Ever since I arrived in Berin, I've been frequenting Cafe Sisal (Mulackstraße 20, 10119) where everyone makes me feel at home. On days when I haven't talked to anyone, I know I can go here and I will be welcomed. Last week, my local café family made me some special tea. It was so delicious and unusual that I asked them the name of it, to which their reply (in Turkish? in German?) sounded to me like, "Secret Tea." They showed me the pot of herbs to which they had added the nelkin/cloves. I just couldn't figure out what the herb was, so the chef looked it up on his iphone and showed me the photo and description of how Sideritis is an herbal "mountain tea." There's something about tea that is symbolic of hospitality, especially when someone has simmered it for 30 minutes just for you. Knowing how much I had enjoyed it, they bought more (it's not on their menu) and as soon as they saw me come in tonight, they started brewing it and brought it to my table as a surprise. And, they even gave me a bag of the herbs to take home with directions on how to brew it.
Cited from a website, "Often referred to as "shepherd's tea" as well, it beautifully evokes the rough, craggy and arid terrain of the Southern Mediterranean and the Balkans where shepherds lead their sheep and goats to graze on low vegetation that includes many fragrant plants, such as labdanum (rockrose), chamomile, clover leaves and immortelle (helichrysum)...a vista of pure, simple, humble pleasures...for everyone!" (Source: http://www.fragrantica.com/news/MOUNTAIN-TEA-Sideritis-The-Humble-3706.html)
Trying my first "high key" (with the help of @taffy) as part of the ONS4. Also part of my get-pushed challenge with Amy @atooner.
