Tempted to Try

Burdock root tea wasn’t familiar to me. It’s more common in cooking and as a tisane in East Asian cultures. Interestingly enough, I also read that some Native Americans also used burdock root. Given my excellent experience with the other herbals I’ve tried from Soocha Tea, I was eager to try.

The first thing I noticed about the tea was how the dried root looks like chipped wood. Next, I was surprised how little burdock root it took to create a very flavorful brew that could be steeped many times.

Steeping and Tasting Notes

How to Steep Burdock Root Tea

I followed the advice on Soocha Tea’s package to steep the burdock root tea, while figuring out how to convert the gram measurement so I wouldn’t have to break out my scale every time I’d like to enjoy this tisane.

• Amount of dried burdock root: 2 grams (about 1 tsp of burdock root, gently shaken to fill efficiently)
• Quantity of water: 8 ounces (about 250 ml)
• Temperature: Boiling (212 F or 100 C)
• Steep time: 3-5 minutes
• Number of steeps: I enjoyed 3 and stopped because I had enough liquid (lol). But, Soocha Tea’s website says you can steep it more than 5 times, increasingly the length of each steep.

Tasting Notes for Burdock Root Tea

To me, burdock root tea has wonderful and nostalgic aromas and flavors. It reminds me of roasted peanuts and caramelized corn–taking me right back to my childhood and the special occasions when I was given a box of Cracker Jack.

Roasted sweet potato and a touch of hickory smoke round out the aroma and flavor notes for me. The notes rebalance over multiple steeps, but I could still find all of those flavors in the first three steeps.

It’s a lovely tisane that packs a lot of flavor over multiple infusions.

This root tea brews up a rich amber color–a color that reminds me of some black and darker oolong teas.

Potential Benefits and Warnings for Burdock Root

Any natural herb or root can have possible positive and negative impacts. So, let’s overview the potential pros and cons of burdock root tea. This research, of course, should not replace consulting your health care provider.

WebMD reports that burdock root has been studied for its potential to reduce chronic inflammation, slow or prevent some cancers, and help some skin conditions. Healthline also reports the root “may lower blood sugar levels.”

Healthline also notes that burdock root hasn’t been studied enough to know safe use in children. Thus, they counsel against giving it to children without consulting a pediatrician. They also caution that pregnant or nursing women shouldn’t use it without a doctor’s advice.

Additionally, people allergic to chrysanthemums or daisies, they point out, could “be at an increased risk of having an allergic reaction to burdock root and should avoid it.” Soocha Tea’s website expands this warning to people “allergic to the Asteraceae/Compositae family (ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies, and many others).”

Finally, burdock root is naturally a diuretic. So, WebMD and Healthline both urge avoiding it if you are dehydrated or taking diuretic medicines.

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I have been drinking pink rose and pink rosebud tea for some time. Yellow rosebuds, by contrast, are relatively new to me. Realizing I had two different colored rosebud herbal teas, both grown in Iran, made me curious to compare them. The results surprised me!

Comparing the Dry Rosebuds

The colors of both of the dried rosebuds are pretty and vibrant. They each contain the bud, sepals (green leafy structures around the bud) and the hip (the tiny bulb at the bottom where the seeds are).

The aroma of the different colored dry buds differs! Whereas the pink buds smell primarily rosy, the yellow buds smell mildly like green banana with a hint of rose.

My Steeping Parameters

From experience, I know I enjoy rosebud tea with a lighter touch than is often recommended on the packages. So, I weighed 1.5 grams of each of the rosebuds and used my standard 150 ml cupping set to compare them. I heated my water to around 205F (93C) and steeped the rosebuds for 4.5 minutes.

Side note: Although the photo above shows more yellow than pink rosebuds, they weighed the same.

Comparing the Rosebud Tea Infusions

In this carefully controlled steep of the same weight of rosebuds, the yellow rosebuds actually steeped a bit more golden than the pink rosebuds. The color was a little bolder.

