Upcoming events at Cyherbia:

Saturday the 27^th & Sunday the 28^th of September:  Lemon Verbena Days. 

During this first mini-fest we will focus on the wonderfully refreshing Lemon Verbena, a favourite herb for many. You will be able to try ice tea, liqueur, snacks, sorbet and ice cream, all made with lemon verbena.

In the tea room there will be food and cakes on offer, made with lemon verbena and a craft workshop: making a fragrant lemon verbena wreath for the home.

I will do a talk about the benefits and uses of lemon verbena, and written information about the plant’s benefits as well as yummy recipes will be given out. Normal entrance fees and opening times apply. The herb garden will be open from 9 until 6, so pop in any time during the day.

The talk will be at 11 am and 4 pm on both days.

The wreath making workshop will be held at 11.30 am on both days. To sign up for the workshop please email miranda@cyherbia.com or call 99915443 to book your place.  Price of the workshop including all materials is 18 euros. 

For lunch our kitchen goddess Lisa will make  very special dishes with… you guessed it! Lemon verbena. Lunch bookings can be made via email or phone. More information in our next newsletter.

Saturday October 11^th : Make your own herbal tea blend workshop.

The taste of a herb tells us a lot about its action. Herbs can be either cooling or warming, drying or moistening, relaxing or invigorating. During this practical workshop we will taste and explore the actions of a selection of herbs, and how to choose the herbs for your specific needs. Each participant will make their own personal tea blend to take home. Cost of the workshop including all materials is 15 euros p.p.

We will start at 11.30 and expect to finish around 1 pm.

Saturday October 25th & Sunday the 26th: Halloween!

This year the event will have a Wonderland theme. Parents and children are invited to jump down the rabbit hole and experience a day of fantasy, excitement, challenges and quests! Special games and activities for all age groups will make this an unforgettable experience for the whole family, unique in Cyprus! Games and activities will be ongoing all day from 10 till 6.

Watch this space for details nearer the date.

Keeping cool in the heat of summer

Cyprus is still sizzling in the 2nd half of August. Many of you may be on holiday or have just come back, and for those of us who live on the island, the summer can seem endless at times. We put ourselves into a lower gear, spend lots of time at the beach or in a pool and stay out of the sun during the hottest hours of the day.

Eating cooling foods such as salads, watermelon or cold soups also help the body cope with the heat, as does herbal ice tea. You have to try it to really appreciate just how much a herbal tea cools you down, but once you do, you're likely to prefer this healthy drink over anything fizzy or sugary!

This summer I made a new ultra-cooling and constitution-moistening blend of herbs and flowers which effectively cools the body, is relaxing, light, digestive and very tasty! It consists of mulberry leaf, hibiscus flower, jasmine, passionflower, lemon balm, fennel and lemon verbena. I named the blend Summer Breeze. The unique combination of these herbs makes this an oasis for the body and mind in the midst of heat and heat stress.

To make ice tea all you need is a little preparation ahead. For a litre of tea use a modest tablespoon of herbs, put these in a teapot or tea press (a cafetiere used only for this purpose is the handiest), add a pinch of stevia leaves or a little honey and leave your tea to infuse until it has cooled down enough to be placed into the fridge. Chill for a few hours and serve with ice cubes.

Ice tea will keep in the fridge for 48 hours maximum.

Stay cool!