Lemon Verbena and Mint - my new drink of choice.

Trying to wean oneself off coffee can be a challening feat! In Melbourne, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to coffee roasters with such a variety of blends available, including organic, fair trade and single origin. I am sure this applies to most parts of Australia - we have become a caffeine driven society.

So, the challenge for me is to find something that I enjoy drinking that is a variation to green tea which sometimes just doesn't hit the spot.

I visited Pope Joan on the weekend, a cafe in East Brunswick that is a fairly new edition to the scene in Melbourne. I was excited to see, to complete the offering of standard teas and coffees, the inclusion of lemon verbena and mint so my tastebuds ordered without much to do.

What a lovely, sublte, lemon flavour and well complemented by the mint! And unlike lemongrass (and ginger) tea, lemon verbena tends to hold its flavour when heated so it is well suited to a range of kitchen delights, not just a warm drink.

Because lemon verbena is a deciduous plant (with origins in South America) it is at its best during the warmer months. However, the leaves can be dried, not dissimilar to normal tea leaves which means there's no risk of a lack of supply during the cooler months, when a warm cuppa really hits the spot.

Check out the herb and vegetable section of your local nursery and start growing this marvellous plant that offers an attractive and perfumed addition to your garden or pot plant collection.