In the infusion from the yellow rosebuds, I detected the flavors of slightly green banana, rose, and something woody. It was pleasant and a bit silky in terms of mouthfeel.

The pink rosebud tea steeped a paler golden color compared to the yellow rosebuds.

In the infusion, the flavor was predominantly rosy, with a noticeable “spicy” note that reminded me of ginger. The mouthfeel of the infusion from the pink rosebuds was noticeably silkier than one from the yellow rosebuds. It felt even more soothing in my throat, too.

Other Thoughts on Rosebud Tea

You can drink rosebud tisane because you enjoy the flavor, the beauty, the mouthfeel, and/or how it feels in your body. Drinking rosebud tea makes me relaxed and comforted. I particularly enjoy sipping them later in the afternoon or evening. I haven’t tried making rosebud tea using a cold steep yet. That’s on my summer agenda, for sure!

Also, rose may have potential health benefits. Rose has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine and more recent studies show rose contains phytonutrients and vitamins C, A, and E, iron, and calcium. (Source: WebMD : “Rose Tea: Is it Good for You?”) Like with ANY herbal, it’s always a good idea to buy from a reputable vendor. Importantly, also look up any precautions or potential side effects and consult your doctor.

I’ll close with two reflections that surprised me. First, it’s interesting that I have to use the word “rose” or “rosy” to describe the aroma and flavor that is stronger in the pink rosebud tisane than the yellow one. I know we shouldn’t use the word for a thing to describe it. I would also add that the “rose” flavor and aroma is strongest of all in the Crimson Rose tea I discussed in a previous post about herbal teas. Surprisingly, what I have long thought of as “rose” flavor doesn’t predominate in all kind and colors of rose/rosebud teas!

The post Rosebud Tea: Yellow vs. Pink appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

I am a long time devotee of “real tea” (from the Camellia Sinensis plant) and relatively late to discovering herbal teas that I enjoy drinking regularly. No one was more surprised than I was when I wrote my first Herbal Tea Recommendations post a few months ago! Since then, I’ve found two new tisanes to add to my recommendations.

Note: always research any potential health risks associated with herbal teas before you try them.

T-Shop Introduces Me to New Herbals

Not too long ago, I went into nearby NYC for a lovely “tea journey” session at T-Shop in the Nolita area of Manhattan. In addition to drinking “real” teas, I tried persimmon leaf tea. Although I had tried and enjoyed persimmon tea before, this one was different…and even more to my taste. I also purchased magnolia blossoms to try later.

Persimmon Leaf Herbal Tea

The first time I tried a persimmon leaf infusion, I was so skeptical. Before then, I only had a few reference points for persimmons.

The first time I heard of them was reading Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Two of the main characters, Huck and Jim, comically decide that persimmons will be one of the two edible things they won’t steal anymore. Huck mentions he never liked persimmons anyway.

Years later, a neighbor kindly gave us some persimmons. Without any experience, I think we tried them when they were emphatically not ripe. They were bitter and incredibly astringent–not so pleasant to eat.

So, when first offered persimmon leaf tea, I wasn’t expecting to like it. But, I found it pleasant. At T-Shop, the persimmon leaves looked very different than the previous tisane I had. They must have been processed differently: the leaves were twisted and reminded me of oolong teas I have seen. The flavor was also deeper. And, I could taste a tantalizing base flavor.

I identified that flavor as the pleasant note in persimmons I had previously tried but had not fully registered due to the extreme astringency in the unripe fruit. The steeped tisane does have a mild astringency-the pleasant kind that adds interest. The aroma and flavor in the persimmon leaf tisane remind me of lightly toasted Fruit Loops–if they had a gourmet version and it included persimmon. (I wish I had a reference that isn’t a children’s cereal. But, this is exactly what pops into my mind when I sip it.)

