Douglas Fir Tip Tea

When I went to check out the Waldorf School in Pasadena, I did not expect that the most immediately useful piece of information that I would walk away with would be an introduction to an herbal tea.

I drink a cup of herbal tea every morning, before I start in on the coffee and breakfast. It's nice to have a hot cup of tea to sip, while I watch Fe cloak his face (and often his hair) in yogurt.

I love mint. And lately, I've been fortunate enough to receive fresh Chamomile in with the C.S.A. haul. It makes a lovely herbaceous cup. I have a whole shelf in the pantry jammed with herbal tea boxes, yet I'm always looking for something a little more satisfying or a little bit different.

When I bumped into Juniper Ridge's Douglas Fir Tip Tea at the Waldorf School, I was intrigued. I had a cup. I had never tasted any tea like it before. It tastes exactly like a winter forest with a hint of lemon. The tea is crisp and clean. It haunted me for a few days, so I began a search for it.

I ended up asking Whole Foods in Glendale to special order it for me. When I went to pick it up, I noticed a new display filled with Juniper Ridge products. You may be able to find it there or you can visit the Juniper Ridge site and order it direct. They call it "Wildcrafted Tea." I love that. The idea is that what comes directly from the wilderness is probably even more organic than what you find on organic farms.

The only ingredient in the tea is "100% sustainably wild-harvested Douglas Fir needle tips."