January Teas
With December behind us, much of the sparkle and festive feel that is lent to winter by holiday imagery has faded. What is left can make January feel bleak and dreary.
Last year was a difficult one of lockdowns and restrictions. Unfortunately, Covid 19 is still with us, taking its toll not only physcially but also psychologically. We are still working on getting the vaccines into peoples’ arms, but for most of us, the best way to fight the surging numbers is to sit and wait and do less than we wish we could.
On such cold and dark days, without our normal routines to set our time to, even simple acts like getting out bed can feel burdensome. And the constant focus on what we aren’t able to do threatens to detach us from any enjoyment or experience of what we are doing.
The good news is, there are ways to combat this—to attach ourselves to the good things in our lives right now. We can find comfort in the everyday pleasures we may have overlooked, and discover new, simple ways to experience and enjoy our time.
Tea is a perfect example of a simple pleasure that can combat the drudgery of winter—even a winter like this one. The process of brewing tea is not complicated, but you can make it as easy or exacting as you like, to produce exactly the cup you want. You can focus intently on every step, or let your mind wander where it will, and still have your reward at the end. The warm liquid works wonders on a cold body and is able to revive the spirits more than perhaps any other source of warmth.
Here are three teas that we feel are perfect for sipping throughout the winter. Their rich flavours, bold bodies, and most importantly their ability to recover the drinker from seasonal malaise make them ideal choices for cold weather tea sessions. We hope you enjoy our recommendations, and as always, if you have your own cold weather tea recommendations, we would love to hear from you.
Ginger Fresh
Ginger Fresh is an Ayurvedic blend of lemongrass, ginger, licorice and pepper. It’s a caffeine free tea that can be drunk throughout the day—warming and comforting after dinner or when you want to wrap up with a blanket and a hot drink on a cold night
This natural blend of ingredients can help you recover from colds, soothing sore throats and sniffles in the dark winter months.
A favourite of our customers for many years, we at Herbal Republic affectonately refer to the Ginger Fresh as “Helen’s Tea.” It’s our customer, Helen Arab’s favourite tea.
Camillo
Camillo (Citrus Chamomile) is an herbal blend of Chamomile flowers naturally flavoured with herbs and dried fruit. Chamomile is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs, with many health benefits. It’s most widely known for aiding in relaxation and sleep.
Non-caffeinated, Camillo is an “any time of the day” tea, and one of our most relaxing and calming blends.
Ambassador Blend English Breakfast
It may come as no surprise that our third recommendation is a black tea. Black tea’s robust flavours and dry profile, matched with a bold body make it one of the perfect bases for winter teas. Our Ambassador blend is a blend of only black tea, and not a blend of black tea and other ingredients. Similar to English Breakfast in that it only uses black teas from different origins for its blend, our Ambassador blend has a rich and inviting aroma.
Ambassador’s flavour profile is thick-bodied, reminiscent of Fall leaves, with creamy nuttiness throughout. The colour is a beautiful reddish brown when poured into the cup, and the tea’s smooth texture is contrasted by a bright tannic acidity that adds interest and complexity. The flavours of this tea blend help to provide a much needed escape from colder weather and assist in warming the body through a cold winter.
When brewing, the leaves of this magnificent blend open up to fully release their flavour into the cup. To avoid making a bitter and unpleasant cup of this tea, pay close attention to brew times and remove the leaves at the end of the desired time. For black tea, it is recommended to brew between 3-5 minutes depending on how strong you want the final cup to be.
The Ambassador Blend has a lot of meaning to us here at Herbal Republic. Inspired by the father of our founder Anita, this tea is associated with warm memories of family and loved ones. We hope that the tea inspires love and warmth among whoever drinks it and we hope that it will mean as much to you as it does to us.