Contents
- Benefits of tarragon drink
- What is tarragon lemonade made of?
- How to make tarragon at home
- Classic tarragon recipe at home
- Recipe for tarragon syrup at home
- Homemade lemonade with tarragon and lemon
- Delicious tarragon and mint drink
- How to make tarragon lemonade at home: recipe with lime
- How to make tarragon from dry tarragon
- How to cook tarragon with honey at home
- Tarragon compote with gooseberries
- Recipe for homemade tarragon, mint and strawberry lemonade
- Refreshing tarragon tea recipe
- Conclusion
Tarragon drink recipes at home are easy to perform and allow you to make it as useful as possible. A store-bought drink does not always meet expectations, it may contain chemical substitutes for the plant extract. All the benefits of tarragon (tarragon) can be obtained at home without spending much time for this, and experiment with different recipes by adding mint, lemon balm, lemon or berries.
Benefits of tarragon drink
The most pronounced of the properties of tarragon is a tonic, invigorating effect, the ability to cheer up. Lemonade from herbs is refreshing in the heat, at the chemical level allowing the body to more easily cope with overload.
Features of the chemical composition of tarragon:
- The combination of a high content of ascorbic acid with significant amounts of other vitamins allows us to consider the drink as a prophylactic against beriberi. The herb tarragon is one of the first places among the remedies that prevent scurvy.
- The unique balance of potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium supports the work of the cardiovascular system, nourishes the muscles (primarily cardiac), and prevents osteoporosis.
- Rare trace elements: selenium, zinc, copper, iron – with regular intake of tarragon, they can saturate the body with the necessary substances, just like fruits or vegetables.
- The presence of polyunsaturated acids has a beneficial effect on brain function, revitalizes metabolic processes, accelerating cell regeneration.
Tarragon lemonade, prepared at home, is able to preserve the healing properties of the plant as much as possible. A drink taken in a glass a day can affect such organs and systems:
- gastrointestinal tract – stimulation of digestion, increased appetite;
- cardiovascular system: strengthening of the walls of blood vessels, prevention of atherosclerotic changes;
- genitourinary system: increased work of the endocrine glands, increased libido, diuretic effect;
- immune system: increased resistance to viral, bacterial, fungal respiratory infections;
- nervous system: treatment of migraine, insomnia, depression, relief of pain of various localization.
Calorie lemonade Tarragon
The chemical composition of tarragon lemonade, obtained at home and industrially, is very different. Since the ingredients in drinks are different, the energy value of similar-tasting liquids is also different.
Homemade lemonade contains about 100 kcal per 50 ml. This figure can fluctuate greatly, depending on the composition of the recipe and the sweetness of the drink. The calorie content of such a drink is easy to regulate by changing the amount of sugar or water.
The nutritional value of homemade Tarragon lemonade per 100 ml of the finished drink and in% of the average daily intake.
Calories | From 50 to 55 kcal | 4% |
Proteins | 0,1 g | 0, 12% |
Fats | 0 g | 0% |
Carbohydrates | 13 g | 10% |
Water | 87 g | 3,4% |
The store product also has a different composition at the discretion of the manufacturer. Lemonade may contain sugar substitutes, preservatives, stabilizers, dyes that are not high in calories, but do not bring health benefits. Therefore, these figures, which turned out to be smaller, do not yet mean the harmlessness of the drink for the body.
Approximate nutritional value of the Tarragon store drink (per 100 ml).
Calories | 34 kcal | 2% |
Proteins | 0 g | 0% |
Fats | 0 g | 0% |
Carbohydrates | 7,9 g | 5% |
Whether a drink will bring benefit or harm is determined not only by its origin. Homemade and store-bought lemonades should not be consumed in large quantities. A drink obtained by industrial methods is dangerous with chemical components, and a home-made drink requires dosing due to the strong medicinal properties of tarragon herb. For an adult, the daily norm of natural grass lemonade is no more than 500 ml, children are recommended half the amount.
What is tarragon lemonade made of?
