Why is there no peppermint tea (薄荷茶) in China？

[leeyah]

I looked everywhere: pharmacies, supermarkets, small shops... Is there any special reason why you can't buy peppermint tea in China? Wherever I asked I just got the "never heard of it" stare in return and 没有啊 ... Does anyone here know what's it all about?

[liuzhou]

Possibly for the same reason that you can't buy many Chinese delicacies in western countries.

There is no culture of drinking peppermint tea here. Why would anyone want to stock it in the vague hope that you might turn up to buy it?

[Luobot]

Try putting some mint leaves in hot water (or in 绿茶), let it sit a few minutes, and you have fresh mint tea.

[roddy]

Search Taobao.com, bet you can find some. If you're lucky you'll find a seller in your area who can deliver or who has an actual shop you can visit. Everything is on Taobao.

[HoVis]

I had it once in a hostel in Yangshuo (fresh style), but I suspect this might not be of much use to you...

If you have a mint plant just make it fresh, it's much much nicer!

[bottledpoetry]

herm...that's weird. It's on coffeeshop menus all over Beijing. Try going to a 中药店 （zhong yao shop) and ask for 薄荷. I used to get peppermint from my dad's herbal medicine collection and make tea out of that. Tastes just fine

[flameproof]

Try putting some mint leaves in hot water

That's then the "Thé à la menthe" way that you get in Morocco. Just get some Menthe seeds and some soil, put it in an old can and place it near your window.

I would not put them outside with that pollution.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/The_menthe.jpg

[Luobot]

Growing your own mint leaves is a great idea, but if you don't have a green thumb then you should be able to find mint leaves. Just put it in a cup, pour hot water over it, let it stand a few minutes and voilà! For cold weather, try it with some fresh ginger for a soul-warming cup of ginger-mint tea. 好喝.

[skylee]

For cold weather, try it with some fresh ginger for a soul-warming cup of ginger-mint tea. 好喝.

somehow I imagine that it would taste very good if you replace the hot tea with hot coca-cola. giner mint coca-cola (hot) ...

[Luobot]

somehow I imagine that it would taste very good if you replace the hot tea with hot coca-cola. giner mint coca-cola (hot) ...

Hmm ... hot ginger-mint-cola ... 真有意思 ... somebody ought to bottle that!

[flameproof]

Growing plants is not exactly rocket science.

You can start from seeds. Just make sure soil is not too wet or not too dry. Seeds will grow within a few days.

If you have a mint plant you can just harvest it. Always leave some leaves so the plant won't die. You can also cut off branches, put the break area in water - and in a few days they may start to grow roots - which you put again into soil.

The later I do with thai basil which I can buy fresh in thai shops in Hong Kong. All the leaves go into food. The naked branches go into water and most start to root within a few days.

[bottledpoetry]

The later I do with thai basil which I can buy fresh in thai shops in Hong Kong.

speaking of which, anyone know where to buy herb seeds (basil, rosemary, thyme) in Beijing or Shanghai? Thanks!

[lioralourie]

it's definitely in all the foreigner supermarkets in Beijing and Shanghai.

Also, I don't know about seeds. But Organic Farm, Ltd. delivers potted herbs

Basil Potted Plant 有机活体罗勒

Mint Potted Plant 有机活体薄荷叶

Purple Basil Potted Plant 有机活体紫罗勒

Lemon Balm Potted Plant 有机活体蜜蜂花

Edited November 14, 2008 at 07:34 AM by imron
merged two posts.