I just made a pot of my favourite marsh drink - ledum palustre + balsam birch, but it turned out too strong and sends my head spinning. I wonder if it'll poison me? Should I drink it? Or maybe not... I don't want to waste all those plants for nothing, but mixing it with water will spoil the drink... Ah, to hell with it, we live only once, so let's immerse ourselves into the marsh, its spirits, rotting wood, berries and will-o-wisps..
hmmm, not a bad idea, but then it wouldn't be a marsh tea any more, besides I already drank it empty. I'll prepare one more, just this time with a good Indian green tea.
Apparently some members of the ledum family contain a narcotic that can be released after prolonged brewing, which could explain the dizziness: http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Ledum glandulosum&PRINT&SKIPCOMMENTS&SKIPREFS Birch bark contains salicylates, which some people may become allergic to, so some caution might be warrented there as well. But, shit, I suppose if you've been using the recipe for years with no ill effects, you're probably fine.
True, but a bitter marsh tea mixed with a smoky green tea would be delicious. So would a jasmine or a lapsang soochang. Avatar, do you sun brew or brew over fire?
Oh, I know all about it, I'm an amateur biologist, you could say, and I read up on all plants I gather, their chemical composition, effects, etc. Ledum palustre is very tasty and a bit narcotic, it affects the central nervous system, while balsam birch (don't know the latin name) gives a bit of bitter kick. And it does taste delicious with green tea, I've experimented with it.
Nowadays I am going through the box of brown rice green tea and another of corn silk tea that a friend gifted me. The brown rice tea also has a smoky flavor. The corn silk is unusual with a kind of depth to the flavor that persists.
I also like blooming teas (many different flavors); they are so much fun for a get together http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_j3ThSg068
You probably brewed something with a stronger concentration than normal, that's all. If you're at all interested in the mind altering effects, I sometimes make a tea/concentrate of lemon and amanita muscaria mushrooms. Latvia produces some excellent ones, and depending on how you brew them the effects can be quite mild. But you also have to dry them correctly, which is a challenge to learn. And of course, if you're not into such things.... What all is in your marsh tea? Have you tried adding juniper berries?
Just slop a load of cow milk in it. For maximum freshness just connect a rubber tube to the udder and suck.