Herbs

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Where can I find herbal tea in Chiang Mai, preferably something locally produced, not the stuff you find shrink-wrapped at Rim Ping or Royal Project. Something like ginger tea, or a mix of local herbs in a tea bag, not instant-powder.

I was planning on trying the area of shops and then veg restaurant where Eden is, but maybe there are better places.

I tend to run into the challenge that some bars don't serve tea, or if they do then it's Lipton. However just about all of them have hot water. So thought I'd BYOT.

Edited January 11, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[femi fan]

Raming tea house sells a wonderful variety of their own teas, mostly grown in chiang dao, and some of which are organic.

It includes various non-'tea's, ie herbal ones. Bags and leaves. Two that i particularly like but which are tea-based, are their ginger green tea, and their own masala tea which is black tea plus herbs like cardomom, cinnamon, and so on. But many choices.

Guess you probably know where it is, it's that nice-looking old colonial style bullding on tha pae road on the section between top of night bazaar and where you turn right into the rhs france road. Just before that road on the right. It also has a very nice garden where you can drink tea and eat from their unique menu.

I just got myself a thermos flask so i can take my own teas with me when necessary. Lipton is as bad as tea can get.

[femi fan]

Oh, and if you find yourself in pai, then go along to the good life herbal restaurant. Finest selection of teas possibly in the world. About 40 choices or so, including various herbal ones. This place is unique, and long-running, with a ukraine chap and his nice thai wife owning it. He has imported teas from taiwan, china, japan mainly, but lots from chiang mai and chiang rai, including nice fresh jiaogulan tea.

Good Life and Raming are the best two places for tea.

[just_Elaine]

I happened to be looking for something at Hillkoff (coffee supplies) and noticed that they also have tea: http://www.hillkoff.com/product-th-676477-%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%93%E0%B9%8C+TEA++Accessories.html. There are a few with herbs...

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Thanks!! Yes, I know Raming (and Hillkoff), I will visit again.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Ok, I went to check it out. Raming have a lot of herbal teas, nice shop, not cheap but also not as pricey as I feared. 10 teabags with any kind of herb in it is 50 baht. Bought two.

I then went to the Eden health food store on Wichayanon Road; bigger packs, cheaper prices but mostly just the dried leaves, so not in teabags which is less convenient. Considerably cheaper though, fairly big bags of herbal teas go for 60 baht. They didn't have ginger though (other than the powder that you dissolve that Rim Ping also carries)

[just_Elaine]

If you want to use loose tea leaves, you can get a tea ball or snap mesh tea infuser. I got a snap mesh tea infuser at Central department store that I like. It is good for a single cup. I use one of these back home to sprinkle cocoa on top of cappuccino.

[femi fan]

There's also ban suan pak, if walking, turn right at the north-eastern corner of the moat, go past the presidents hotel, then turn right into the sort of soi before the lights. They have lots of herbal teas, both bags and leaves i think.

But drinking leaves is healthier, and also not difficult! With all the teapots for sale around that have their own built-in strainer which holds the leaves, and the three part tea mugs too, no need for extra implements like tea strainers.

[bobl]

Warorot market in the middle of town has a stall with a huge selection of teas. My tg buys stuff there all the time I always thought it was Chinese but she tells me it's all locally produced tea...

[WinnieTheKhwai]

There's also ban suan pak, if walking, turn right at the north-eastern corner of the moat, go past the presidents hotel, then turn right into the sort of soi before the lights. They have lots of herbal teas, both bags and leaves i think.

Yup, that's where I went today, that's Wichayanon Rd. Thought it was called Eden but you're right that it's Ban Suan Pak.

But drinking leaves is healthier, and also not difficult! With all the teapots for sale around that have their own built-in strainer which holds the leaves, and the three part tea mugs too, no need for extra implements like tea strainers.

Yeah.. I know, but I need to bring the stuff into bars which mostly don't have herbal tea. So it needs to be ultra convenient, where I can throw them a little bag to dump into a mug with hot water. I know I'm peculiar.

I also got Jiaogulan by the way, really interesting stuff. It seems suitable for Vodka infusions too, something to keep in mind when I'm back to drinking alcohol.

(Like, tomorrow. )

Edited January 12, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[MassivePuffin]

There's also ban suan pak, if walking, turn right at the north-eastern corner of the moat, go past the presidents hotel, then turn right into the sort of soi before the lights. They have lots of herbal teas, both bags and leaves i think.

But drinking leaves is healthier, and also not difficult! With all the teapots for sale around that have their own built-in strainer which holds the leaves, and the three part tea mugs too, no need for extra implements like tea strainers.

These three part tea mugs sounds interesting. Where have you seen them and for how much?

Cheers

[femi fan]

These three part tea mugs sounds interesting. Where have you seen them and for how much?

