tasting yet full flavored , aromatic tea before in my life. Everybody need to experience this... ;) Since we all GROW them , why not EAT them and even DRINK them ;) This setup and picture is done by me. Please feel free to create your own display of the Tea experience and join this thread. Would be awesome if everyone added their input of different variety Fig Leaf Tea they experienced. (with pictorial...) We can start a catalog of Fig Leaf Tea Flavors.. here are some benefits of fig leaves when consumed... http://www.natures-health-foods.com/fig-leaves.html

GregMartin

Registered:1370378358
Posts: 550

Posted 1396347663	Reply with quote #2

Aaron, please describe your method (age of leaves, fresh or dried, etc)...that and what are those dried fruits on the right? __________________ zone 5 Maine Seeking: Saint Martin, Naples White, Black Tuscan, Bécane, French Alps, Abruzzi, Tenica, Wild Mountain Figs from the coldest corners (Iranian, Turkish or other...would love seeds too)

Tonycm

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Posts: 922

Posted 1396360107	Reply with quote #3

Aaron are you boiling the dates with the fig leaves? Or do you mean that the dates taste better when drinking fig tea? __________________ Zone 6a Sarver, PA Wish list; Rafed's Genovese Nero

m5allen

Registered:1378496146
Posts: 153

Posted 1396362398	Reply with quote #4

Wow, beautiful color of the tea. I have wanted to try fig leaf tea, I will be interested in hearing about your process as well. __________________ -Mike Tampa, FL Zone 9b. Growing: Black Madeira, CDDG, Malta Black, VDB, Petite Negra, LSU Purple, Celeste, Battaglia, Alma and Grasa's Unknown Seattle Purple

Pattee

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Posts: 1,417

Posted 1396363218	Reply with quote #5

What variety of fig leaves did you use Aaron? __________________ 7a & 9b ►I assume all my figs carry FMV ◄ Seeking : Italian 376,395 , Galicia Negra, Negretta,UNK Pastilliere ,Pananas Purple, Malta Blk+purple/red, Italian + Calabrian UNK's , Catanzaro, Malone, Sucrette(Baud) "We may have our private opinions but why should they be a bar to the meeting of hearts?" - Gandhi

DesertDance

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Posts: 4,518

Posted 1396363961	Reply with quote #6

The variety might be important. Don't want any tea that tastes like cat pee~ Suzi __________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!

Pattee

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Posts: 1,417

Posted 1396365513	Reply with quote #7

Exactly Suzi ! __________________ 7a & 9b ►I assume all my figs carry FMV ◄ Seeking : Italian 376,395 , Galicia Negra, Negretta,UNK Pastilliere ,Pananas Purple, Malta Blk+purple/red, Italian + Calabrian UNK's , Catanzaro, Malone, Sucrette(Baud) "We may have our private opinions but why should they be a bar to the meeting of hearts?" - Gandhi

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1396367096	Reply with quote #8

I slept through the heavy rains of the night...wow. And I do't dare going out to check my newly planted cuttings. -Greg, to make the tea, you need to wash and dry some Fig leaves. I dry them in pantry, in dark. This helps to keep the rich dark green color, otherwise they might turn brownish grey. After they are dry, I shredded them with scissors. When they are dry they are still a bit rubbery, they don't crumble like dry mint for example, so I shredded them with scissors to store in a air tight jar. Those dried fruit are Dates Greg. -Tony, I ate a Date (LOL...sounds add huh) to satisfy my sweet tooth and it was a perfect compliment to the gentle tee. -Mike, so, after drying the leaves, you just get some into the little tea pot and brew it just like you would brew green tea, use a very high water temperature. -Pattee, this particular batch of leaves were from the Vista, they were very fresh new opened leaves from the branch I acquired for rooting, it even had few figs on it. I am using this shot for cataloging the variety in my collection of Unknowns. -Suzi, It would be helpful to know which varieties have a heavy pungent smell so we can avoid using those for tea and same time, would be good to know which varieties have very aromatic characteristics, so we can use more of those as a potpourri of tea. Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised at the flavor and aroma of the tea :)

