Apple Hibiscus Tea

During our trip around Turkey two years ago, with every feast we enjoyed sipping on apple tea. Since then I have wanted to make some of our own. It is delightfully sweet and sour, slightly tangy, yet smooth. Add a dab of honey for a savory cup of tea.

Ingredients (to make approximately 1 quart):
2 C. dried apples (I chopped fresh apples and threw them in the dehydrator)
1 C. Tbsp dried hibiscus flowers

Hibiscus tea is popular as a natural diuretic; it contains vitamin C and minerals, and is used traditionally as a mild medicine.

People with kidney ailments often take it for its beneficial properties and as a natural diuretic.

Studies have shown that consuming hibiscus tea may lower blood pressure.

In the Indian traditional system of medicine, Ayurveda, hibiscus is considered to have medicinal properties. The roots are used to make various concoctions believed to cure ailments such as cough, hair loss or hair greying. As a hair treatment, the flowers are boiled in oil along with other spices to make a medicated hair oil. The leaves and flowers are ground into a fine paste with a little water, and the resulting lathery paste is used as a shampoo plus conditioner.