Refreshing Borage Lemonade Recipe
- Marcela Ruppli-Juin
- May 3
- 2 min read
Updated: May 4
I hope you are doing well and enjoying the Spring sun. Here in Tuscany it's starting to get pretty hot during the day. In the farm we have a huge amount of Borage and we always try to find good uses for it, besides its great health benefits. Not to mention the fact that it's a beautiful plant to look at and bees and other pollinators and insects enjoy it too.
HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES:
The name Borage comes from “Borrach”, which means courage in the Celtic language. Folklore both Nordic and says Mediterranean maintains that this plant was a source of courage to the heart and made you joyful. Fresh Borage leaves and flowers have been used in many dishes and drinks since antiquity. Particularly, Borage periwinkle blue flowers taste a bit like cucumber! So it can go in salads and well, your imagination is the limit!
Among other health benefits, Borage leaf and blossom tea (base for the lemonade or iced tea we share with you today) is known to:
• soothe coughs
• reduce fever
• act as a diuretic, therefore promoting urination and helping cleanse the system
• promote the rejuvenation of the adrenal glands
• calm the nervous system.
Other uses around the farm include the fact that it's a great plant to have in the vegetable garden because it acts as a pest deterrent. Also it provides for good mass to "chop and drop" to create humus (for fertile soil).
Today we'll share with you the Borage Lemonade or iced tea, which as cooling, refreshing beverages. We use the Borage leaves and tiny beautiful purple flowers to make an icy, hydrating and pretty drink! Here's the recipe.
HARVESTING:
Once borage matures, harvest the leaves and flowers as needed. Pick the flowers before they have fully bloomed, and when harvesting, remove the leaves and flowers from the plant with your fingers or with scissors. The plant leaves do not dry well, so use them fresh. The smaller leaves taste best, so be sure to leave the larger leaves for the plant.
INGREDIENTS FOR 1/2 Liter of lemonade (multiply as needed):
3 cups water
1 handful of borage leaves
Juice of 1 organic lemon (alternative use organic limes). Make sure to wash the lemon before you use it
Organic honey to taste (alternatively you can use any other type of organic sugar to taste)
20 Borage flowers
Slices of lemon to decorate
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add some of the blooms into your icetray and make cute ice cubes to go with the borage lemonade. Freeze.
In a pan, bring water to a boil.
Pour over the borage leaves and steep for 30 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and honey to sweeten.
Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Add the blossoms (some 5 per glass)
Add ice cubes, as preferred.
Add a slice of lemon to decorate the side of the glass or put it in the lemonade.
NOW ENJOY!
Sources include:
What Is Borage? Benefits, Risks, and Recommendations https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/what-to-know-about-borage
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