Basil Tisane

Allow two teaspoons of the dried herb for each cup of tisane. Place the basil in a warmed pot, pour a measured amount of boiling water over it and cover. Allow it to steep for ten to fifteen minutes -- no more -- and strain. It's not a good idea to increase the steeping time as too much exposure to heat will result in a loss of the volatile oils through evaporation. Tisanes deteriorate with time and have a relatively short shelf life. If you want to serve it as an iced tea, cool and strain the liquid, pour into a jar with a lid and refrigerate for no more than twenty four hours.