Herbal Tea; Is Honeysuckle a Good Ingredient

Honeysuckle, which is sometimes called woodbine, happens to be one of the oldest herbs recorded in medicinal history.
In traditional Chinese medicine, honeysuckle has been used for thousands of years. Numerous sources quote the first known and documented reference to honeysuckle as a medicinal plant as the Tan Ben Cao. This was a Chinese text that was written in A.D. 659.
The Chinese considered honeysuckle to be one of the most important herbs for releasing poisons and toxic build ups from the body. It has also been reported to be useful as an aid for asthma symptoms, and reducing fever. The flower buds themselves, prior to opening are highly prized, and the Chinese call them Jin Yin Hua,






That is why I like to start picking early in the season, so I get a lot of Jin Yin Hua, like the ones I am holding at left.
















All of my herbs and blossoms are very carefully handpicked, and laid out to dry. No production line here.
I gather using small flat trays, because I do not want them to pile up deeply and compact overly much.












Then I move them to drying screens. I do a partial, highly supervised, sun drying phase for the first 3 days after picking. I do not want them to burn, or dry too quickly. The screens are moved from inside to outside, as necessary, to properly dry and seal in the flavor, aroma, and color. This is the same process used for all of my ingredients.











You would not believe how heavenly it smells when you open the door to the room where they are final drying.