DesertDance

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Posts: 4,518

Posted 1396367958	Reply with quote #9

VDB with it's wonderful tasty figs has leaves that smell like cat pee. I googled fig tea and discovered that some use fresh leaves for the tea. Evidently the latex is good for diabetics. There are undernotes of coconut in the tea from what I read. Aaron, it's nice to have a rainy day! I thought you might be sleeping in! I guess we should let our noses be our guides prior to picking leaves for tea. Many people suggest picking leaves to allow the figs to ripen faster with more sun, so there is that benefit also. Suzi __________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1396368593	Reply with quote #10

@Suzi, I did sleep in, despite my 2 year olds active, noisy presence... -I read in several sites that you dry them first, also for storing purposes... -and shredding, it allows the nutrients to bleed out easily during the brewing process. -I wonder if, when dried, weather or not this cat pee smell goes away. Can you try and let us know? I don't have a growing VdB yet, I am rooting the cuttings you sent to me.

DesertDance

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Posts: 4,518

Posted 1396368784	Reply with quote #11

Hey! No way am I going to try VDB leaves!! Once the rain stops and the leaves dry, I'll pick some Verte leaves. First I'll do the nose test. I could also try adriatic. Both those trees have plenty of leaves. So does VDB, but I'm not going there. Suzi __________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1396369052	Reply with quote #12

that bad huh?

IamKriya

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Posts: 254

Posted 1396370423	Reply with quote #13

Great idea! __________________ Zone 9a, Central Florida "Be the change you want to see in the world" ~ Gandhi ebay ID: churl82

genecolin

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Posts: 1,542

Posted 1396382303	Reply with quote #14

I've done the fresh green leaves and it was very refreshing and tasty. As you said DD, a hint of coconut. "gene" __________________ From the bayou, "gene" zone 9 Houma, La.

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1396384430	Reply with quote #15

Quote: Originally Posted by genecolin I've done the fresh green leaves and it was very refreshing and tasty. As you said DD, a hint of coconut. "gene" Gene, how did you prepare the leaves? did you just boil them or shred them before you infuse?

bullet08

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Posts: 6,920

Posted 1396386675	Reply with quote #16

you know what they say... "one woman's cat pee smelling fig leaf is another woman's coco chanel". __________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher *** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. * * and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...***

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1396386996	Reply with quote #17

ok Suzi, I think we found a buyer for your cat-pee fig leaves.

swizzle

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Posts: 137

Posted 1396390404	Reply with quote #18

Aaron I too love fig leaf tea. I use leaves from my black unknown. No smell to the leaves. I dry mine on top of the refrigerator. It dries them out without turning them brown. I then crumble them up into a jar or plastic bag for storage. I find it has a nutty flavor. I wonder if different kinds of fig leafs have different flavors.

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1396401150	Reply with quote #19

@swizzle, I'm sure they have different aromas and flavors... I was asking people to try and describe so we can start a catalog of Fig Leaf Tea Flavors... Since we all GROW them , why not EAT them and even DRINK them ;)

genecolin

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Posts: 1,542

Posted 1396404387	Reply with quote #20

Aaron, I just chopped them coarsely on my cutting board and then boiled them for 5 minutes. Very good I thought, and now that you've got me thinking about it again and my trees have leaves, I think it's time to do it again. "gene" __________________ From the bayou, "gene" zone 9 Houma, La.

