Beyond the Page: Unlocking the Calm of Kianthe's Rose Mint Tea
What could be more soothing than a cup of lovely herbal tea sipped while in the forest or hunkered down in a beautiful, cozy bookshop with a beloved friend? And, what if your cup was filled with a favorite, dependable blend you can turn to time and again?
What would be in your cup?
Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne is filled with adventure, love, humor, and well, tea. As the story begins, we quickly learn that protagonist Kianthe’s favorite tea blend is a simply brewed rose mint tea. The perfect blend for a cozy fantasy tea!
“Kianthe: If you ‘re taking logistics, I’m going to need a cup of tea. What’d you bring?
Reyna: Just a few bags. Black, white, oolong. There’s rose and mint in the purple satchel…
Kianthe brightened at the mention of her favorite herbal blend.”
A Character and Her Favorite Tea Blend
As the most powerful mage in the land, Kianthe shoulders a lot of responsibility. Despite being an essential part of society’s workings, Kianthe feels alone. With a big heart and lots of wit to boot, she is wonderfully written as a complicated, loving character. And we can feel the pressure she is under. So it is no surprise that a simple tisane made of two soothing herbs makes its way into her tea cup or that Reyna keeps this blend close at hand.
Rose Mint Tea Recipe
As an herbalist who loves reading about herbs in fiction and both of these tasty botanicals, here is how I would brew up a cup of Kianthe’s favorite blend!
This recipe makes enough for one big mug to sip. If you want to share with your beloved, double it up.
Ingredients
1 to 2 heaping tablespoons of rose petals
1 to 2 heaping tablespoons of mint leaves (peppermint, spearmint, or applemint are wonderful options!)
a pinch of lavender blossoms
12 ounces of boiling hot water
honey, optional
heat-proof container with a lid, like a canning jar
hot pad or towel
strainer
mug
Method
Place the rose petals, mint leaves, lavender in the heat-proof container. Increase the amount of herbs if you prefer a stronger flavor.
Carefully cover with the herbs with boiling hot water.
Place the lid on top of the container. This helps to keep the aromatic compounds from the herbs in your tea rather than the allowing the compounds to evaporate into the air.
Let the herbs steep for 10 to 20 minutes.
Using a hot pad or towel to protect your hand, pour the tea through a strainer and into a mug.
If you wish, add honey to taste. Enjoy!
About the Herbs: Rose Petal and Mint Benefits
Rose and mint are two wonderful herbs that are common in Western herbalism and generally considered safe to use. They are both herbal nervines, meaning that each herb has properties that help to support and soothe the nervous system. As a powerful, in-demand mage, Kianthe could probably use a little nervine support!
Rose Petals
Rose (Rosa spp.) petals in tea impart a beautiful fragrance and flavor. They are cooling, antiinflammatory, and astringent as well. On an emotional level, roses are thought to gently comfort the heart and ease an overtaxed nervous system. In fact, this beautiful flower is known for its ability to gently soothe the emotional heart and support self-love—a perfect fit for a lonely mage.
Use rose safely: Ensure that your petals are from an organic source, as roses are often heavily sprayed.
Learn more about roses here.
Mint Leaves
Mint (Mentha spp.) leaves in tea bring an aliveness and comfort all at once. In herbalism, mints are valued for their antispasmodic, antimicrobial, and carminative properties. As a nervine, mints often have the ability to both ease overwrought nerves and exhaustion while also providing a refreshed feeling. As a tired mage, mint would be a great choice in a cup of tea.
Use mint safely: Mint can flare indigestion for some folks and is contraindicated in certain conditions.
Learn more about mint here.
Final Thoughts
Have you read Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea? (If you haven’t, pick up a copy!)
This book, filled with adventure tempered by simple moments and tasty teas—like the rose mint tea Reyna keeps stocked for her beloved—highlights those precious moments that we experience in daily life in a loving and fun way. It is those moments that fill our lives, after all—even for the Mage of Ages.
Happy sipping!