The more I drink this tisane at home, the more I love it. The twisted leaves, the color of the steeped tea, and even the depth of flavor reminds me very favorably of oolong teas. These factors definitely add to the pleasure of steeping and sipping it.

Magnolia Blossom Tisane

Although I’ve long admired the beauty of magnolia blossoms, I didn’t know until this year that some varieties are edible.

I can’t believe how flavorful they are! I steep one blossom a little under a minute in 300 ml of water. The blossom performs a beautiful dance as you pour the water over it.

The tisane color is light but the flavor is potent. It tastes remarkably like ginger to me.

There are some health warnings for pregnant women to avoid this tisane, and other cautions worth checking out before you try…as with any herbal.

Your Experience?

Have you tried persimmon leaf and magnolia blossom herbal teas? What did you think? Any steeping tips you’d like to share?

The post Persimmon Leaf and Magnolia Blossom Herbal Teas appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

I’ve always been primarily a non-herbal tea drinker. It took me years to find herbal teas that I really enjoy. In this post, I’m happy to highlight seven that I love.

Before I jump into newer finds and some herbal tea favorites that I still love, I’ll mention that sometimes people (including me) use the word “tisane” for “herbal tea.” These words mean the same thing.

The defining feature of herbal tea is that is it is a plant-based infusion that is not from the Camellia sinensis plant–the plant from which regular tea is made. Generally speaking, tisanes don’t have caffeine. (But, there are exceptions!) None of the herbal teas in this post contain caffeine to the best of my knowledge.

I share seven herbal tea recommendations in this post:

• Lemon Ginger Honey
• Korean Mistletoe
• Barley Sprout
• Crimson Rose
• Plum Blossom
• Iranian herbal tea
• Carrot Cake blend

My Longest Loved Herbal Tea

My first herbal tea recommendation is the one that I have loved for the longest. It is a homemade lemon ginger honey decoction. I recommend this herbal tea during cool or cold weather. I also crave it when I have a cold or feel run down. My daughter loves it, too.

Here’s how I make it.

• Simmer freshly sliced ginger root in water for about five minutes.
• Remove from heat and let it steep, covered, about five more minutes.
• After that, stir in honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Pour into a mug and slip in a fresh lemon slice.

My mom used to make me lemon honey herbal tea when I was growing up. I usually add ginger these days. Even though I have moved away, every year she gives me delicious honey from that she buys from a beekeeper that she knows. So, I always think of her as I stir in the honey.

More Tisanes That I Love

My love for warm and delicious beverages has long been greater than my ability to drink caffeine. So, I started intentionally looking for more herbal teas that I loved a few years ago. (Check out my post, Tisane Recommendations to Match Your Tea Mood.) But, I never thought I would enjoy them enough to share another post with herbal tea recommendations. I am so glad to be wrong about that!

I was delighted to find two Korean herbal teas to recommend.

Korean Mistletoe looks like sticks because, well it is. It tastes sweet, with notes of raisin, dates, and sweet potato. It has a woodsy flavor, too. Sometimes, the aroma reminds me of graham crackers. Some people also find this herbal tea malty. I enjoy it hot or iced. (Note: some varieties of mistletoe are not safe to drink. Make sure to buy from a reputable seller.)

Korean Barley Sprout leaves are green, thin and pointy. They resemble green tea. Barley sprout’s flavor profile also reminds me of some Japanese green teas, with a flavor that is umami and savory, tasting of garden greens and toasted nori. It also has a mild nutty flavor. This is my go-to herbal tea when I am craving green tea but don’t want caffeine.

These two teas are definitely on my list of herbal tea recommendations! I have only ever bought them from Soocha Tea. So, I can recommend that shop with great confidence. (Full disclosure: I have collaborated with Soocha Tea; however, I paid full price for these herbal teas. This post is not sponsored.)

Recently Discovered Herbal Tea Recommendations

Although I have long enjoyed rose tisanes (and rose and cardamom tisanes), my generous friend Taniya from Yoga, Tea, Poetry introduced me to a particular rose tisane that has become a new(er) favorite.

