Years ago as a student I was working in the Canadian forest helping the
prospectors staking claims.
We were always on the move. After supper time we always had tea. The
legendary voyageurs called that tea "thé des bois".
Water was boiled and the leave dropped over the hot water. When the leave
were at the bottom the tea was ready.
I was told that the native Amerindian were known to have harvested that tea
for centuries long before the white men. Today, I would like to get some of
that tea but no one appears to know what "thé des bois" is. I wonder if any
one know smoothing about that tea?

> Years ago as a student I was working in the Canadian forest helping the
> prospectors staking claims.
> After supper time we always had tea. The legendary voyageurs called that tea "thé
> des bois".
> Today, I would like to get some of that tea but no one appears to know what "thé des
> bois" is.

That just means "tea of the forest". If Iit's the canadian forest, then
probably what they are talking about is Labrador Tea (Ledum
groenlandicum) aka Muskeg Tea. It grows all over in the muskegs and
swamps of northen Canada. In southern Canada, it's a little harder to
find, buy you can still find it in some places.

The tea color is dark red. And the taste is a lot like ordinary black
tea. But, you have to boil it first, and discard the first boil -
usually kind of greenish. It tastes very bitter, so you boil it to
remove all the bitterness. Then, you have to boil it a second time, for
a long time. Then, the taste will be very good. Makes a really good
bush tea. I usually pick some when I have the chance.

If in northern Canada, better to pick it at the end of august, or
september - that's when the mosquitos are gone. Pick it after it
flowers - usually flowers in June or July. It's a low, slow growing
woody-stemmed shrub.


Another tea might be Oswego Tea (Monarda didyma) The leaves are very
fragrant, and when dried and made into tea, tastes very delicious.

Native Americans drank both of these teas a daily beverage teas. And
later, colonists adopted them as tea substitutes.

Thank you very much for your information.
I'll keep up your comments for future references.
One summer a Micmac summer student working as nature guide did shown us what
Labrador tea looks like.
For years I always wonder how to translate "thé des bois" tea of the forest
does reflect it correct meaning.

"niisonge" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Years ago as a student I was working in the Canadian forest helping the
> prospectors staking claims.
> After supper time we always had tea. The legendary voyageurs called that
> tea "thé
> des bois".
> Today, I would like to get some of that tea but no one appears to know
> what "thé des
> bois" is.

That just means "tea of the forest". If Iit's the canadian forest, then
probably what they are talking about is Labrador Tea (Ledum
groenlandicum) aka Muskeg Tea. It grows all over in the muskegs and
swamps of northen Canada. In southern Canada, it's a little harder to
find, buy you can still find it in some places.

The tea color is dark red. And the taste is a lot like ordinary black
tea. But, you have to boil it first, and discard the first boil -
usually kind of greenish. It tastes very bitter, so you boil it to
remove all the bitterness. Then, you have to boil it a second time, for
a long time. Then, the taste will be very good. Makes a really good
bush tea. I usually pick some when I have the chance.

If in northern Canada, better to pick it at the end of august, or
september - that's when the mosquitos are gone. Pick it after it
flowers - usually flowers in June or July. It's a low, slow growing
woody-stemmed shrub.


Another tea might be Oswego Tea (Monarda didyma) The leaves are very
fragrant, and when dried and made into tea, tastes very delicious.

Native Americans drank both of these teas a daily beverage teas. And
later, colonists adopted them as tea substitutes.