A California Folk Tea Guide for the Quiet Season
🕯 Embrace the Stillness
Winter in California slows everything down—from morning fog curling around coastal hills to long, quiet nights under the redwoods. It’s a time for deep rest, immune support, and tuning inward. This collection of tea blends is crafted to build resilience, soothe the nervous system, and offer warmth from within.
Featured herbs: Elderberry, licorice, tulsi, pine
Mood: Restorative, quiet, internal
Includes: Immune and stress support recipes, decoction techniques, honey infusions, and winter solstice rituals
🍵 Winter Herbal Tea Collection
🌿 Redwood Reverence Brew
Immune-boosting and heartwarming
Main Herbs:
- 1 tsp dried elderberries
- 1 tsp dried rose hips
- ½ tsp dried licorice root
- ½ tsp dried tulsi
- 1 cinnamon stick
To Make:
- Simmer all herbs in 2 cups water for 15 minutes.
- Let steep for 5 more minutes.
- Strain and enjoy warm.
Why it Helps:
Strengthens immunity while calming the nervous system with sweet warmth.
🌲 Sierra Stillness Infusion
Calming and grounding
Main Herbs:
- 1 tsp chamomile
- ½ tsp lemon balm
- ½ tsp pine needles
- ½ tsp lavender
To Make:
- Steep herbs in 2 cups hot water for 10 minutes.
- Strain and sip slowly.
Why it Helps:
Encourages rest, mental clarity, and calm breathing in winter’s still air.
🍯 Golden Glow Honey Elixir
Soothing and restorative
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw honey
- 2 tbsp dried elderberries
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Zest of 1 orange
To Make:
- Mix all ingredients in a jar and let infuse in a warm spot for 1 week, shaking daily.
- Gently warm the jar to strain. Store in a clean jar.
Use:
Stir into hot tea or take by the spoonful for daily immune love.
🌌 Solstice Dream Tea
Promotes restful sleep and vivid dreams
Main Herbs:
- 1 tsp mugwort
- 1 tsp passionflower
- ½ tsp skullcap
- ½ tsp chamomile
To Make:
- Steep herbs in 2 cups boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Strain and sip before bedtime.
Why it Helps:
Enhances dream work and supports deep winter rest.
🌿 California Winter Additions
🌲 Big Sur Breath Tea
Clears the breath, grounds the spirit
Main Herbs:
- 2 tsp dried elderberries
- 1 tsp marshmallow root
- 1 tsp chopped pine needles
- 2 cups water
To Make:
- Simmer elderberries in 1½ cups water for 20 min.
- Separately steep marshmallow + pine in ½ cup cool water for 30 min.
- Strain, combine, and warm gently to serve.
Why it Helps:
Relieves sinus tension and strengthens lungs, evoking piney mountain air.
🍊 Citrus Sage Resilience Brew
Zesty, warming, and fortifying
Main Herbs:
- 1 tsp elderberries
- 1 tsp calendula
- ½ tsp tulsi
- ½ tsp cinnamon chips
- ½ tsp rose petals
- Zest of 1 orange
To Make:
- Steep 1 tbsp of blend in 12 oz hot water for 15 min, covered.
- Strain and sweeten if desired.
Why it Helps:
Protects the immune system, uplifts mood, and adds brightness to gray days.
🌬 Coastal Chill Shield
Fresh, clearing, and restorative
Main Herbs:
- 1 tsp rose hips
- 1 tsp lemon balm
- ½ tsp peppermint
- ½ tsp orange peel
- ½ tsp elderberries
- ¼ tsp yarrow
To Make:
- Steep 1 tbsp in 2 cups hot water for 10–15 minutes.
- Strain and serve warm.
Why it Helps:
Clears the head, opens the chest, and gently supports your inner rhythm.
🔥 Golden Root Hearth Tea
Earthy, rich, and balancing
Main Herbs:
- 1 tbsp astragalus root
- 1 tsp roasted dandelion root
- 1 tsp oatstraw
- 1 tsp rose hips
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cup fresh-pressed apple juice
- 3 cups water
To Make (Decoction):
- Simmer herbs (except juice) in 3 cups water for 25 minutes.
- Strain and stir in apple juice.
- Warm gently and enjoy.
Why it Helps:
A root-deep tonic for vitality, digestion, and warming your core.
🕯 Winter Solstice Ritual
Honor the quiet season with a simple tea ceremony:
- Brew your chosen winter tea.
- Light a candle and reflect on the past year.
- Sip slowly, setting intentions for the light to come.
- Breathe deeply, pause in gratitude, and close with stillness.
❄️ Starry Night Sleep Tea (Winter)
For longer nights, cold season recovery, and deep rest
You’ll need:
- 2 tsp valerian root
- 1 tsp kava root
- 1 tsp linden
- 1 tsp peppermint
- 1 tsp passionflower
- ¼ tsp hops
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
To make:
Pour 10 oz hot water over the herbs. Steep covered for 10 minutes. Strain and sip 30–60 minutes before bed. Best used only as needed for a few nights at a time.
Helpful tip: Pair with a warm blanket and soft candlelight—this blend asks for stillness.
Folk wisdom: Sleep is sacred work. Winter honors it. This tea helps you remember how.
🌟 Looking Ahead
The quiet of winter makes space for healing, reflection, and slow sips. Return often for new blends—and look forward to our Spring – Renewal & Lightness post next.