Chief’s Delight

Thanks to Kim, my co-worker, I am sampling tea by a company I have never heard of… Native American Tea Company. Armed with three different flavors I debated over which one I would try first.  ”Good Medicine” proved to be the winner, BUT after I brewed and tasted I forgot to write a review. Shame… shame… shame! Nevertheless, today, with the hope of making up for the missed review, I am brewing and tasting… “Chief’s Delight”.

Composition: Chief’s Delight is an herbal tea comprised of Strawberry Leaf, Myrtle Leaf, Blackberry Leaf, Rose Hips, and Juniper Berry. 

Dry Visual: Not a loose tea so my visual appraisal was poor. I really cannot say what this tea looks like.

Dry Aroma: Fruity with definite floral undertones. The smell of roses is very evident.

Flavor:  Chief’s Delight is very good. The instructions recommend garnishing with a touch of honey and a squeeze of lemon, if desired. I tried the recommendation and added a dab of honey. The decision… I enjoyed Chief’s Delight much better pure, without honey. 

Liquor: It was fun watching this tea brew. The color began as a rich yellow, but after steeping for a couple of minutes transformed into a rich peachy color. You know, the part of the peach’s skin containing more of a reddish hue.

Brewing Time: Recommended brewing time 3-5 minutes to wit I brewed for about 5 minutes.  

Manufacturer: Native American Tea Company

Caffeine: No.

Special Note: What is Juniper Berry and Myrtle Leaf?

A juniper berryis the female seed cone produced by the various species of junipers, a plant in the cyprus family. It is not a true berry but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales, which give it a berry-like appearance. The cones from a handful of species, especially Juniperus communis, are used as a spice, particularly in European cuisine, and also give gin its distinguishing flavour.

The Myrtle (Myrtus) is a genus of one or two species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, native to southern Europe and north Africa. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees, growing to 5 m tall. The leaves are entire, 3-5 cm long, with a pleasantly fragrant essential oil. The star-like flowers have five petals and sepals, and an amazingly large number of stamens. Petals are usually white, with globose blue-black berries containing several seeds.

References:Juniper berry. (2008, June 12). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:14, June 24, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Juniper_berry&oldid=218790023

Myrtle. (2008, June 7). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:20, June 24, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Myrtle&oldid=217648911