GregMartin

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Posts: 550

Posted 1396430057	Reply with quote #21

Aaron mentioned that the leaves used were fresh, young leaves. In my experience those leaves are not yet cat pee scented and perhaps will work well from most figs. I've experimented a little with fresh young leaves for use as a cooking green because that's when they are the most tender and have not built up much in the way of defense compounds in the leaf cells' vacuoles....at least that was my theory based on watching animals eat leaves on nature shows. Edible, but not a real part of my diet yet...still playing. __________________ zone 5 Maine Seeking: Saint Martin, Naples White, Black Tuscan, Bécane, French Alps, Abruzzi, Tenica, Wild Mountain Figs from the coldest corners (Iranian, Turkish or other...would love seeds too)

loquat1

Registered:1312036896
Posts: 585

Posted 1396432086	Reply with quote #22

Does anyone know if they are caffeine-free? And based on general principles, my understanding was that fig ripening and flavor/sweetness depends on the 'manufacture' of carbs via photosynthesis. So more leaves = more sugar in the figs. Doesn't harvesting young leaves compromise fig sweetness? But yeah, I've also read that this tea has huge health benefits. Must try it - just not sure if I should wait until after main fig-ripening season before picking off those leaves. Can they really be that unpalatable? __________________ Costas

greysmith

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Posts: 254

Posted 1396439670	Reply with quote #23

I've never noticed a cat pee smell... but then my cat is a female and doesn't spray to mark territory. You might try leaves from higher up, out of range for cats. __________________ S central KY, zone 6b

loquat1

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Posts: 585

Posted 1396439991	Reply with quote #24

I've noticed cat pee smell on some bananas. I don't think cats dump on them, or fig leaves for that matter. Foxes are a different story tho. __________________ Costas

bullet08

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Posts: 6,920

Posted 1396440317	Reply with quote #25

here is an old korean recipe. a segment of fresh ginger a stick of cinnamon an orange peel few chinese dates pinch of dried fig leaf since it's on fig forum.. but back in korea, specially up in seoul, fig wasn't around. down by busan (pusan) there were some.. or so i'm told by my wife. bring them to simmer and keep on simmering. serve whenever you want to drink it. used to run that on top of kerosene burner/stove all winter long in korea. __________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher *** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. * * and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...***

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1396458501	Reply with quote #26

@gene, you are right, this is a good time to harvest tender, fresh leaves. I think the reason they encourage to shred them thin is to get the most nutrients out of them without boiling too long, just pour boiling water on them and let them sit for about 5 min... (Infusion). As we boil things they tend to lose some of their nutritional values. @Greg, I have a potted fig, not sure what variety it is, i forgot, and the leaves do smell bad...I mean Skunk bad... this is a 3-4 foot tall branch that has about 6-8 leaves on it and regardless which one , they all smell awful (maybe it is VdB, as Suzi mentioned above, but, isn't VdB a Vista?) @Costas, Caffein issue is not mentioned in any research I found on the net, but it would be very interesting to find out. What concerns to smelly leaves, I would just leave them alone, there are so many more varieties to take leaves from. Also, harvesting leaves shouldn't mean to strip the tree or the branch off of it's leaves entirely. Although , I have seen some YouTubes about Texan Everbearing being completely stripped off it's leaves in order to get plenty of sun to ripen the fruits at the end of the harvest season. @Tom, although this smell resembles cat pee, it has NOTHING to do with cats or Skunks. LOL @Pete, that recipe sounds very soothing, great for cold days... maybe even consumed chilled in hot seasons...I love Jujube. Ginger ir great for joint pains and arthritis, it is anti inflammatory. Cinnamon is good for diabetics and regulates body's glycemic index. http://www.natures-health-foods.com/fig-leaves.html

DesertDance

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Posts: 4,518

Posted 1396467592	Reply with quote #27

Vista is a large tree and synonymous to Black Mission. VDB is a smaller tree. They are not the same. Suzi __________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1396473453	Reply with quote #28

ok good, I was wandering why my leaves didn't smell like Cat Pee...LOL

pino

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Posts: 2,117

Posted 1396492292	Reply with quote #29

Thanks for the tasty recipe Aaron and nice photos! I just bought some Chinese dates and fig leaf tea sounds like a nice combination. Any reason why you can't dry a bunch of fresh leaves and store them in jars to enjoy over the cold winter? __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1396502950	Reply with quote #30

