Lemon Verbena: An Herb That Fits to a Tea

Introducing Our "What is It and What Do You Do With It?" Series

Photo by Bob Benenson

I recently published that I'd purchased some lemon verbena, among other things, in a home delivery from Three Sisters Garden in Kankakee, Illinois. That might have left some readers asking, "What the heck is lemon verbena?"

So I figured this was a good item with which to kick off the new Local Food Forum series, What is It and What Do You Do With It?

According to the site of Specialty Produce in San Diego, which does very detailed descriptions of dozens of produce items:

Lemon Verbena, botanically classified as Aloysia citrodora, is an aromatic shrub belonging to the Verbenaceae family. The perennial flowering plant averages 3 to 5 meters in height, depending on climate and pruning, and is native to South America, where the leaves were favored as a soothing medicinal aid. Lemon Verbena is also known as Lemon Beebrush and Herb Louisa, preferred by chefs and herbalists for its aromatic citrus scent. The shrub contains glands on the underside of the leaves, releasing concentrated, aromatic oils, which contribute a delicate citrus flavor to fresh and cooked preparations. In the modern-day, Lemon Verbena is an adaptable herb grown worldwide for mixology, culinary, and medicinal purposes.

So what do you do with it? I usually keep it simple, steeping the leaves in hot water to make herbal tea, which I like to drink iced.

Photo by Bob Benenson

Yes, I know the photo kind of looks like a very big-boy pour of Scotch on the rocks, but I swear it's lemon verbena iced tea.

According to Specialty Produce, lemon verbena is very versatile:

Lemon Verbena is a versatile herb well suited for both sweet and savory dishes. The young and tender leaves can be finely sliced and used raw in pestos, salsa, vinaigrettes, and marinades for meats, or they can be tossed into salads, stirred into soups, or infused as flavoring into ceviche. Larger, more mature leaves should be reserved for cooked preparations and are often used whole as a flavoring and then removed before consumption. The leaves can be incorporated into oils, syrups, and sugar, used to flavor jellies, jams, and fruit glazes, or infused into desserts such as crème brulee, ice cream, tarts, panna cotta, pudding, and sorbet. Lemon Verbena leaves can also be used to flavor drinks such as iced tea, spritzers, lemonade, and mixed drinks. Tea infused with Lemon Verbena is a popular drink in European and South American households. Lemon Verbena pairs well with fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, pears, peaches, melons, and apricots, meats such as pork, poultry, and fish, and herbs including thyme, mint, basil, and lavender.

If you find this herb at a farmers market, give it a try. And if you use it, tell us how.