I love the Organic Crimson Rose from Cultivate Tea. It has a particularly lovely flavor, the rose buds are big enough that even one is very flavorful for many steeps in a typical gaiwan (and works great for bowl tea). The color is also gorgeous. (The rosebud and the infusion turn a delightful pink while steeping.) This one is also great hot or chilled.

You can find Organic Crimson Rose here.

When reordering Crimson Rose a few months ago, Cultivate Tea’s Plum Blossom tisane caught my eye. I’m so glad it did! I know blossom tea may seem like a spring affair, but according to Cultivate Tea’s website, “[p]lum trees bloom in the depth of winter.” If you love marzipan (and I do!), you will love this tisane for its aromatics and flavor.

Side benefit: The recommended steeping time for Plum Blossom is relatively short for an herbal tea (30 seconds – 2 minutes), so if you love gongfu tea, this recommendation is great to make in a gaiwan. You can find Plum Blossom herbal tea here.

Does it sound fun to customize your own herbal blends? Try the beautiful and delightful Iranian herbs carried by Chai Affairs. Using a base recipe that Mona, the owner, helpfully included, I enjoyed experimenting. I found a variation that’s perfect for me. I use her borage petals, dried quince, rose buds, and just a touch of orange blossom & peels.

You can find Iranian herbals for tea here.

Unlikeliest Herbal Blend I Love

I know many people love dessert-themed blends of herbal teas, but I have never been a fan of any…until now!

A few months ago, my daughter and I visited Clipper Ship Tea Company on Long Island (New York). It’s about a 30-minute drive from my house with good traffic. It has taken us a while to visit, however, because we tend to be in that area in the evening, when the shop is closed.

I wanted to support this local tea store, so in addition to my daughter’s choices, I added Carrot Cake, an herbal blend, to our purchases. The ingredients all looked good. Also, I was intrigued. I do, after all, love actual carrot cake.

Given my history with dessert blends, I still thought it was a long shot that I would enjoy this blend. I was so surprised! I love the Carrot Cake herbal tea blend, as does my daughter. We enjoy it plain or as a tea latte with a touch of sugar. So good! Hats off to the tea-blending skills of Melissa, the owner of Clipper Ship Tea Company.

Herbals, Tea, and Relaxation

Besides the flavor, many people choose caffeine-free herbal teas to engage in the relaxing ritual of steeping and enjoying a cup of herbal tea at any time of day or evening. In fact, tea with caffeine has a long history of being used in meditative and mindfulness practices. If you like the idea of receiving resources to help you conveniently engage in tea (or herbal tea) and mindfulness practices–elevated and restorative tea breaks, in a sense–you might be interested in my Rest Kit for Tea Lovers. My online kit shares everything but the tea to help you build restorative tea breaks into busy days.

Your Thoughts?

Have you ever tried any of the tisanes I mentioned? If so, what did you think? Do you have herbal tea recommendations that you think I would love, based on those I already shared? I would love to hear from you.

The post Herbal Tea Recommendations appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

Tisane and Tea Chart

The chart, above, is subjective, of course. It shares which tisane I will reach for if I am craving certain tea flavors and don’t want (or can’t have) more caffeine. I hope it helps you with tisane recommendations to match your tea mood.

Recommended Vendors

You can buy herbal teas from many different places. If you don’t already have a preferred vendor, I highly recommend SerendipiTEA’s Honeybush and Soocha Tea’s Mistletoe and Barley Sprout. I don’t have a financial relationship with either company. I simply enjoy their teas and tisanes. [Update: Almost two years after writing this post, I still love these tisanes. I have also started collaborating occasionally with Soocha Tea in mid-2023.]

In the mood for a flowery, pink, and spice-centered caffeine-free latte? You might enjoy my Rose Cardamom Latte recipe.

