Our review kit contained four vibrant looking packs that would tempt anyone to open them right away. Each pack had 14 muslin tea bags presented in beautiful wrappers that open like a flower blooming. Each wrapper has a quote that inspires your mind even as you expect the tea to do the same to your body. “If you can dream it, you can achieve it”, said Zig Ziglar in the first tea bag that we unwrapped (Watch Unwrapping a Hillcart Tales teabag below).

The entire process of unwrapping the tea bag and immersing it into the cup of hot water feels oddly rich and satisfying, taking our expectations from the actual product sky high.

So did the tea meet our expectations? Indeed! We could say that it exceeded them. Each infusion we tried uplifted the senses. Tiramasu Delight, the dessert tisane, was our favourite. The pack says: “A velvet smooth blend with indulgent flavours of rosehip and cinnamon. Mild and creamy aroma of mascarpone perfectly complements this delicious brew of Rooibos tea.” Smooth it certainly is, this infusion! And the delightful aroma soothes your entire being.

The Hillcart Tales’ century-old lineage lends them expertise at blending the flavours, a skill they use deftly to create the finest infusions. Many of their products can that can be savoured hot or cold.

Unwrapping The Hillcart Tales teabag

The individually handcrafted, environment-friendly muslin bags are reminiscent of their place of origin—from the plush and exotic locales of Darjeeling, to the expansive gardens of Assam; high grown teas of Rwanda and the misty gardens of Taiwan. The multi-layer packaging ensures that customers savour the distinct classic and contemporary tastes.

The company proudly states that each of their 32 variants are harvested from leaves of fresh virgin buds and the first few of their kind obtained from select gardens, picked only after thorough examination of suppleness and freshness. The careful selection of the choicest leaves forms the constancy and originality of the broad range of their rare teas.

Presented in packs of 7 and 14 tea bags and 150g or 75g loose leaf teas of Green, Black, Infusions, and Exotic Teas, we think The Hillcart Tales belongs to every tea lover’s kitchen shelf.

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Tea was first discovered in China as a medicine. And it is no surprise that even today it is praised for its health benefits.

Tea is the dried and processed leaves of a plant called Camellia sinensis and all types of tea come from this. The infusion of these leaves in hot water is what makes up tea.

There are four main types of tea.

• White
• Green
• Oolong
• Black

The difference between these teas is in the harvesting and the drying process. The darker the tea, the more processing it has undergone—which means that some nutrients too have been stripped away.

White tea

White tea is the healthiest of teas and is very time consuming to harvest. It is made from the young leaves that are picked before the buds have fully opened. Hence only small quantities are yielded, which makes it an expensive buy. White tea undergoes minimal processing, as it is simply steamed and dried, maintaining its natural state.

Benefits:

• Builds up the immune system against viral and bacterial infections
• Helps prevent tooth decay and cavities
• Helps to fight cancer cells
• Has immense anti-ageing properties.

Green tea

Green tea is a milder tea, made from the leaf bud and the top most leaves. The leaves are simply withered and then roasted or dried; they are not fermented like black tea, so it does not become oxidised.

Benefits:

• Helps to control blood pressure and reduces cholesterol
• Aids in preventing viral infections such as the flu
• Helps in weight loss as it encourages the body to burn fat
• Reduces the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

Oolong tea

Oolong is a traditional Chinese variety of tea, somewhere in between green and black in oxidation level. Hence, one could say that it has the best of both worlds.

Benefits:

• Has anti-oxidant properties
• Reduces the risk of high blood pressure.

Black tea

The leaves undergo a complex fermentation process that changes their colour from green to copper. Black tea is more oxidised, stronger in flavour and may contain more caffeine.

Benefits:

• Reduces your chances of a heart attack
• Prevents dental cavities.

What are herbal teas?

Herbal teas are not actually teas and are referred to as infusions or tisanes. They  are a simple and effective way of extracting the goodness and flavour from the aerial parts of herbs. Tisanes can be made with fresh or dried leaves, soft stems, flowers, seeds or roots. Dried fruits steeped in hot water are called fruit infusions.

Four popular herbal teas and their uses

Chamomile

• The flowers are used in the treatment of mouth ulcers, diarrhoea, insomnia, eczema, heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome and gastrointestinal complaints
• Is mildly sedative and gently stimulates the digestive system.
• Ginger
• Ginger can be used for heart disease, constipation, asthma, vomiting, migraine headaches, morning sickness, motion sickness and rheumatoid arthritis
• Ginger is a warming herb, making it ideal for colds and flu.

Peppermint

• It is used for calming the digestive system, relieving nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy and travel sickness
• Traditionally used in the treatment of colds, fevers and influenza.

Fennel

• Also known as saunf, it has anti-spasmodic properties
• Particularly good for constipation, colic and flatulence
• Fennel is also a good detox, it helps to clean the kidneys and rid the body of impurities.

Mix and match

Apples are a nutritious addition to any herbal beverage. Mix equal parts of unsweetened apple juice with green tea and chill to make a delicious and healthy drink

Hibiscus flowers [fresh or dried] and rose petals can be added to herbal teas to complement the taste.

Thin slices or peel of orange and lemon can add a tang and help to bring out the natural flavour of many herbal teas.

Caramel apple tea and vanilla spice chai can be incorporated in ice-creams too. While making ice-cream, add the brewed tea just before final whisk and chill.

Three super uses of tea

1. Hydrate your skin
   Brew tea, let it cool and then use it in a face pack or as a face mist.
2. Make plant food
   Don’t throw away the tea leaves after you’ve brewed your cup. Instead toss it into your potted plants over the soil, as it acts as a natural fertilizer.
3. Relieve tired or sore eyes
   Place chilled tea bags on your eyes, for 10 minutes to relieve puffy eyes. The tannins in tea also help to reduce dark circles.

Snigdha Manchanda, a tea sommelier, guarded her teas from around the world in her dad’s vintage trunk until the day she realised that tea tastes best when shared. Tea Trunk is the home of her teas and their aromatic stories.

This was first published in the March 2014 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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