Queued post, written May 1st 2014
I have a bit of a headache today so I thought it would be a good time to try this blend which MissB shared with me. I’ve been saving it for a time when I felt I was in need of some ‘taming’, mostly, I admit, out of some curiosity to see if it would work.
At first when I brewed it, I said to myself, “this smells American.” I’m not sure what really defines that smell as such, but it just somehow did. I didn’t even know what was in it at that point. Except some kind of mint because that was abundantly evident as soon as water was poured on it.
Turns out it contains catnip. That explains a lot RE Luna’s mysterious interest in the box of things yet to try as of late. She must have been able to tell there was something very interesting in there even through the plastic bag and all the other teas. I’m not surprised that she could, really. Compared to a cat, us humans have barely any sense of smell at all. Husband is growing some catmint seedlings on the window sill at the moment. Hopefully they’ll be allowed to reach a decent size so that they can survive before they start attracting the cats. They’re still tiny, though, and only three of them have come up (disappointingly) so the allure shouldn’t be too great just yet.
Anyway. It also contains licorice, which I had guessed as well because the blend is very sweet and licorice has a characteristic aftertaste. I had not guessed ginger, though. There can’t be very much of it in the blend because that’s another one of those things where even a little tastes like a lot to me.
There is also a good amount of lemon-y freshness in here, which I must admit I didn’t identify on my own, but rather recognised once I’d read the ingredients list. And finally hops. Hops? Now I don’t like beer of any sort at all not one little bit. It’s one of those things that I simply can’t force through my throat without making a face. Husband says it’s the hops that provides that flavour that I don’t like. He’s probably right too. Just the way that stuff stinks the whole house up when Husband is brewing beer, UGH! Fortunately I had tasted the tea before reading the ingredients, so I knew it wouldn’t taste like beer. Knowing what to look for, though, I think I can nearly identify it in the blend, but it’s very very faint and well blended in with the other flavours.
It’s a pleasant enough blend, this, but not one I would run out and buy tomorrow. I could probably easily drink it as my Triple B (Before Bed Beverage), but the fact is that I’ve already got alternatives there that frankly I like better.
Headache is still there, though. Hm.
