Last week, John called to tell me about something he'd heard on the radio: recent studies show that chamomile tea is very good for diabetics (here's a link). I'm all about the black tea. I don't like herbals, generally, or greens; however, I decided that if I was going to try this, I was going to go all the way.
I popped over to Adagio, and ordered a bunch of stuff (got a partial Christmas present done while I was at it): a 4 oz. canister (huge) of the chamomile, which is not all chopped and processed, but looks pretty much like the picture shown in this entry. I also got some of the sample canisters, which are adorable and only $1-$2 each (great way to try out flavors), and some paper tea bag/filters. I have a press, but it's frequently a pain to use, so I figured the paper filters would be easier. (They are, and they are not expensive - 100 for $3.)
The box arrived yesterday (quick shipping!), and I dutifully packed up the tiny sample canister of chamomile and a handful of filters to bring to work. (I figured I could keep the big canister at home and refill the little one as needed. We'll see how that goes.) I remembered reading that chamomile is especially good sweetened with a little honey, so when I went through the McDonald's drive-through for my morning caffeine fix (large unsweet tea, xtra ice), I got them to sell* me a handful of their little honey packages. (Next time I go to the grocery, I'll get a honey bear.)
The 2-and-4-oz. sizes come in nifty canisters with a clear lid and sturdy metal closure. (Tea needs to be kept out of light, so I'm not sure why the lid is clear, but I'll keep it in a cupboard anyway.) ETA: Mystery solved! The lids are UV-protected, so they're safe to keep out.
Results
This morning, I made my first cup of chamomile tea w/ honey (brewed 7 minutes). And, hey -- it's pretty tasty! I can easily manage the recommended 2 cups a day, at least at work. (After my morning caffeinated version!) I have a lovely tea kettle at home, but tend to flake on stuff there. Here at work, there's a "cafe" at the end of my aisle, with hot water at the ready.
Gift Certificates
If you want to order some tea (you can make your own blends, too), I can highly recommend the chamomile, as well as the cherry and peach (black teas), oh and Christmas. Yum. I can get you a $5 gift certificate if I have your email addy. It will cover shipping (only $3.75 ground, free if you spend over $50). Just drop me a line. I'm not signed up for anything -- I don't believe I get any points or rebates or anything.
*McDonald's has cracked down on all condiments in a big way. You can only have a couple of sauces, ketchup, etc. before you have to pay extra. Since I wasn't ordering anything that needed honey, I didn't mind paying at all (10¢ ea.).
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Better Than I Thought
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2 comments:
Hi there! You probably won't remember me, but I'm a former techie colleague of John's at the Bloomfield Hills CompUSA.
As for chamomile, that's an interesting article. I hadn't heard of it being used as a hypoglycemic (sugar-lowering or sugar-controlling) agent before; I mostly know it as a mild sleep promoter and stomach settler. Nonetheless, we grow it here, entirely organic (chamomile grows like weeds in our soil, it's drought resistant and nothing insectile attacks it - thus it actually makes a great replacement for grass in un-gardened areas). It's in season fresh from about the last week in May to the end of August, and keeps dry in a closed container for a year or so. Please feel free to drop me a line if you ever need or want any.
Hope all is well with you both!
-L. Murphy
Hey, L! Once John connected your first name with this, I absolutely do remember you! How cool that you grow chamomile. It's slowly becoming a favorite.
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