In traditional cultures tea is interconnected to the spirit. There is a Chinese adage asserting that a person with a teapot will also have happiness. Ancient Eastern philosophers furnished meaning of life answers while drinking tea. In Japanese society, tea is ceremonial and proper preparation is thick with significance. Preparing tea conveys mindfulness, eliminates the distractions of the thinker, invites the possibility of calm and tranquility. This is not to imply that brewing tea will make the hardships of life easier or shed enlightenment on the nagging questions of why, but rituals that produce beauty and comfort keep us centered, remind us that life is worth living and possibilities are endless. Preparing herbal tea as a decoction is a walk away from the routine, it compels a mind to stay in the here and now with awareness to doing something carefully, attentively. The result is aesthetically pleasing and also grounding.

An original medicinal tea legend comes from China telling that some leaves fell into a pot of hot water and a curious emperor tasted and liked it. But the history of tea seems to take on a life of its own, evolving, growing, refining, and becoming more sophisticated. Now there are endless types of teas with varied individual uses and importance. On the kitchen apothecary ladder, a decoction is one rung up from an infusion. It is herbal tea with a cooking slant along with a technique formula. A more vigorous method of extracting the benefit of an herb, it is reserved for tougher plant parts such as roots, twigs, barks, berries, seeds, and peels.

When I think of a decoction, the word concoction comes into my mind with images of brews, potions, and mixtures of different elements. In reality a decoction is brewing tea with one additional step; gentle cooking. In order for the valuable herbal qualities to be pulled out of the tougher plant parts, a stronger process is required. The process is place the herbs in a saucepan with water, bring to a gentle boil, continue to simmer for a while, then cover the pan, turn off the heat and steep and infuse for a while longer.

While both methods result in a strong tea, there are a few differences between herbal infusions and decoctions. First, the water used for decoctions is cold, cool, or room temperature and mixed with the herb. Ideally, the herbs can even soak in the water for a while before they are heated together. This is not the case for an infusion, water is heated first and then poured over the herb. Second, more water is needed for decoctions than infusions because steam will evaporate during the simmering time. Additionally, decoctions for the most part take longer to make than infusions.

The plant parts used in decoctions are hard, the reason they need a stronger way to pull out their goodness. Chopping in small pieces or powdering helps more plant touch the menstruum, the water, so a better job the water can do at extraction. But sometimes these roots or pieces of bark are so hard you can’t even do that, this is an indication that they need a longer cooking and steeping time. But if you can, cut the herbs into the smallest pieces that you can or better grind them into a coarse powder. Seeds and berries are good just as they are. Fresh is easier to cut than dried, but dried may be easier to powder than fresh.

The finished decoction product will likely be strong, potent, maybe even harsh like the tougher plant parts used to prepare it. It may not taste great and often herbalists will add other better tasting teas to make them go down easier. Once made, a decoction can be drank as hot or cold, kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, added to recipes in place of water, or converted to syrups and other elixirs. In baking, mix flavors that will mold together for richness, refining the most bitter, sour, or pungent tastes.

Herbal Decoction Preparation

1. Measure herb
2. Place in non-aluminum saucepan with water and bring just to simmer over medium low heat. Reduce heat, cover pan with lid ajar to allow some steam to escape and continue to simmer gently. Do not allow to come to rolling boil.
3. Once simmering time has finished, remove from heat and adjust lid to cover tightly. Steep for 1hour.
4. Separate herbs from water by pouring water through fine mesh strainer into a glass or ceramic container.
5. Drink warm, cool, add to recipes, mix with other herbal teas, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.