Nettle, Dandelion & Guinea Hen
Without a doubt this is one of our most adventurous blends. No fewer than 9 herbs and spices are combined so as to produce a multitude of flavours and a wide range of benefits to whoever needs a boost when they're weary. Many of our teas have contrasting tastes and aromas, but this one is a daring in the way it brings together elements that might appear to be incompatible. Stinging nettle probably conjures up excruciating memories of feverish itching and scratching if one has had the misfortune to brush the plant against one's skin by mistake. But for centuries, all over the world, it was used to treat a number of ailments, with arthritis top of the list.
Boiled down to liquid form the plant is a deeply soothing rather than stinging agent.
If you wanted another ingredient that is emblematic of the'folk wisdom' of the Caribbean and South America then nothing fits the bill better than Guinea Hen, also known as Gully Root. These are the common names given to the anamu plant, which is particularly valued by rural populations that rely on recipes for treatments made from what is directly available from woodland and forest and handed down through generations, as a grandmother tells a child how to make a tea to keep the doctor away.
Add to the mix several elements that are more familiar to western consumers, such as lemongrass and green tea, both of which are known for their relaxing properties as well as mild taste, and we have the makings of a blend that will linger longer after the last sip is taken. The final ingredients, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon all have the delicious tangy sweetness that makes them so widespread in the making of cakes and pastries, and gives the blend the bright-eyed appeal of a kind of 'dessert in a drink.'
