White zouta (thyme-leaved calamint)

Clinopodium serpyllifolium

infusion

Zuta levana: mint-scented leaves, drunk as a tea for generations.

Origin

Levant (Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan)

Where to find it

On the limestone rocks of the hills of Galilee, the Golan and Lebanon.

Season (United States)

January to March

Preparation

One teaspoon of dried leaves per cup, five to ten minutes in barely simmering water; the infusion is strained and drunk.

Did you know?

It is a shrubby savory of the Levant's rocky ground.