thanks Joe, I'm glad you like this thread, I was so impressed by the taste of the leaf tea I had to let everyone know, LOL The Tea leaves are shredded after drying and stored in air tight container... (according most sites I read...)so, yes, There is NO reason why you can't dry them for later consumption. Chinese dates are actually Jujube they are not real dates, not the dates that grown in Middle east , Mediterranean or California. I love Jujube but the date is a different animal ;)

cis4elk

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Posts: 1,718

Posted 1396639014	Reply with quote #31

I like fig leaf tea. However, I have never used fresh leaves. I like to collect the leaves from my trees in the fall after the tree has drawn all the green from them and they fall off on their own or at the slightest touch. I put them in a wicker basket to finish drying and strore them there as well. I crush them and put them in a infuser. The tea is lovely golden, I like to add a bit of honey. The taste and aroma are slightly of dried fig and coconut. I use all types of different varieties, but I smell the leaves before I decide to keep them. If they smell good (like dried figs and coconut, or anything else pleasant) I keep them, if they smell like grass clippings they go to the garbage. By the way, VdB leaves lose the cat pee smell when the tree withdraws everything from the leaf and it is yellow and falls off. The flip side to this though, if the leaves frost or fall off before all the green is gone..even a hint of green, I think the tea is inferior and tastes too vegetal like you brewed your tea from grass clippings. Aaron, when I first read the title to this post, I thought you were saying you had a date with a cup of fig tea. Romancing the tea. :) __________________ Calvin Littleton,CO z5/6 Wants List: For everyone to clean-up after themselves and co-exist peacefully. Let's think more about the future of our planet and less about ourselves. :)

Aaron4USA

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Posted 1396641200	Reply with quote #32

@Calvin, LOL Re:Aaron, when I first read the title to this post, I thought you were saying you had a date with a cup of fig tea. Romancing the tea. :) I meant it to sound that way, I thought it would make people smirk. When I dried the Green leaves I really liked the dry fruity smell combined with typical fig smells... I have never had dry (brown, or Fall) leaves to compare the teas... would be interesting little experiment.

Aaron4USA

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Posted 1396722083	Reply with quote #33

Last night, my 4 year old daughter was struggling with breathing do to a light cold she got from her school. She , out of nowhere decided to try my Fig Leaf tea that I had brewed and was enjoying. She finished the entire mug. She slept like a baby and today her nose is dry... Could it be the tea? :)

svanessa

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Posts: 905

Posted 1396724408	Reply with quote #34

Abebereria leaf tea tastes like...asperagus. It may be the way I prepared it, leaves were picked two days ago and left to dry on the counter. They were semi-dry when I chopped them into little tiny pieces. I boiled the water, turned off the fire and threw the leaves in to steep a couple min. Not too happy with the flavor. On to the next variety... __________________ Sue Zone 9B, 1946' Ramona, CA San Diego County

Dieseler

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Posts: 8,252

Posted 1396724694	Reply with quote #35

The Mrs is the tea drinker here i should trick her 1 day just to see her face - then run.

genecolin

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Posts: 1,542

Posted 1396742314	Reply with quote #36

Today I tried a new tea. I was checking out some trees and notice how nice the mulberry leaves were. Since figs and mulberries are related I thought why not make a tea. Before I brewed it, I checked the internet for mulberry tea and found loads of info. So I brewed it with green leaves and it made a lovely tea but it tasted too green. Perhaps the dried leaves will be better. I will pick some tomorrow and dry them, then try again. "gene" __________________ From the bayou, "gene" zone 9 Houma, La.

Aaron4USA

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Posted 1396747198	Reply with quote #37

don't run Martin, if you do she'll never reach you for a kiss . @Gene, nice take on different relative of figs...I wander of the beneficial factors of it... any idea?

