Ionian Louiza (Λουΐζα)

Ionian louiza is lemon verbena tea from the courtyard pot, the kind of drink that belongs to summer houses and shaded balconies from Corfu down to Zakynthos. It is pale in the cup, almost shy, but the scent is sharp and clean: lemon leaf, not lemon juice.

The method is small, and it matters. Tear the leaves before steeping them. Don't mince them, don't boil them hard, and don't leave them sulking in the pot until they turn bitter. Tear, cover, wait. That is enough.

I keep louiza for the end of a meal, especially outdoors, when the plates are cleared and no one wants another sweet. In my notebook the measures are simple because the drink is simple. Λίγα και καλά: good leaves, fresh water, patience for five minutes.