Lemon Verbena, the perfect summer herb

Lemon verbena, while not a particularly attractive plant, has such wonderful flavor and aroma it is an essential herb in my garden. The taste of lemon verbena sends me back to my childhood, sucking on lemon drops, a candy I found very grown-up and elegant (I thought the same of butter mints).

I love to throw a few sprigs into my sun tea as it steeps. When I am having company I make a flavored syrup for sweetening iced tea (I prefer mine unsweetened, but the inclusion of lemon verbena adds a sharp, sweet flavor).

Ah, 2 of my favorite flavors of summer, lemon verbena (in the canning jar after making syrup) and sweet cherry tomatoes. This is 2 days of harvest on one Sweet Million tomato plant. It is the only tomato in the garden that is still blooming and setting fruit.

Lemon Verbena Simple Syrup

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

4 (6-inch) sprigs lemon verbena

Bring the water and sugar to a boiling and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, add lemon verbena and let steep until cool. Strain through a seive or coffee filter. Keep refrigerated.

This is good in hot or cold tea, over vanilla ice cream or to make a Lemon Drop cocktail.

One of my friends over for dinner the other night was thrilled about the simple syrup. She said her grandmother made many different types of flavored simple syrup. I will have to try some of her grandmother's recipes.