Meadow Tea - A Lancaster County Favorite | Hymns and Verses (2024)

If you’re looking for a tasty drink and love mint, then you have to try this Meadow Tea. It’s silly simple to make and a very common drink to sip on during the summer in Pennsylvania. If you are the herbal tea or fresh natural drink kind of person, you need to try out this refreshing Amish tea on a hot day.

Have you ever heard of Meadow Tea? If you don’t live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, or have visited here in the summertime, you probably haven’t! But, for those who live here, Meadow Tea is a summertime staple!

So, what is Meadow Tea?

Well, I’ll tell you what it’s not. It’s not actually tea.If you’re a sweet tea loving king of person, this isn’t what you’re used to, but it’s still delicious. It is mint that is steeped and served over ice in the summer months.

It was termed meadow tea because mint tends to be invasive once planted and it “took over the meadow”. To use up all of this mint, the Pennsylvania Dutch used it to make a refreshing summertime drink.

What kind of mint should I use?

Most often the type of mint used is Apple Mint. Apple Mint is slightly sweeter than other mints. My friend, who grew up here in Lancaster County, has some of this variety growing in her garden. You can see it in the photo below.

The leaves have a “fuzzy” texture to them.But you can use other kinds of mint (just not cat mint), especially if you have an abundance of mint and see what you prefer.

Here in Lancaster County, you will see homemade signs by the side of the road for Meadow Tea sold out of a picnic cooler in a reused milk jug!!!

And, it will cost you $5 for a jug of this refreshing summer drink. Clearly, it’s more cost effective to grow your own mint or even pick up a bunch at your grocery store!

If you don’t have a garden to grow mint, you could do a container garden on a small porch or deck. Over time, one plant will multiply and you’ll have loads of fresh mint!

Any variety of mint can be used to make Meadow Tea, except cat mint. But, most locals seem to use Apple Mint to make Meadow Tea.

Why You’ll Love This Tea

• It’s easy to make
• It’s a different drink to enjoy than your go to beverages
• It’s so refreshing in the summer
• Fun for the kids to make and everyone can enjoy it on a hot summer day
• It’s cheaper to make your own than to buy this Lancaster County staple

Ingredients Needed

Get more info on these ingredients in the recipe card below.

• packed mint leaves
• water
• sugar
• fresh lemon juice
• lemon slice, for garnish

How to make Meadow Tea

Gather a bunch of the mint from your garden (enough to fill a colander). Rinse the mint with water to make sure it’s free of debris or bugs! You will need 1 cup of packed mint leaves to make 1/2 gallon (2 quarts of tea) of Meadow Tea.

Add 2 quarts water to a large pot. Bring the water to a boil and then add the 1 cup packed mint leaves. Remove from heat and cover. Let steep for 2 hours. The longer it steeps, the stronger the tea will be.

Use a small hand held sieve with a paper coffee filter to strain the tea into your pitcher or other container. Add sweetener to taste. You can use sugar, stevia, or honey. The Amish make it pretty sweet, but I tend to like mine with less sugar.

For a half gallon of tea, I add approximately 1/4 cup of sugar to add a hint of sweetness. You can also add a splash of fresh lemon juice. And, a lemon slice as a garnish when serving. Below you’ll find a printable recipe card for this delicious beverage!

Storage

Meadow Tea can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Be sure to store it in an airtight container, such as a Mason jar or pitcher with a lid.

Alternatively, you can also freeze Meadow Tea. To do so, simply place the tea into a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to drink, thaw the bag of tea and pour the liquid back into a pitcher or other container before serving.

We like to turn the bag on its side so it lays flat and evenly distributes the tea in the bag. It saves room in the freezer and is easier to store.

What are the benefits of drinking Meadow Tea

Meadow tea has a few different health benefits. It’s caffeine free and mint is good for calming your stomach and helping aid in digestion processes.

Mint is also rich in some minerals and vitamins like potassium, calcium and vitamin A which can help strengthen bones, fight inflammation and improve vision. Meadow tea is also known for its antioxidant content which can help protect the body from free radical damage. Finally, meadow tea has been used traditionally as a natural remedy to reduce fever and soothe a sore throat.

I hope you enjoyed learning about this local Pennsylvania Dutch favorite! And, please let me know if you make some!

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