Maybe you are just getting started with loose leaf teas or tisanes and are interested in a few tips. You could check up my post How to Get Started with Loose Leaf Tea.

Which tisane do you reach for if you are in a particular tea mood? I would love to know. If you give this tea mood chart a try, I’d also enjoy hearing how it worked out for you.

Since writing this post, I’ve shared another with more herbal tea recommendations.

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After a lot of experimenting, I have developed a caffeine-free latte that I love. If you enjoy rose and masala chai flavors like cardamom, you might love it, too.

Don’t be discouraged from trying the Rose Cardamom Latte recipe if you don’t own a frother. You can enjoy it without frothing the milk, or follow my easy directions for how to froth milk on the stovetop. Below the recipe, I will share a few tips to consider for customizing the latte.

Prefer a non-dairy, more mocktail-looking version? Check out my Rose Ginger Bubbler variation on the “Valentines Teas and Tisanes” post. It’s a gorgeous, vibrant pink and so good!

Print

Rose Cardamom Latte

a delicious pink latte made of all natural ingredients

Servings 1 person

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp dried organic rose petals (or buds and petals)
• 2 tsp honeybush leaves
• 3 pods green cardamom
• 1/8-1/4 tsp beet root powder
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup (or to taste)
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 1/3-1/2 cup milk (Use ultra-pasteurized milk if you will froth it on the stovetop.)

Instructions

• Crack the cardamom pods. Combine them in a mug with the dried rose petals, honeybush leaves, beet root powder, and maple syrup.
• Pour the boiling water over the ingredients and steep, covered, for 5 minutes.
• While the tisane is steeping, froth the milk.
• After 5 minutes, stir the tisane. Then, pour it through a strainer into another mug.
• Gently pour or spoon frothed milk on top of the tisane.
• Once it's cool enough, sip your latte and enjoy!

A Few Tips to Customize the Latte

The first thing I want to say about this recipe is the beet root powder is what makes it robustly pink. The more you use, the pinker the latte. That said, although I enjoy the taste and complexity that beet root powder adds, I prefer my Rose Cardamom Latte with closer to 1/8 teaspoon than 1/4 teaspoon of beet root powder. Still, it’s good both ways.

Another thing worth mentioning is the choice of maple syrup as a sweetener. Daniela from Tea Cachai’s wonderful recipe accustomed me to using maple syrup in my rose lattes. When I started experimenting with the Rose Cardamom Latte recipe, I thought I would prefer sugar or honey. Although I enjoyed the latte with other sweeteners, I think maple syrup tastes the best.

You might want to adjust the amount of sweetener. I like my drinks less sweet than many people. So, don’t be afraid to double the sweetener if you find it too lightly sweetened for your preference.

Finally, of course you could make this latte with a dairy substitute. If you do and find a milk-substitute that you think works really well in this recipe, please let me know. I’ll add it to the post and credit you as well.

If you have any questions or try the recipe, please share what you think.

In the mood for an iced, citrus-based drink? You might enjoy my Grapefruit Bee’s Knees Mocktail.

The post How to Make a Rose Cardamom Latte appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

What’s more Galentine’s and Valentine’s than chocolate, pink, and red? Here’s a fun way, with a twist, to infuse the flavor of chocolate and the colors of the holiday into your February. I heartily recommend three Valentine’s teas and three Valentine’s tisanes that will get the job done deliciously.

Valentine’s Teas

Black Teas with Chocolate Notes

I have never loved teas with added chocolate “flavoring.” (If you know one, please let me know in the comments!) Happily, some unflavored teas–i.e., pure leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant–naturally have delicious chocolate notes. Let’s start with three teas that don’t contain any added ingredients or flavors, but deliver chocolate in their flavor profiles. 

