Cretan Diktamo Tea (Δίκταμο Κρήτης)

Cretan diktamo is Crete's mountain tea, made from the island's own wild dittany, Origanum dictamnus, a soft-leaved herb the Cretans call erontas, love. It is not boiled like a decoction. It is steeped, covered, until the cup turns pale gold and smells faintly of oregano, thyme, and dry stone after sun.

The whole method rests on restraint. Pour hot water over the flowering tops, cover the pot, and leave it alone for a few minutes. That lid matters because the scent of diktamo is carried in delicate oils, and an open pot gives them to the kitchen instead of the cup. Good herb, clean water, patience. Λίγα και καλά.

I make it in small cups, not in a great pot to be forgotten on the stove. Honey is allowed, especially Cretan thyme honey, but only a little. The herb should still speak. Your grandmother cooked by eye because she'd made it a thousand times. Here are the numbers until you have.