So I've never bought tea that looks like this. Mostly I buy tea that comes prepacked in tea bags.

I am lazy.

Some times I buy loose tea that I steep and then use a metal strainer. But again, I am lazy and tea bags are so easy.

[caption id="attachment_3723" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Pumpkin, Honey and Tea"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-3723" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/11/05/making-tea-from-scratch/img_6529/"><img class="size-large wp-image-3723 " title="Pumpkin, Honey and Tea" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_6529-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

So on a whole, I've been living a pretty happy life drinking coffee in the mornings and a cup or two of tea at night.  I haven't even thought twice about using tea bags.

That was until this weekend when I ended up with dried herbs for tea.

I bought some jam, spoke some questionable Bulgarian and ended up with a bag of herbs for tea as well. It's not like you can say no. You don't want the herbs. So I took them.

Apparently, they are good for you. Good for your health, your kidneys, your throat, your prostate. Not that I have a prostate.

Only, what's a girl supposed to do with a plastic bag of whole herbs?!

[caption id="attachment_3724" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Unknown Herbs"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-3724" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/11/05/making-tea-from-scratch/img_6536/"><img class="size-large wp-image-3724 " title="Unknown Herbs" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_6536-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

Well, I was told to put one sprig in water. Let it soak. Boil it. Drink it.

I was skeptical.

Still, I am good at following directions so I got a pot out. Filled it up with water. And I got my sprig of herbs ready.

[caption id="attachment_3725" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Tossing the Herbs in!"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-3725" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/11/05/making-tea-from-scratch/img_6539/"><img class="size-large wp-image-3725 " title="Tossing the Herbs in!" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_6539-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

Then I boiled the herbs. The thing is I am not even sure I should be calling them herbs because I am pretty sure that herbs is a plural word.  As you can see there's only one kind of herb that I am tossing into the pot and I'm only tossing one of the bunch in.

Thus I think I am making unknown herb tea.

[caption id="attachment_3726" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Tea. Soaking. "]<a rel="attachment wp-att-3726" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/11/05/making-tea-from-scratch/img_6540/"><img class="size-large wp-image-3726 " title="Tea. Soaking. " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_6540-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

The tea is very smooth. I like it. It's not very strong but I am not really sure about the proportions.  I mean, I'm new at this.

I've also got about four more cups to drink. I apparently made enough for an army. I am not saying that I am converted after one pot of tea but the tea was a lot easier to make than I originally assumed.