After the last coffee of the day, the tea that comes out in many Levantine homes has no caffeine at all. It's a herbal glass — mint, anise (yansoon), sometimes chamomile — poured when dinner is over and nobody is in a hurry to leave the table.
The herbs
- Mint: peppermint is cool and bright; spearmint is softer and sweeter.
- Anise (yansoon): small seeds with a gentle, sweet liquorice smell. A spoonful turns plain hot water into something worth sitting over.
- Chamomile: round, honeyed and calm. It rounds off the sharper herbs.
Making it from scratch (two glasses)
- Simmer 1 teaspoon of anise seeds in 2 cups of water for five minutes.
- Take it off the heat and add a small handful of fresh mint (or 1 teaspoon dried) and a teaspoon of dried chamomile. Cover for five minutes.
- Strain into glasses. Sweeten with a little honey or sugar if you like.
Or with tea bags
Our Good Night blend, Tisbah Ala Khair — "may you wake up well" — is peppermint and chamomile with anise and warm spice, caffeine-free. One bag per glass, water just off the boil, five minutes. For the middle of the day, Good Afternoon (Masa Al Khair) is mint, lemon verbena and anise: brighter, and just as good over ice.
When to drink it
After dinner, with dates or something sweet, or as the last glass before bed. It's a habit more than a recipe — the point is to sit down for it.