Super Spearole

Tea blends come in all tastes and remedies.

Dr Red's Spearole Tea falls into the remedy category.

Apparently scientific tests have been done on this tea which proves that provided you drink enough of it, you can eat whatever you want and not get fat!  Now wouldn't that be super!

Somehow I imagine that you would have to drink so much that you wouldn't actually ever be hungry and that's how the effect would work...just a theory.

Anyway, on my mother's recommendation I picked up a packet of this new miracle tea.

For tea, it is actually pretty expensive. At my local health food emporium, 150gm sets you back almost $30.

I open the foil bag and take a huge whiff - smells like chewing gum.  The spearmint kind.

It is actually a blend of gunpowder green tea, olive leaf, spearmint oil, olive skins, grape seeds and spearmint spouts.

I pop a teaspoon full into my infuser after letting my boiling water cool a bit.  After a minute, I whip out the infuser and inhale deeply.  It smells, nose-clearingly like spearmint.  Yum!

The taste is quite strong and quite astringent.  It is a darker colour green tea.  It has the lovely minty finish which is rather nice.  Maybe suitable for a little after dinner tipple for those of a healthier disposition.

I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either.  It was a little strong for my liking and I imagine if you left the leaves in for longer than a minute, the astringency would deck you.  I don't know if it is really endowed with magical waist-whittling powers but it is a good one if you like a strong green.

Dr Red also does another tea blend called Purple Carrot Tea.  I think I'll have to work my way up to that one.

Grass of a Different Kind

I had the flu a few weeks ago (not the swine flu, thank goodness) and I decided that I wanted a tea that would be healing.  Meet T2's Lemongrass and Ginger Tea.

Of course it is strictly at tisane rather than a tea but it still has the same warming and healing feeling you get from a good cup of tea.  Rather like your Mum popping round with chicken soup and butter menthols.

It smells fresh and warm.  The taste is surprisingly mild.  Not bitey like some ginger teas.  The lemongrass doesn't actually taste like lemon or grass.  More a very mild hint of lemon but in no way bitter or acidic.  Like a lemon soother rather than an actual lemon.  It tastes refreshing and healing.  Like it could almost stop the flu in its tracks and send it packing.

Plus, those lovely pyramid tea bags that are common nowadays, mean that you have the pleasure of watching each tiny dried cuts of lemongrass swell up in the warm water and swirl around.  Watching this just adds to the relaxing feeling brought on by drinking the tea itself.  Like watching a goldfish meander around a bowl.

Whilst I am feeling much better now, I can still feel a warm glow of safety just thinking about a cup of Lemongrass and Ginger Tea.  I rather feel like chicken soup now too, come to think of it.