When herbalist Claire Critter’s sunny storefront in quiet downtown Mazomanie isn’t open for shoppers, she might be found stirring tea blends like an alchemist in her back kitchen workshop. At Hedge Meadow Herbs + Apothecary, which opened in April 2023, Critter sells her own tea blends, tinctures, and flower essences. She also offers herbal products, bulk herbs, art, books, and educational workshops. She says she grew up with an appreciation for plants but always felt overwhelmed by everything she had to learn about them. Critter’s “aha” moment came when she quit her “all-consuming office job.”
“I noticed that there is an herb school near where I live.” [at the time in California]And it was an obvious choice,” she says. From there, Kritter studied herbs full-time for three years before launching a series of teas created through experimentation.
Critter begins the process in a back warehouse or in the store’s bulk herb shelves, gathering the herbs needed to create one of eight to 10 specialty blends. All of the herbs she uses are organic, and many are sourced from small farms (as opposed to wild-harvested). To create her tried-and-true bedtime herbal tea, Critter reaches for herbs known for their relaxing properties, including chamomile flowers, lavender, spearmint, California poppy, and rose petals. “it is, [the tea] We use mild herbs that taste good and are generally safe for most people,” she says. This means herbs that have shown few side effects or contraindications over a long period of time. “And then you balance that with the intention behind the tea, like making the tea. [something relaxing] People will be able to drink it before bed. ”
Critter measures each herb and adds them to a large bowl, then mixes everything together before weighing and packaging the blend. That’s it. “It’s very simple,” Critter says. “Tea is a type of herbal medicine that is very easy to make.”
Other blends in her product line support respiratory and digestive health and stress resilience. Sweetheart, a new Hedge Meadow blend aimed at “opening the heart,” has quickly become a hit. Next time you visit Hedge Meadow, you might see a pink black tea dotted with hibiscus and rose petals, hawthorn leaves, flowers and berries steeped in a clear French press on the counter .
This is (other) tea
Take a seat at the tea bar and soak in the knowledge of: tea cider co-owners and spouses Rachel and Anthony Verbrick; From the correct way to whisk matcha to which tea to pair with dim sum (chrysanthemum), the Verbricks have the answers. 823 E. Johnson St.
Offering tea drinks in every color of the rainbow, Sencha tea bar It brings joy to the senses. Look out for fall flavors like s’mores and, you guessed it, pumpkin spice. 224 State Street
It’s not hard to see why it became a bestseller. Le Cies Patisserie & Tea House is brown sugar bubble milk tea. A rich, velvety boba tea filled with brown sugar tapioca. 411 State Street
Now under new ownership, bubbling teapot (formerly Jade Mountain Cafe) is a not-so-secret spot for bubble tea on Madison’s east side. 2611 E. Johnson St.
Receive several heart-shaped single cups of tea from. Tersan Tea And write yourself a love letter. 108 E. Main St., Mount Horeb
Erica Krug is a contributor to Madison Magazine.
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