Rudca FoodPure Greek Mountain Tea – Sideritis Raeseri, No Preservatives or Artificial Ingredients, 2 oz (Pack of 1)

This is one of the strangest teas I've ever had... and that's saying a lot. Rather than just leaves or flowers, the tea appears to be made from the entire plant, save the roots. The bag is filled with fuzzy white stems, featuring flowers on the ends and a very small number of leaves.The instructions on the packaging aren't very clear, not listing any specific amount of tea or water, so you'll just have to decide on a ratio that works for you. This steeps quite light, so I'd recommend going with more tea than you think you'll need.The flavor reminds me of chamomile, though less floral and without that natural sweetness. I would also describe the flavor as tasting ever-so-slightly of carrots, oddly enough. I'd definitely recommend sweetening this with honey: it really improves the mouthfeel, and brings out a sharpness in the tea that isn't apparent when drinking it on its own.While this tea doesn't really have a distinctive flavor or offer anything you can't get with chamomile, it does feel like something you could bring out to intrigue guests. The fuzzy little plants are fairly novel for a loose leaf tea, and the name "Greek mountain tea" is very evocative.

This ancient, herbal tea grows in the Mediterranean mountain ranges and is most popular in Greece. Every region has their own name for it, often derived from the name of the mountain it is harvested from. It is also called Shepherd’s tea because Greek shepherds collected and brewed the tea while tending their flocks.It is most often packaged as loose tea, comprised of the stems, leaves, and flowers. To extract all of the health benefits of the tea, it is important to use each of these parts of the plant. It is often prepared by breaking up three stems (about a tablespoon) into a pot and adding 8 to 10 ounces of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for three to five minutes. Then remove from heat and steep for an additional two minutes. The longer this tea is steeped, the stronger the brew and it can steep for 15 minutes or longer without resulting in any bitterness. Keep a lid on throughout the process to prevent essential oils from escaping with the steam. You can also simply place the tea in a tea ball/strainer, add to your mug and pour boiling water over it to steep. There are no known side effects of mountain tea, and it is naturally caffeine-free.The flavor is known to resemble a blend of mint, chamomile, and citrus and is often served with honey and lemon. (If you don’t like any of those flavors, it is well worth it to still give this tea a try as it is only reminiscent of those flavors, not precisely the same. I personally do not care for chamomile but I really enjoy this tea.) In Greece, they are also known to brew it with a cinnamon stick. My personal opinion of this tea is that it is very smooth and light. It has a gentle but complex flavor and most prominent to me is a delicate mint flavor. I’ve tried it with honey, honey and lemon, sugar, cinnamon and sugar, and even with some monk fruit sweetener. It has been good no matter how I prepare it, but my personal favorite is just sugar. It definitely benefits from some sweet to really enhance the natural flavors. I have also re-steeped it 2 to 3 times and it always brews a nice cup of tea. I’m very impressed with this tea and greatly appreciated the opportunity to try it!This tea is packaged double bagged. The inner bag is a cellophane type bag and the outer bag is thick with a zipper closure to preserve the freshness of the tea. One thing the seller could do that would be helpful to consumers is to be clearer with the brewing instructions. The instructions state how long to brew, and if you look at the nutrition facts, you can see that a serving size is a tablespoon, but the seller does not indicate the amount of water to use. One can deduce that a cup of tea is typically 6 or 8 ounces and either, or even more, would be fine; but folks like to have clear instructions.

The first time that I opened the bag of Rudka Greek Mountain Tea, I was greeted with a grassy and herbaceous aroma. The 2oz resealable bag holds a loose leaf tea that is placed in a clear plastic bag prior to being placed in the resealable bag. The tea is made up of tiny dried flower buds with a small, thin stem with tiny leaves attached. To make the tea, you just need to add boiling water to the tea and let it steep for 4-5 minutes. The brewed tea is very nuanced as it has soft floral notes that remind me of chamomile that is complemented with earthy, vegetal, and herbaceous notes that remind me of a combination of sage and oregano. It is delicious without any additions but can be complemented with a splash of milk and a touch of honey. There are 20 servings per bag. It is a Product of Greece. The product that I received had a best by date of 10 months from the date that I received it. It is the first time that I have tasted Greek Mountain Tea and really enjoyed it. It would make a wonderful gift for a tea fan.

It came in a very thin and broken poly bag inside a bigger tear-off plastic baggie. Not sure why double bag but the one inside gives off an unprofessional appearance. The tea itself taste like grass. Weak, not aromatic, big stems not leafy. It's not for me. 86'd.

This ancient Greek mountain tea (Shepherd's tea) is made from leaves, stems, and flowers. Has a light color after steeping it, and the tea itself has a very earthy and floral taste to it and a bit bitter. I found it more enjoyable adding a bit of honey to it. Not my favorite tea but not the worst I've ever tried, but wouldn't reorder as I found it to be a bit too bland brewed on it's own for me.

This Greek Mountain Tea – Sideritis Raeseri--was wholly new to me, and I am glad to have discovered it. The taste is fresh, vaguely minty, somewhat like chamomile, and wholly refreshing. The tea is in bulk and one can easily see the flowering buds in the package. Easy to use and reseal. I prefer loose teas like this over tea bags and have the right pot to brew and drain it. For folks used to a tea bag, this should not be a problem to drain after brewing because the tea is in large pieces. I experimented a bit on how much to brew and how long and find I need a bit more of this and to brew longer than I would either loose green tea or chamomile.I cannot speak to the health/healing benefits (yet?) but before I ordered it, I looked at some sites that spoke of it as a healthy tea and good for digestion. I think in that regard it might be much like chamomile.It's been a pleasure to experiment with this tea and I am glad of the chance to taste it via Vine. It's certainly affordable though as a Vine participant I did not have to pay for this first bag. I have been drinking it hot in the evenings but now that the heat index is over 100, I will be switching to icing it. Might mix it with mint!