Costmary
Tanacetum balsamita
Leaf · warming-aromatic · minty
Alecost — balsamic mint and lemon in a stillroom leaf.
In the mouth
How it tastes
Balsamic-mint or spearmint-lemon, a sweet astringent finish. Aromatic and pleasant in a cup.
Traditional use
A flavoring herb of ale and of the tea jar. Folk kitchens used the leaf where mint was wanted with a balsam edge.
In the cup
A small leaf or ½ tsp dried, steeped 5–7 minutes. Over-steeping turns astringent.
Blood
Sour blood · sour
Sour is cooling and astringent. It draws and binds, thickens thin blood, starts saliva, and hydrates even as it tightens. Sour plants carry the antioxidants of fruit. They move mucous and support the lungs — large doses irritate. Lemon-family plants show up again and again in sinus cups.
Read sour bloodReached for
The promise
A careful hand
Ordinary tea for a healthy adult.
Daisy family — allergy caution. Some chemotypes hold thujone; ordinary leaf tea is low risk. Do not drink the essential oil. Thin modern data; traditional moderate amounts.
Read the whole promiseSits well with
Spearmint
Mentha spicata
The sweeter mint — kinder to children and to a tender stomach.
Bloating · Indigestion · Nausea
Brighten, circulate, and clear
Lemon balm
Melissa officinalis
A lemon-leaf for a circling mind and a mild viral season.
Frayed nerves · Restless sleep · Feverish & flushed
Brighten, circulate, and clear
Lemon
Citrus limon
The bright slice that finishes almost every stillroom cup.
Chill & congestion · Indigestion · Sore throat
Brighten, circulate, and clear
Traditional kitchen and folk use only. This is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are pregnant, nursing, on medicine, or unwell, ask a clinician before drinking anything as a remedy.