Cheers

Kind of everywhere, which isn't going to help you much! They're normal size mugs, with a sort of tea leaf holding bit that sits in the mug, and a lid to keep the water hot while the tea infuses. Then you take the lid off, put it on the table and then take the tea leaf holding bit out and put it not the lid, thereby allowing lazy people to not have to move once they've sat down with their mug of tea!

They're all in chinese pictures and patterns

I did see loads for sale in the undercover car park area next to one of the entrances of the old carrefour on the superhighway which is now Big C. Would guess they're still there. Probably also on the basement floor of the gan suan gao building where they sell a lot of teas too.

Good luck in finding them, can't help more than that! Pretty cheap i think.

[femi fan]

Yup, that's where I went today, that's Wichayanon Rd. Thought it was called Eden but you're right that it's Ban Suan Pak.

But drinking leaves is healthier, and also not difficult! With all the teapots for sale around that have their own built-in strainer which holds the leaves, and the three part tea mugs too, no need for extra implements like tea strainers.

Yeah.. I know, but I need to bring the stuff into bars which mostly don't have herbal tea. So it needs to be ultra convenient, where I can throw them a little bag to dump into a mug with hot water. I know I'm peculiar.

I also got Jiaogulan by the way, really interesting stuff. It seems suitable for Vodka infusions too, something to keep in mind when I'm back to drinking alcohol.

(Like, tomorrow. )

Eden moved, and is now next to warm up on nimmin road, near the lights there.

I just tried out my new thermos flask when i went to play snooker, made the brew at home and enjoyed my green tea while playing snooker. Perhaps bars/restaurants might not like that so much, unless you're eating a decent meal there.

Good jiaogulan is pretty tasty in my book, and particularly healthy for you, and of course no caffeine if that is an issue.

[elektrified]

These three part tea mugs sounds interesting. Where have you seen them and for how much?

Cheers

Kind of everywhere, which isn't going to help you much! They're normal size mugs, with a sort of tea leaf holding bit that sits in the mug, and a lid to keep the water hot while the tea infuses. Then you take the lid off, put it on the table and then take the tea leaf holding bit out and put it not the lid, thereby allowing lazy people to not have to move once they've sat down with their mug of tea!

They're all in chinese pictures and patterns

I did see loads for sale in the undercover car park area next to one of the entrances of the old carrefour on the superhighway which is now Big C. Would guess they're still there. Probably also on the basement floor of the gan suan gao building where they sell a lot of teas too.

Good luck in finding them, can't help more than that! Pretty cheap i think.

Sounds kind of like the set up in which I was served "Vietnam" coffee today in a place called 'Coffee Lovers' somewhere in the old city. It was a handy little gadget in which the coffee brewed at the table (on top of the cup). Coffee was 60 Baht and although it was very nice I don't think it was really Vietnamese coffee.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I just tried out my new thermos flask when i went to play snooker, made the brew at home and enjoyed my green tea while playing snooker. Perhaps bars/restaurants might not like that so much, unless you're eating a decent meal there.

They might think it's a flask of hard liquor. Respect!

I think as long as bar owners and bar staff know that you're basically a nice person and are not trying to take advantage then you can get away with a remarkable amount of things that would never fly in bars back home. But on the other hand I also want to make it fair for the bar operator who is providing a fun environment and fun staff, so some money should flow his way. Back in the day when most bars didn't have diet coke (Coke Light) I even brought the stuff and supplied it as a gift; I could easily do the same with tea or other drinks. But I think the best approach is to order a mug of hot water; if they're in doubt what to charge for that then I recommend they charge the same as they do for (Lipton) tea, or for a plain Soda Water. And then use your own teabags.

Good jiaogulan is pretty tasty in my book, and particularly healthy for you, and of course no caffeine if that is an issue.

Can always mix it with Red Bull to increase the caffeine content if that is an issue.

[freedomnow]

Sorry, where is that 'Tea House Celadon' in the photo above ? Looks very nice. Think I've toxified myself with coffee. Need an alternative.

EDIT.

Found it http://www.ramingtea.com/eng_tea_house.php

Edited January 13, 2012 by freedomnow

[hellodolly]

Raming tea house sells a wonderful variety of their own teas, mostly grown in chiang dao, and some of which are organic.

It includes various non-'tea's, ie herbal ones. Bags and leaves. Two that i particularly like but which are tea-based, are their ginger green tea, and their own masala tea which is black tea plus herbs like cardomom, cinnamon, and so on. But many choices.

Guess you probably know where it is, it's that nice-looking old colonial style bullding on tha pae road on the section between top of night bazaar and where you turn right into the rhs france road. Just before that road on the right. It also has a very nice garden where you can drink tea and eat from their unique menu.

I just got myself a thermos flask so i can take my own teas with me when necessary. Lipton is as bad as tea can get.

Was in there yesterday for the first time. Great tea and a garden to enjoy it in.

Had a clubhouse sandwich. It was OK but the ambiance was some thing you would never expect on Tha Pai road.

Defiantly will be going back.'