Inside Our Apothecary with Pukka Teas

I have a love/hate relationship with grocery shopping. I hate the lines, the awkward swerving of two carts on identical paths, not to mention the distant screaming of children being denied their favorite cereal. On the other hand, I love contemplating new and intriguing products. I'm actually not that great of a chef, and all the meals in my house are of the home cooked variation. My boyfriend's cooking style is 'growing sixteen year old football player, with a stomach made of the same lining as Mary Poppin's purse.' So when I'm looking to spoil myself (and sooth my stuffed belly) I reroute my path to the coffee and tea aisle with a pit stop for 85% dark cocoa bars.

So I'm shopping. I'm browsing the usual shelves of Yogi, Teavana, and Stash brands, but nothing catches my eye. The first thing I see is the packaging: colorful cardboard boxes with floral patterns reminiscent of a Rorschach test. I sense something delicious… or is the packaging some psychological trick? I buy three boxes of it. It's a huge leap of faith on my part, but there's something promising about a brand who produces blends like chamomile, marshmallow root, and fennel seed. This is their signature RELAX blend, an all organic, wheat free, nut free, caffeine free, guilt free tea. Add a touch of honey, and this tea becomes the Mother Teresa of your spice cabinet. I've honestly thought of installing spotlights in my shelf for the sole purpose of highlighting this drink.

Next, we have their LOVE blend. This tea was made specificly to captivate Pukka herbalist, Sebastian Pole's now-wife. A seriously charming mixture of rose, chamomile, and lavender that will have you fantasizing about vacations at Le Petite Trianon. I like to prepare mine with a splash of cream and honey. It even serves well chilled.

My favorite of the three was the REVITALIZE blend. The name for this tea suits it perfectly, mixing organic cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and ginger for a healthy and spicy kick in the chest. Not far off from a Chai, this tea also serves fantastic with a sprinkling of cream and honey (extra cinnamon powdered on top for fanatics such as myself).

I've been drinking Pukka for over a year now, grateful for the memories they helped me create. My favorite memories of drinking Pukka is the cold and early winter mornings. I'll throw a tea kettle on, sit with the dogs on my porch, and let the crisp air do the rest of the work. Drinking tea hasn't just helped me to create memories, it's also helped to improve my life. As a teen, my parent's owned a coffee shop that I worked in. I'd often make random concoctions, mixing shots of espresso with frothy milk, pumps of caramel, and coconut flakes. I called that drink The Mermaid. The story behind the name being only that I'd thought that both the drink and mystical sea creatures were awesome. Don't get me wrong, I still drink coffee daily. But drinking tea has helped get me on a healthier track. Now when I'm craving a hot cup of coffee in bed at night, I boil up some of Pukka's Night Time or After Dinner tea and curl up with an episode of House of Cards. Life at it's simplest and it's most nourishing. Safeway carries Pukka blends regularly. However, if your favorite mixtures are no where to be found, you can always search the Pukka website, which carries a large range of black, white, and green teas. Drink your tea with a conscious this holiday season and order your packages now!

#tea #herbalism #cooking #health