Iced Tea, Ya'll!

iced tea time, ya'll, in the apothecary!

I was raised on family stories of not-so-law-abiding ancestors who lived fast, and in some cases, died young.  Having now lived for a short while in Austin, I’ve come to appreciate one of my ancestors, the wild west train robber and outlaw, Sam Bass.  My Uncle Sam’s death is re-enacted annually just a half-hour from our home on the 4^th of July which is a strange experience for me, but an altogether Texas way of celebrating the 4^th.  He was an interesting character, whose appearance was said to be gentler than the typical rough-and-tumble outlaw.  I imagine that if Sam were alive today we’d sit in the Apothecary’s backyard drinking iced tea and planning our next direct-action protest (I figure that I could direct his wild west energies into more social justice oriented activities and less train robbing).  So in honor of my outlaw ancestry and in an attempt to love the heat, our newest creation in the Apothecary is an iced tea.

Our Watering Hole Iced Tea Blend is lightly caffeinated and bursting with red color but promising coolness.  Our Iced Tea is slightly sweet, slightly sour and completely delicious.  A great post-workout drink and for when you’re feeling overheated, heat-cranky or wanting to lure friends and family away from their busy schedules for some sweet and easy conversation, Watering Hole Iced Tea Blend is here for you.

ROOIBOS Aspalanthus linearis: Righteous, red bush Rooibos (pronounced roy-bus) comes to us from the western region of South Africa’s Cape Region.  Rooibos is an herb rich in antioxidants and restorative properties used in the treatment of such conditions such as allergies, eczema, indigestion, headache and tension.  Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free and cooling to the body.

HIBISCUS Hibiscus sabdariffa: Another name for the beautiful red Hibiscus flower is sour-sour which aptly describes its cooling flavor.  Hibiscus is especially rehydrating with its electrolyte content and is also rich in vitamins A and C as well as beta-carotene.

YERBA MATE Ilex paraguariensis: Blood cleansing, lightly caffeinated, and stimulating to the mind, Yerba Mate helps us to tolerate the hot weather that brings us to drinking iced tea in the first place!  Improve your memory, cleanse your body and stress less all while keeping it cool – nice.

JASMINE Jasminum officinale: We included fragrant white Jasmine flowers in our blend because of their harmonizing effect on the mind, body and spirit.  Dream-inducing, Jasmine helps us dwell more deeply in beauty, transforming the heat of exhaustion into the fires of passion.

Visit our S H O P to enjoy our Watering Hole Iced Tea Blend and many other fine herbal concoctions!

Apothecary!

To visit the Apothecary, take a trip of the stairs or the slow but effective elevator.

Have a cup of tea and a sit down! (Comfy chairs are soon to follow but until then you can admire our Scandinavian simplicity.)

Shelves are stocked with herbal delights - a few that haven't made it to our online shop yet!

The photos are a bit blurry, the lights a bit bright, but there were pots of tea brewing and folks knocking at the door. We'll post clearer photos on Facebook in a bit but enjoy the preview of our little space!

Thanks for stopping by!

GRAND OPENING!

How To Make Tea (and other almost news)

Enjoy the easy reference for making a cuppa loose leaf tea.  Share it with friends if you like, but mostly make sure you enjoy lots of tea and good company.  We're hoping to expand our own tea time company at our new home in Mesa, Arizona.  And the Apothecary may be opening its doors in a more off-line sorta setting.

Good gracious, our tea time possibilities are ever expanding!

We'll let you know more about our adventures in the coming days, but in the meantime Happy Halloween, Blessed Samhain and may you find solace in the darkening season.

Polish Your Cauldron + Keep Away the Cold

A lovely night for a a bit of flying.Woodcut dated 1579 in France.

The Witches be cacklin’ tonight!  As black as night with a purple glow, our Cauldron Polish Cold Care Elixir is your ally when it comes to charming away colds.  Take at the first sign of a cold or ‘flu and our Cauldron Polish’s anti-viral enchantments will prevent tricky colds and ‘flu from taking hold.  Cauldron Polish has a sweet taste with a bit of tang and just a bit of Ginger bite, making our Cold Care Elixir a delicious addition to your home wellness repertoire.

ELDER BERRY + FLOWER Sambucus nigra: The Elder Mother is a fiercely protective spirit surrounded in the mists of magic, so we employ her mighty powers of healing and protection in our cold care elixir.  Elder flowers are soothing and calming as well as being anti-inflammatory.  The berries of Elder are delicious, nutritious, immune-boosting and high in vitamin C.  Elder will not only strengthen the immune system but help to shorten recovery time from colds, stress and physical exertion.

GINGER Zingiber officinale: Ginger is especially potent in preventing colds and the ‘flu if taken at the onset of symptoms by increasing the bodies vital energy needing to fend off infection.  Warming and circulatory, Ginger will heat up your extremities and soothe aching muscles while dispelling mental fatigue.  Ginger also helps with stomach upsets, gas and cramping because it is such a darn generous rhizome.

RAW LOCAL TEXAS WILDFLOWER HONEY: Used for thousands of years as good medicine, raw Honey is a golden treasure of healing.  Full of vitamins, minerals and living enzymes, Honey is a perfect medium to carry the medicinal powers of our Cold Care Elixir.

RAW APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: Alkalinizing Vinegar chock full of vitamins and minerals rounds out our Cold Care Elixir in healing qualities and taste.  Raw Apple Cider Vinegar helps to bring the body back into balance while providing essential nutrients and with its anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial powers.

Our Cauldron Polish Cold Care Elixir is currently offered in a 2 ounce size and comes in a clear, square glass bottle.   To purchase our Cauldron Polish Cold Care Elixir visit our S H O P.