Monday, September 5, 2011

Monday MinTisane

Most of you probably know that I love tea. Mostly black tea. However, I've decided to try some herbal teas so I can drink tea as much as I want, whenever I want and not worry about all the caffeine. I've never noticed that caffeine has ever had much of an effect on me, but it's nice to try new things. Herbal teas are often called "tisanes" and this one has peppermint and spearmint, thus--MinTisane. Hee hee.

MinTisane steeping


Since our garden didn't get going until a fall planting, I don't have any of my own mint. Good thing I have a great local tea store, Chelmsford Tea and Gifts, that stocks a good selection of dried herbs for tisanes. My MinTisane is 1 teaspoon dried peppermint and 1 teaspoon dried spearmint (enough for a large mug), infused for three minutes in water that is just under boiling temperature. It tastes rather like chewing gum, but without the sugar or aspartame. I just realized that may not be the most particularly appealing description, but it really does taste good! In addition, herbs have been used for thousands of years to treat various ailments. Peppermint and spearmint are supposed to be good for the tummy and for headaches.

MinTisane ingredients

How about some Vivaldi to go with your tisane? (From archive.org)


Or some books?  The best part of having a bibliophile mother--never having to purchase a novel! Also, I'd been wanting to try the recipes in Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home, which my parents bought for me.  I'm so spoiled!
Book stack 9/4/11

11 comments:

  1. I used to drink a lot of tea, including herbal tea (love the teas from Kusmi), but have been all coffee lately. Just read Here Be Dragons and loved it (though I loved The Sunne in Splendour even more).

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  2. Karen- The Sunne in Splendour is one of my favorite books!

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  3. Yay for mint tea and yay for that ice cream book! Still trying to keep my spearmint plant alive on our terrace.

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  4. I can drink litres of tea a day...
    I have my favourite types... but sometimes it's really much caffeine for me, so I like some types of herbal tea too.
    My favourite (non-herbal:)) tea are for instance pu-erh (really black tea;)), chai masala, jasmine tea, white tea (pai mu tan)...
    but when I should choose herbal tea, my favourite is mint...

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  5. Mint tea is also good for an upset or troublesome stomach. Also excellent iced. :)

    Hope you're having a good Labor Day, Lauren.

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  6. I seem to be sensitive to caffeine, but have never found a tea besides black that I really enjoy. I'm going to have to search again for an herbal tea that I fancy~

    Can't wait till you try an ice cream recipe from your new book...and you've reminded me that a friend gave me Here Be Dragons years ago. It must be buried under a pile of books in my room :)

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  7. Thanks for the informative post on tisanes - I learnt a lot. It is freezing here today, so a nice hot cup of tisane would be welcomed.

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  8. I drink pots and pots of tea but mostly Japanese green teas. I'll have expand my menu of tea and include tisanes! Let us know how the ice cream book is...I've been eyeing it at the bookstore.

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  9. Books, classical music and steeping mint tea = bliss.

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  10. We'll have to get your Daddy to use his birthday freezer to freeze up some of the wonderful ice cream recipes in your new book!

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  11. MinTisane and Vivaldi, the perfect combo.
    Speaking of teas, authentic Japanese green tea is to die for. The aroma alone gives me a high.

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