One reason why Ikarians live so long is the stuff they imbibe: Greek coffee (simmered in a special pot, called a briki–see how to make it here; strong wine diluted with water; and herbal teas, lots of them, including everything from oregano (rigani) for coughs and chest colds to mountain tea, in the sage family, for calmness. It’s easy to make these teas: just bring a few cups of water to a boil, turn off the heat, steep the dried herbs inside–a small handful of twigs suffices–cover for a few minutes then strain into a tea pot or cup.

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