When you have a large crop of catnip from the garden or farmstand, you don't have time to casually include it in complicated recipes or to frantically figure out how to use it up before it goes bad without getting sick of it. You want to make the most of your harvest and to actually enjoy it.
Here at Plant to Plate, we like to keep things simple! Here are some of my favorite ways to use or preserve catnip:
- Make a tea. Catnip tea is best prepared as an infusion. It blends well with any of the following:
- Peppermint and ginger as a hot infusion
- Hibiscus and marshmallow as a cold infusion
- Lemon balm, lavender, and chamomile as a child-friendly blend
- Spearmint and fennel leaf
- Peppermint and rose petals
- Add it to soups and broths. Catnip was traditionally known as a "pot herb" – an herb commonly used in soups, stews, and broths – particularly in northern Europe. It is still well-suited for this use.
- Make a tincture. The suggested herb:solvent ratio for a catnip tincture is 1:5 in 25% alcohol.
- Dry it for later use in any of the above preparations. Like most herbs, dried catnip retains its best quality and potency for 1 year. See our How to Dry Your Herbs articles here for more information.
- Freeze it whole or chopped.
Further Reading
Growing catnip? Check out these quick facts like its best growing conditions, companion plants, and expected yields.
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