Tarragon first appeared as a drink in Georgia. It was created by M. Logidze, a pharmacist from Tiflis, who prepared recipes for refreshing drinks based on sparkling water and homemade syrups. So in 1887, an extract of a local variety of tarragon grass, chukhpuch, was added to ordinary lemonade. The successful discovery of the pharmacist made it possible to combine the refreshing properties of the drink with the benefits of Caucasian tarragon.
The sweet non-alcoholic drink Tarhun became widespread in the Soviet period, when it was produced unchanged, emerald green, according to one established recipe.
Modern lemonade based on natural extract may be yellow in color. A store-bought product, in a form close to the traditional recipe, includes citric acid, sugar, natural tarragon extract, sparkling water. To preserve the lemonade, preservatives are introduced into the composition. Emerald color is most often the result of the addition of yellow and blue dyes.
The herb extract can be replaced with synthetic analogues or other additives that mimic the flavor of tarragon. Therefore, before buying lemonade, you should pay attention to the inscription on the label: the phrase “with tarragon extract” indicates the presence of natural raw materials, “with the taste of tarragon” does not guarantee full compliance with the name.
How to make tarragon at home
Do-it-yourself lemonade does not harm health, refreshes, gives strength, saturates the body with essential substances all year round. It is not difficult to make homemade Tarragon tasty and healthy by following a few rules.
Features of making homemade tarragon lemonade:
- Green tarragon leaves provide the drink with a mild taste and a classic emerald hue. Dry raw materials give lemonade sharpness and a color close to yellowish.
- When grinding raw materials to a pasty state in a blender, the drink will turn out to be cloudy, but will take the maximum benefit from the herb. Slightly rumpled leaves, insisting for a long time, get a more transparent texture.
- The softer the water used to prepare the syrup, the more readily the plant will give the drink its aroma, color and nutrients.
- Using any recipe, you should make sure that the amount of grass does not exceed 1 tablespoon per 250 ml of finished lemonade. Using more tarragon can spoil the taste of the drink and harm your health.
What can be prepared from tarragon herb
Tarragon, referring to wormwood, does not contain the bitterness inherent in this botanical family. The unique aroma and unusual taste of the herb is widely used in Asian, Caucasian, Mediterranean cuisines. Seasoning well complements sweet, salty dishes, perfectly compatible with vinegars, fruit and citrus acids.
The use of tarragon in cooking:
- Add fresh herbs to vegetable, meat, fish salads. Cooling notes of tarragon are also appropriate in fruit mixtures.
- Dry spice is applicable for flavoring first and second courses, added at the end of cooking. Cold soups are seasoned with green leaves.
- The aroma of tarragon goes well with any kind of meat, fish, poultry. The spice is added when marinating, baking, stewing meat dishes.
- With home canning, tarragon not only flavors the blanks, but also serves as an additional preservative. Sprigs of the plant are added to marinades and pickles, to pickled apples.
- Menthol notes of tarragon are appropriate when cooking fruit and berry compotes, jams, syrups. From the green leaves of the plant, independent sweet dishes are prepared: jam, jelly, concentrated syrups.
- The taste of the herb is well revealed in white sauces, mustard, when mixed with oils or vinegar in salad dressings.
The unique color and refreshing aroma goes well with strong and soft drinks. Tarragon can be added to tea, compote, smoothies, vegetable juices. Homemade recipes for alcoholic beverages infused with tarragon or mixed with its syrup are popular.
Classic tarragon recipe at home
For the traditional way of preparing the drink, you will need a bunch of fresh tarragon grass and 1 liter of sparkling water. Other ingredients:
- drinking water without gas – 300 ml;
- sugar – 200 g;
- lemon – optional.
The preparation process consists in preparing a sweet extract-syrup and diluting it with mineral water.
Homemade Tarragon recipe step by step with a photo of the finished product:
- From the total amount of sugar and 300 ml of ordinary pure water, syrup is boiled. It is not necessary to boil the composition to a density. It is enough to wait for the crystals to dissolve and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Leaves and tender shoots of tarragon are placed in a wooden mortar, kneaded with a pestle until juice appears.
