Kapha Balance

Bright ginger, a snap of clove, and cool peppermint over a grey, rainy Portland morning: this is the warming, spice-forward cup for the slow start of a cold day. Pour it hot first thing or mid-afternoon as a caffeine-free stand-in for coffee, or brew it strong and pour it over ice when you want the same zing chilled. In Ayurveda, the traditional wellness system of India, blends are matched to the body-type traditions called doshas. A warming, pungent cup like this one is associated with the kapha type and the cold, damp kapha season of late winter into spring.

The flavor runs zesty and full. Peppery ginger leads, sweet green cardamom and warm clove build behind it, and peppermint with lemon balm (a sweet, lemony herb in the mint family) keeps the cup fresh rather than heavy. We blend and pack it in small batches in Portland, with no salt, no sugar, and no preservatives.

In Indian homes, a spiced cup like this shifts with the weather, leaning harder on ginger and clove when the mornings turn cold and wet. Make it your grey-season ritual, add a slice of orange or lemon for brightness, and stir in honey only after the cup has cooled enough to sip comfortably.

Ingredients: peppermint, lemon balm, ginger, green cardamom, cloves. Caffeine-free. No salt, no sugar, no preservatives. Vegan.

How do I brew it?
Use one teaspoon per eight ounces of water. Heat fresh water to around 200°F, pour it over the tea, and steep for five minutes. Use fresh leaves each time you brew.

Why wait to add honey?
In Ayurvedic kitchens, honey goes in only after a hot cup has cooled enough to hold a fingertip in comfortably, never stirred into scalding water. Let the tea sit a minute off the boil, then sweeten. It keeps the honey's flavor bright.

My cup came out sharp and bitter. What happened?
Ginger, clove, and cardamom turn aggressive when over-steeped. Keep to a five-minute steep, then lift out the leaves. A longer soak pulls hard, biting notes from the pungent spices.

Is there caffeine in it?
No. It is a blend of herbs and spices with no tea leaf, so it works morning or evening.

Is this only for kapha types?
The name comes from the Ayurvedic tradition of matching blends to season and type. Drink it any time you want a bright, gingery, warming cup, no dosha knowledge required.