Cedrón with Lemon Zest and Honey
Lemon verbena steeped at 95°C under a lid with a strip of fresh lemon zest and a spoon of honey: pale, intensely lemony and caffeine-free — the classic after-dinner cup in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
In Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, a cup of cedrón after dinner is as ritualized as espresso in Italy. The lemon-verbena leaves brew into a pale, brilliantly aromatic infusion that smells of fresh lemon candy and tastes clean, slightly sweet, and deeply settling.
In our catalog cedrón is caffeine level 0 and sits after meals and at night: it is the cup that closes dinner, lighter and sweeter in the mouth than stronger herbs like boldo, with none of their bitterness. Sip it slowly twenty minutes after eating, when the table has been cleared.
Technique matters: our catalog brews cedrón at 95°C for 5 minutes, just off the boil rather than at a rolling boil. Cedrón's volatile oils are delicate and leave with the steam, so cover the cup the moment the water goes in. A covered five-minute steep gives you the brightest, most aromatic cup.
Use fresh leaves whenever you can find them; the aroma is incomparable. Dried cedrón is excellent too, but it loses some of the fresh citrus brightness. Either way, a thin sliver of lemon zest in the cup amplifies the natural lemon character of the herb.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp fresh cedrón leaves (or 2 tsp dried)
- 1 cup hot water (95°C)
- 1 thin strip of fresh lemon zest
- 1 tsp honey (optional)
- 1 small lemon wedge
- 1 fresh cedrón sprig for garnish
How to make it
- 1Place cedrón leaves and the strip of lemon zest in a small teapot or covered mug.
- 2Pour water heated to 95°C over the leaves and cover immediately to trap the aromatics.
- 3Steep for 5 minutes covered.
- 4Strain into a clean cup. Stir in honey if using.
- 5Squeeze a small lemon wedge over the cup and serve with a fresh cedrón sprig.
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