Dieseler

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Posted 1396755250	Reply with quote #38

Aaron - lol could tell some stories !

genecolin

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Posts: 1,542

Posted 1396788878	Reply with quote #39

Sue, I'll have to try making tea with mine. It's still a small plant but I think I can safely harvest a few leaves. Then as you said, off to the next variety just to see if I can detect any differences. "gene" __________________ From the bayou, "gene" zone 9 Houma, La.

Grasa

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Posts: 1,819

Posted 1396798932	Reply with quote #40

I grew up with fig leaf tea. there were always reports of some idiots using it on the skin to get a 'beautiful sun tan' _ REALLY bad idea, serious 3rd degree burns can occur. Please drink it, and don't use it for suntanning. __________________ Grasa Seattle, WA

bullet08

Registered:1284496248
Posts: 6,920

Posted 1396799178	Reply with quote #41

i'm a tea drinker. coffee can be to acidic for me sometimes. i stick to english black tea. occasional chinese teas are good such as oolong, but i drink at work and loose teas are too much bother. a bag of pg tips is what i need in the morning. __________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher *** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. * * and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...***

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1396848098	Reply with quote #42

Pete, I found this very thin nicely made clay chinese tea mug, with a cover... it has it's own lose leaf compartment inside to keep the leaves separate,so, when drinking the tea the leaves won't get in your mouth. Love it, And from what I hear, more tea stains on the clay more valuable it becomes? LOL same with Tea Pots.

genecolin

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Posts: 1,542

Posted 1396865843	Reply with quote #43

Aaron, do a google search for the medicinal properties of mulberry tea. It's pretty potent. "gene" __________________ From the bayou, "gene" zone 9 Houma, La.

Norhayati

Registered:1381365278
Posts: 341

Posted 1396867844	Reply with quote #44

Gene, I have a big bottle of mulberry tea that I made myself. It is said to lower the blood cholesterol. It tastes like green tea. I am a tea drinker and have all sorts of tea at home. Haven't tried fig tea yet since my plants are still very small. Norhayati __________________ Norhayati Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Wish list: Black Madeira

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1396877952	Reply with quote #45

Drink the tea, I'll stick to eat figs ! Seriously, if you take now the leaves off, the tree can't grow properly. Here, I could give it a try in July when the trees have 5+ leaves per stem, or in the fall, but for now ... I just have buds :) and tiny leaves . Aroon4usa, which ones makes the better tea, males (caprifig) or females :) ? __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1396886203	Reply with quote #46

I just did that Gene, thanks... we don't have to harvest the leaves right away... it can be done even when the figs are harvested, the trees always put fresh leaves... jdfrance, you need to try the tea, you'll be surprised. I really don't know much about the leaf differences yet,,, I am experimenting... as to weather Capri or female fig leaves.... I can try the capri leaves later and post it... but when I rub the capri leaves sometime in past I din't get much aroma while sniffing the leaf, yet it was just one variety of Capri... i'll try others

genecolin

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Posts: 1,542

Posted 1396972305	Reply with quote #47

Well I tried the Abebereria leaf tea and I somewhat agree with Sue that it tastes like asperagus, well maybe a hint of asperagus. It it definitely not as good as the tea made with my Cajun Gold which had a coconut flavor. I will do a cup this afternoon or tomorrow and see if I get the same taste I remembered from last year. "gene" __________________ From the bayou, "gene" zone 9 Houma, La.

Aaron4USA

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Posts: 2,969

Posted 1397354289	Reply with quote #48

The Green Ischia leaves have a very delicious taste and amazing aroma, has anyone else tried this?

Aaron4USA

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Posted 1404782190	Reply with quote #49

drying the leaves in warm, shade helps them stay nice green while they are drying. I wish you could smell the aroma...it's amazing ...I smell Vanilla, Coconut, Chamomile and Mint.

pino

Registered:1383190021
Posts: 2,117

Posted 1404785698	Reply with quote #50

Looks great Aaron but is there an active ingredient contained in fig leaves that makes it a beneficial drink? My coffee is very jealous of me. __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

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