jacob111 -tea

Should one choose to believe that good things come in small package, there would not be any disappointment with this little bag of Reishi. 

While the packaging itself is hardly a breakthrough in design with description a torture to read, the content speaks for itself quite differently.  However banal, from the point of utilitarian aspect, , besides user friendly, the translucent cubical pack clearly displays the ingredients in full confidence, making sure one sees what dripping down the throat.  As goodies eventually leak out into the brew, it resembles more like a consomme’ instead of tea-like mix.

Taste, though mostly subjective and hard to speak for everyone, but as long as one enjoys the musky organic aroma of wild mushroom and happy with the unique sting of bitter gourd, one should be at home with this product, and I for instance, find it quite enticing. 

Once tearing open the package, a faint scent of fresh mushroom drifts out; shaking the bag a couple of times, out permeates an aroma of earthy freshness of a forest after rainfall.  As this is the first time trying out this herbal mix, I hardly know what to expect.  After steeping in hot water for about three minutes, the first taste is rather startling.  Besides having an unmistakable scent of mushroom, it bites me with a subdue bitterness similar to quinine.  A couple of more sips afterwards and as taste begins to sink in, the bitterness turns quite pleasing, and soon afterwards it leaves an aftertaste like licorice on the taste buds. Plain cool.

Perhaps like hot chili, it takes some nerve to get used to, but once acquiring the sting, to do without it would be difficult.  Indeed, it is too early to vouch for its pharmacological effect, yet I am confidence it would out rank any mouthwash especially after a heavy and spicy dinner, because the brew leaves the mouth a very soothing odor and whispering close to my partner’s ear would raise no fear of bad breath.  On the serious side, I am a caffeine addict, but it suits me well replacing a shot of coffee with this bag of Reishi during the late afternoon.  No hang- over side effect or agitation from missing a dose of caffeine in this case.

Here again, this little package reminds me of an old Chinese adage, “where bitterness ends, sweetness takes over”.  Granted true, is it a mere coincidence the West also has an oxymoron known as “bitterly-sweet”; interesting thing happens where East meets West.  Perhaps, with this Reishi, our forefathers’ wisdom is put to test again in this silicon age.