My Stance on Tisanes

Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot (her famous Belgian detective) is probably one the worlds most famous tisane drinkers. Mysteries are my favorite genre and I often drink tea, NOT tisanes while reading.  When it comes to tea, Poirot is as unique as his grip on criminal proclivities in the ne’er-do-well of the East End where he resides. Shunning, “de English tea, pffftt,” the Belgium detective requests “une tisane” at nine am sharp with three spoons of sugar.  When you are the greatest detective in the world, the mind must be clear and sharp.  His tisanes help “de little grey cells, mon ami,” he often tells his friend Colonel Hastings that “It is important that I have my tisane punctually.” 

I on the other hand do not drink tisanes.  As I matter of fact, I never drink them.  I have drunk them before and more than once and I have never enjoyed a cup.  I appreciate that they can and do offer sensory delights, with their many and varied heady fragrances and surprising flavors.  I also recognize and value the wealth of information about their numerous benefits that come with their consumption for example – for one’s physical, mental, emotional, social and even spiritual well-being, but I think on a very fundamental level, drinking tea should be a pleasant experience. Meaning that when drinking it, it should deliver pleasurable things to you.  What those “things” are I’m positive differ on an individual basis, but generally, they should probably consist of fragrance, good feelings, but first and foremost for me is good taste, and drinks that don’t fulfill those requirements for me, are usually not repeated. I just don’t like the way the majority of them taste.  So, like Dr, Seuss’s book Green Eggs and Ham…

Not not a train! Not in a tree!

Not in a car! Sam! Let me be!

I would not, would not, with a fox.

I will not DRINK them with a mouse

I will not DRINK them in a house.

I will not DRINK them here or there.

I will not DRINK them anywhere.

I do not like them, Sam – I -Am.