This winter, try customizing your herbal tea with dried fruits, herbs, and spices. Be adventurous: Poke around in your spice drawer or peruse the market. If it smells good and has a hint of sweetness, it will likely make a tasty tea. Gift your unique blends to fellow tea-totalers in recycled condiment jars.

Persian Spice tea with Rose Petals and Cardamom Rose petals are a key ingredient in advieh, a classic Persian spice mix that often includes cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Find rose petals at Middle Eastern and gourmet food stores, or online at kalamala.com—or use more widely available rose water.

2¼ c water
½ t ground cardamom
¼ t ground cinnamon
1 T dried rose petals or 2 t rose water
5 whole cloves

In a small saucepan, bring 2¼ cups of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add all ingredients. Turn off the heat and let the tea steep, covered, for 5 minutes. Strain through a coffee filter and drink.

Christmas Basket: Orange and Quince

Quince is a hard fruit with a sweet fragrance of citrus and apple. Along with oranges, quince has been a traditional part of European Christmas meals since medieval times.

3 organic oranges
2 quinces

1. Scrub the oranges and quinces, and dry well. Using a carrot peeler, peel the oranges carefully to remove only the orange part of the rind. Peel the quinces into thin strips, all the way down to the core.
2. Lay the orange rind and quince shavings on a cooling rack or screen. Put the rack in a warm place, like a stovetop, and allow to dry for 24-48 hours. Mix the orange and quince together, and store at room temperature in an airtight glass container.
3. To serve, fill a tea ball with the dried orange and quince, place it in a mug, and cover with water that has just boiled. Steep for 3-5 minutes before drinking.

Cold Soother: Meyer Lemon and Ginger

Lemon and ginger, a classic formula for treating winter colds, can be made slightly sweeter with mild Meyer lemons. Originally bred in China, Meyer lemons are believed to be a cross between lemons and mandarin oranges, with a floral fragrance and orange-hued flesh.

3 organic Meyer lemons
2-inch piece of ginger

1. Scrub the lemons and ginger, and dry well . Using a carrot peeler, peel the lemons  carefully to remove only the yellow part of the rind. Peel the ginger into thin strips (you can use the skin and the flesh).
2. Lay the lemon rind and ginger shavings on a cooling rack or screen. Put the rack in a warm place, like a stovetop, and allow to dry for 24-48 hours. Mix the lemon and ginger together, and store at room temperature in an airtight glass container.
3. To serve, fill a tea ball with the dried lemon and ginger, place it in a mug, and cover with water that has just boiled. Steep for 3-5 minutes before drinking.

Need caffeine? Add a teaspoon or two of black tea to any of the recipes above for a kick. For a fruity, aromatic version of hot chocolate, brew any of the above teas in warm milk, then stir in a spoonful of cocoa powder and sweeten to taste.

Check out more herbal tea recipes.