- The greens are poured with a hot sweet composition, covered tightly and left to infuse for 3 hours.
- The infused syrup is decanted, and the remaining mass is squeezed through cheesecloth.
Ready syrup can be diluted with mineral water and served with ice cubes. Most often, the sweet taste of the drink seems cloying, so citric acid or citrus juice is added to the composition. To adjust the taste to this recipe, just add the juice of one medium lemon.
As you can see in the photo, the Tarragon drink, made independently, differs in a more delicate color from its industrial counterpart. Normally, homemade lemonade is a little cloudy, but it gets all the positive qualities of the herb.
Recipe for tarragon syrup at home
Tarragon syrup can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator. By diluting the concentrated composition with mineral or ordinary drinking water, you can quickly prepare lemonade in the right amount.
Components:
- fresh tarragon greens with shoots and stems – 150 g;
- filtered drinking water – 500 ml;
- white refined sugar – 500 g;
- citric acid (in powder) – 5 g (1 tsp);
- juice of half a lemon.
Syrup preparation:
- Grind the leaves and stems of tarragon with a knife or a blender, cut the lemon arbitrarily along with the peel.
- Pour water into the green mass with lemon and heat the composition in a water bath for at least 60 minutes.
- Drain the infusion and squeeze the remnants from the leaves into one cooking pot.
- Stir in citric acid, sugar and boil until thickened.
Hot syrup is packaged in sterile jars of small capacity and tightly sealed. The concentrate is applicable not only for the quick production of lemonade. It can be added to meat sauces or salad dressings, prepare alcoholic cocktails, pour over ice cream and desserts.
Homemade lemonade with tarragon and lemon
The taste of tarragon is interesting in itself, but in the composition of sweet drinks it often requires balancing with acid. The aroma of natural citrus fruits is best combined with tarragon. A quick lemon tarragon recipe is the most popular way to make homemade lemonade, without the need for long standing.
Ingredients:
- fresh tarragon leaves without cuttings – 30 g;
- sugar – 100 g;
- boiled water – 100 ml;
- mineral water with gas – 500 ml;
- juice of one medium lemon;
- ice crumb.
Preparation:
- Tarragon greens and sugar are placed in a blender bowl and beat, adding boiled water little by little.
- The resulting mixture is filtered, slightly squeezing out a thick mass.
- The concentrate is diluted with carbonated water and lemon juice.
The drink will not be completely transparent, but the color of lemonade is classic, bright green, and the taste is closest to industrial concentrates. Before use, fill the glass with ice crumbs by 1/3, and then pour in the drink.
Delicious tarragon and mint drink
Aromatic herbs blend beautifully and provide an enhanced menthol flavor to the lemonade. A tarragon mint drink is even more pleasant to drink in the heat, because both plants have a cooling effect.
Components:
- tarragon and mint greens taken together – at least 150 g;
- filtered or boiled water – 1 l;
- white sugar – 200 g;
- lemon, orange or lime juice – 50 ml.
Preparation of mint-tarragon lemonade step by step:
- Tarragon and mint leaves are placed in a blender, half the norm of sugar is added, citrus juice is added and crushed.
- All the water is poured into the mixture, the container is covered and left overnight.
- The infused composition is filtered in the morning, sweetness is adjusted by adding the remaining sugar.
Ready lemonade is stored in the refrigerator, ice is added when serving. The composition is concentrated, for children it can be further diluted with carbonated water.
How to make tarragon lemonade at home: recipe with lime
The acidic environment promotes the release of nutrients from the green leaves of tarragon. And the high content of ascorbic acid helps them to be better absorbed in the body. Therefore, popular recipes for tarragon with citrus fruits are not only tasty, but also healthy.
Ingredients for Lime Lemonade:
- tarragon greens with stems – 200 g;
- lime – 2 pc.;
- sugar – 1 glass;
- water can be added to taste.
To prepare a drink, the greens along with the stems are finely chopped with a knife, sugar is added and, adding a little water, boiled in a water bath. When the composition becomes a little viscous, it is decanted and diluted with lime juice. This syrup is diluted with mineral water to taste just before serving.
