Bahamas
Today we head for the Bahamas to sample a tea often illustrated in children's stories. Especially stories about cats... I was a bit incredulous when I learned that some people actually drink catnip tea. The video I watched talked about a lot of different herbal cures, and catnip tea was the only one I recognized. They described the tea as being bitter, so I wasn't holding out much hope. When I checked the bulk spice section of the grocery store, sure enough, they had catnip labeled as an herbal supplement. I'm assuming that it is really old because it doesn't really smell like catnip. Unfortunately I had to buy quite a bit in order to get it to register on the scales when I was buying it.
Here it is awaiting hot water. Sad old catnip in a wire strainer. You can tell that I'm really excited to try this. I let the tea steep for about 3 1/2 - 4 minutes and decided to try it.
Yes, I really did make catnip tea in a mug with a cat on it. When I was looking through the cupboard for mugs, I spied this classic in the back and decided it was the right mug for the job. I took a sniff. No cat would get excited over this brew. It smelled absolutely nothing like catnip. I didn't like the smell of it. Then I tasted a sip. That was more than enough. Herbal remedies are often known for being "medicinal" in flavor. This brew lived up to that reputation.
Thankfully there is a lot more to the Bahamas besides medicinal herbal teas. The islands are on the northwestern edge of the West Indies between Florida and Cuba. They are the gateway to both the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. The culture is described as a mix of European and African heritage thanks to its history of colonization, slavery, piracy, and sometimes lawlessness. The islands lack natural resources, and depend on the climate and beaches to generate income through tourism. All in all, the Bahamas are described as consisting of about 700 islands and cays, of which about 30 are inhabited. The islands are described as being flat, with even one of the larger inhabited islands reaching a maximum elevation of 20 ft above sea level. The islands are described as having beautiful forests, and wildlife mostly consisting of frogs, lizards, and snakes. They are careful to point out that they are all non-poisonous. Their national bird is the flamingo, a bird I greatly appreciate for their flamboyant color.
Here it is awaiting hot water. Sad old catnip in a wire strainer. You can tell that I'm really excited to try this. I let the tea steep for about 3 1/2 - 4 minutes and decided to try it.
Yes, I really did make catnip tea in a mug with a cat on it. When I was looking through the cupboard for mugs, I spied this classic in the back and decided it was the right mug for the job. I took a sniff. No cat would get excited over this brew. It smelled absolutely nothing like catnip. I didn't like the smell of it. Then I tasted a sip. That was more than enough. Herbal remedies are often known for being "medicinal" in flavor. This brew lived up to that reputation.
Thankfully there is a lot more to the Bahamas besides medicinal herbal teas. The islands are on the northwestern edge of the West Indies between Florida and Cuba. They are the gateway to both the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. The culture is described as a mix of European and African heritage thanks to its history of colonization, slavery, piracy, and sometimes lawlessness. The islands lack natural resources, and depend on the climate and beaches to generate income through tourism. All in all, the Bahamas are described as consisting of about 700 islands and cays, of which about 30 are inhabited. The islands are described as being flat, with even one of the larger inhabited islands reaching a maximum elevation of 20 ft above sea level. The islands are described as having beautiful forests, and wildlife mostly consisting of frogs, lizards, and snakes. They are careful to point out that they are all non-poisonous. Their national bird is the flamingo, a bird I greatly appreciate for their flamboyant color.
I remember that mug!
ReplyDeleteI think it's the oldest one I have. There should be a few more old mugs at Mom's house, but I don't know where.
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