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It’s time for tea, tea and more tea

December 28, 2014 by

Adagio loose leaf apple spiced chai

In the post-Christmas wind-down, Rich and I have both managed to catch the lurgie. Whilst we’re not particularly full of cold, we’re not able to control our temperatures very well (lots of being covered in blankets and clutching of hot water bottles going on), sore throats, and much fatigue. So boring. So it’s been somewhat of a relief and good timing to review some soothing, healthy teas from Adagio.

When I was contacted and asked whether I’d be interested in reviewing these loose-leaf tea blends, I jumped at the chance. 2015 is going to be a year focused on regaining my health, strength and fitness so finding a drinkable alternative to sugar-free squash is a good start. I requested for them to send over a selection of healthy teas since I’m not a black tea drinker at all (although Rich is, he could easily down six or more cups in a day).

They arrived before Christmas but we had to wait until Christmas Day for Rich to open his new swish OXO tea ball strainer, so that we could brew the loose leaf tea properly. We’ve since been sampling the various blends, including Spiced Apple Chai (my favourite so far), foxtrot (“a herbal cocktail of Egyptian chamomile, South African rooibos (with a touch of vanilla) and fresh peppermint”), Hojicha, Berry Blues (“a smooth and slightly tart blend of blueberries, apple pieces and hibiscus flowers”) as well as a whole host of loose leaf green tea blends.

Loose leaf spiced apple chai tea

The spiced apple chai loose leaf tea in the OXO good grips tea twisting ball strainer… enough for 3-4 mugs of tea

I’ve struggled in the past with pure green tea – although at one point I had “trained” myself to down a small pot within a morning at work – so for me, a green tea blend is a great way to try and stay hydrated and enjoy the various health benefits of green tea. The ball-type tea strainer we have has been really useful in helping us to achieve the strength of tea flavour that we want, and we’ve been able to share one scoops’ worth of tea in two cups easily, so there’s value for money to be had there.

I haven’t tried all of the teas yet, but I’m looking forward to taking them to work (the smaller samples come into foil fresh resealable packets) and being able to enjoy a proper cup of something calming and healthy whilst I work, rather than coming home wired and tired!

Filed Under: fruit, herbs, product review, vegan Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Feverfew Tea

June 13, 2014 by

feverfew

I love the common name of many herbs and plants used in traditional medicines, and feverfew is no exception. We have masses of fewerfew cropping up all over the place at The Smallest Smallholding but it’s only recently that I’ve begun to properly look into its medicinal qualities.

Feverfew can be used as a tea to soothe nerves and hinder migraines, and as a tincture (herbal extract) for insect bites and itches. Although I don’t suffer from migraines, I am prone to bouts of “nerves” and anxiety, so I thought I might as well try to make a quick and easy feverfew tea.

Firstly, I had to cut a bunch of feverfew and dry the stems and flowers for a few weeks. This should provide a plentiful supply of dried “herbs” for the tea.

Once the feverfew has dried, all it takes is just a pint of boiling water poured over 1oz of dried feverfew to make the tea. Half a cup is the recommended amount, and like chamomile tea, drink several times a day if your nerves are getting the better of you!

Disclaimer: Feverfew tea and tinctures are not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers, children under two years old and those sensitive to sensitive to plants of the Ragweed family, or allergic to pyrethrins.

Filed Under: flowers, herbs, recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,