Mark Thirlwall – Founder of Tmenu and Tea Journeys

While many call the following drinks herbal teas, these are *actually* herbal tisanes or Tea Blends containing Tisanes. Tea is a plant, Camellia sinensis, and if it’s not from that plant varietal it’s not really tea. Essentially a small discrepancy, but important so people identify with what they are drinking and assisting in building the education within this fast growing industry. 

Tisanes are not teas, but they are highly delicious and offer nuanced flavours when enjoyed singerly or blended with other herbs or indeed tea. For the purpose of this Tmenu guide, we’ll explore a range of beautiful tea blends using flowers, roots, plants, and fruits served warm and please remember that Tisanes are delightfully free of caffeine. I invite you all to correct your professional friends, tut-tut your family members, and go forth calling the drinks in this guide tisanes—botanical tisanes if you’re feeling especially fancy.

These drinks can be easily made for you at your favourite local cafe or at home with very little equipment or expertise and are available to purchase through a myriad of tea websites out there. (That’s correct, they inevitably sold on tea platforms rather than their own dedicated herbal sites.)

The most important ingredient to any combination of herbal tisanes and blends is to choose your rightful partner at the throne – being your tea station – with a professional temperature control auto-brew kettle. Paired with some simple elegant teaware we recommend jumping onto www.tmenu.com.au to find your favourite style of glass brewing equipment.

For herbals we do recommend glass – the glass offers a wonderful transparency and unlike many teas, herbals are often brewed better by allowing the herbs to slightly cool as they brew. Porcelain and ceramic are not a problem they just retain so much heat that they can sometimes over brew your herbs removing some of the natural sweetness which we find in much loved herbs like even chamomile.

The other benefit of glass is the appreciation of the kaleidoscope of colours that can be created by brewing herbs. One can sit and be mesmerized by the brewing process which aids in the mediation around teas and herbs to bring us closer in full consciousness – a healthy adjustment for our brains in a never ending fast paced and anxious world. Finally, for those at home counting, these tisanes are low calorie, vegan, mostly gluten-free*, keto, paleo, and mostly sugar-free**.

A note about health claims: There are a lot of claims out there about the healthful benefits of ingredients like ginger, turmeric, mint, and many others in the tisanes below. While these are all well and great we’re going to base these suggestions purely on the taste experience and enjoyment factor—not to focus on their reported healthfulness.

Tisanes & Tea Blends

1. [Sunset Blaze] Hibiscus wonderland with a citrus cinnamon tickle
   Ingredients:  Hibiscus, apple pieces, Asia Beauty oolong tea, cinnamon, dried orange, dried lemon, clove
2. [Calm-A-Sutra] Mindfulness, stillness and contentment in a cup
   Ingredients:  Chamomile, Aswaganda root, lemon balm, peppermint, rosemary, cornflower

3. [Pillar of Strength] Tea relief for cold and flu symptoms
   Ingredients:  Peppermint, gymnema, hibiscus, elderflower, Lemon myrtle, rose

4. [Healthy Habits] A little each day keeps the doctors away
   Ingredients:  Peppermint, licorice, fennel, nettle 

5. [Lemon Zinger] Pink Ginger with a Twist
   Ingredients:  Lemongrass, ginger, hibiscus