How to make tarragon from dry tarragon
You can make Tarragon at home not only from fresh herbs. Home-dried herbs or store-bought seasoning are also great for making lemonade. Its color and taste will differ from the traditional one, but will become more spicy and spicy.
Ingredients:
- dry, chopped tarragon grass – 2 tbsp. l.;
- drinking water – 250 ml;
- sugar – 100 g;
- lemon juice – 50 g;
- mineral water to taste.
Dry tarragon grass is not recommended to be boiled for a long time, therefore, to obtain a fragrant drink, the raw materials are insisted for a long time. The syrup is not thickened, but a sweet infusion is used.
Preparation:
- Grass is poured with water, pour sugar, bring to a boil.
- Cover tightly with a lid and leave to obtain an aqueous extract.
- After a few hours, when the liquid acquires a characteristic color, the composition can be filtered. The best result is obtained after 24 hours of settling.
The resulting concentrated extract is diluted with mineral water twice, lemon juice is poured in, bringing to the desired taste. You can replace dry grass with tarragon in any lemonade recipe.
How to cook tarragon with honey at home
The amount of sugar in lemonade is arbitrarily regulated, the quality of the drink does not suffer from this, and the calorie content is significantly reduced. If desired, the sweetness of Tarragon at home can be given by adding honey. In this case, sugar is replaced both completely in the same amount, and partially.
Tarragon compote with gooseberries
The original combination is obtained by adding tarragon to fruit and berry compotes. Green gooseberries with an emerald hue of spicy grass look especially impressive.
It is not necessary to grind the tarragon for this method of making lemonade. A few sprigs of tarragon are added to the hot gooseberry compote immediately after the stove is turned off. Insist under the lid until the drink cools, take out the herb and drink the drink chilled.
For 3 liters of compote, no more than 4 sprigs of fresh herbs or 3 tbsp. l. dry tarragon. In the latter case, the drink will have to be filtered. A good combination is obtained if, along with tarragon, add a few shoots of mint and lemon balm.
Recipe for homemade tarragon, mint and strawberry lemonade
All components in such a drink are used fresh, so the taste of lemonade is light, refreshing. No pots are needed for cooking. All components are put immediately into a decanter, in which Tarragon is supposed to be served.
Composition:
- a bunch of tarragon;
- a few sprigs of mint;
- lemon or lime juice to taste;
- at least 6 large strawberries;
- filtered water.
Sugar is added to this lemonade to taste. For one liter of drink you will need at least 50 g.
Cooking Tarragon with strawberries:
- Citrus fruits are cut together with the peel into small fragments. The juice is squeezed into a jug, and slices are sent there.
- Sprigs of greens are laid on top of lemons, berries are added, sugar is added.
- Pour 1/3 of the jug with hot water, cover and leave to infuse.
Mineral water is added to the cooled drink to the top of the decanter, ice cubes are added and served. At home, any Tarragon recipes can be repeated without soda, the refreshing taste and unusual sharpness of the drink are perfectly manifested with ordinary water.
Refreshing tarragon tea recipe
Menthol flavor and fresh aroma of tarragon is appropriate not only in chilled drinks. The tarragon added when brewing tea also helps to cheer up and endure the heat. No wonder the Eastern peoples quench their thirst with hot drinks.
Preparation of green tea with tarragon:
- prepare a mixture of 2 tsp. green tea, 1 tsp. dried tarragon and a few pieces of dried pomegranate peel;
- pour the mixture into a large teapot, pour boiling water in an amount of 250 ml;
- insist tea for at least 10 minutes, then add another 250 ml of boiling water;
- after 10 minutes, the drink can be tasted.
Infusion of tarragon in a hot drink occurs until it cools down. Then you can add ice to tea and use it like regular lemonade.
Conclusion
Tarragon drink recipes at home are designed for a few minutes, they can take several hours or even days. Everyone can choose a convenient way to make lemonade or create their own unique recipe. The benefits of tarragon in homemade drinks are fully preserved and can be supplemented with a variety of ingredients for every taste.