Black Matcha according to the Tea Dealer’s website, is a black tea from Korea, “stone ground using the same machines as traditional Japanese matcha, resulting in a powdered tea similar to what was used during the Song dynasty in China.” (It’s powdered Balhyo Cha tea, I later learned from Soocha Tea.) Tea Dealers’ tasting notes for Black Matcha include cocoa. The first time I saw the tea, I was sure it really was cocoa powder and that I had misread the description! When I whisked up a bowl, I couldn’t get over the deep cocoa flavor in this tea! My favorite way to prepare Black Matcha is with cooler water than recommended. At around 160F, it whisks well and delivers maximum cocoa notes. It’s also delicious as a latte. (You can read more about this multiple ways to serve this tea in this post I wrote focusing on Balhyo Cha.)

Feng Huang is a hong cha (what is called “red tea” in China and “black tea” in the West ). It’s great brewed and served hot. I never noticed any chocolate notes when preparing it the traditional way. The description from Camellia Sinensis–the Canadian tea store from which I bought it–also doesn’t mention chocolate in the tasting notes. (Fair enough: tasting notes are based on how a tea tastes brewed the traditional way.) One summer I cold steeped it and I was very surprised by the delicious chocolate flavor that appeared! Cold steeping is an easy and low-energy way to make delicious iced tea. For the basics on how to cold steep tea, check out this helpful guide by Sara @tea_happiness, a knowledgeable tea blogger.

Matcha That Tastes of Chocolate

Kiwami from Kettl, is a matcha with pronounced chocolate notes. I was skeptical when I read the tasting notes–“creamy, chocolatey matcha tea with zero astringency and a long lasting finish.” How could a pure matcha taste anything like chocolate? I don’t know how, but it absolutely does take like cream and chocolate. This matcha delivers lush flavors and umami. Kiwami has pushed my understanding of how complex, delicious, and naturally sweet a very high-quality matcha can be. Whisk up a bowl or chawan of Kiwami and enjoy the chocolate notes in this matcha.

What goes better with tea than cookies? If you are interested in baking some homemade cookies to go with your Valentine’s teas, check out my post on Earl Grey and Orange Zest Shortbread Cookies!

Looking for tea-infused chocolates, I’ve got you covered with another post: “Tea-Infused Chocolates to Delight.”

Pink Valentine’s Tisanes

Maybe you would like to avoid caffeine, or would simply enjoy a pink latte or tisane to toast Galentine’s or Valentine’s Day. I recommend some delicious Valentine’s tisanes.

For a lovely floral latte, try this beautiful and aromatic recipe from a wonderful tea blogger with great recipes, Daniela @teacachai. Her Rose Latte includes a (natural) secret ingredient that increases the pink power of this fragrant drink. I really love it. (My personal preference is to halve the amount of the secret ingredient in the recipe.) Click here for her Rose Latte recipe (and to find out the secret).

If you are in the mood for something sparkling and cold, try my Rose Ginger Bubbler variation. Rose and ginger are heavenly together. Make the rose base according to Daniela’s Rose Latte recipe and add a few slices of fresh ginger root while it’s infusing. Chill the infusion and sweeten, if desired. Pour over ice and top with seltzer. It’s also good hot.

Red Valentine’s Tisane

Maybe you’re more #TeamRed than #TeamPink. I suggest my favorite hibiscus blend, the Hibiscus Cinnamon tisane from Taka Turmeric. I enjoy this blend without adding more sugar than I am comfortable using (an issue I have with some hibiscus tisanes). The cinnamon beautifully balances the hibiscus and adds a natural sweetness. I love it! (It also contains turmeric and other ingredients.) You can buy the tisane here if ordering from the U.S., here if ordering from the UK or another country. You can, of course, drink it hot. Personally, I love to pour it over ice. (Note: I have no financial arrangement with Taka Turmeric, but I did receive this tisane as a free sample with no obligation to post. It’s the only tea or tisane in this post that I didn’t pay for myself.)

If you have tried any of these recommended Valentine’s teas or tisanes or have a favorite chocolate, pink, or red tea or tisane to recommend, please tell us in the comments. Cheers!

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