Armenian landscape is very favorable for growing different types of herbs. The Armenian climate, the difference of altitudes, abundance of small fresh rivers and the plentiful of sun make perfect conditions for growing a large number of herbs that are used for making tea, spices and even for healing purposes included in thousand-year-old recipes.
Cool Armenian winters made locals think about ways to stay warm. Once again they turned to the diverse Caucasian nature. While learning about their environment Armenians came across several types of herbs that made tasty tea and had unique healing capabilities. Thyme, for example, is good for helping overcome digesting problems as well as for sore throat. With the importing of black tea from India through Silk Road, Armenians also appreciated the rich flavor of herbs growing on Armenian mountain slopes. The most common herbs used for brewing tea is mentha, peppermint, thyme and others. Some herbs are used for both as a spice and in teas, like rose leaves and the bark of Cinnamomum tree to add a unique taste or scent to the tea. The main producers of herbal teas in Armenia are Armenian Tea and Mountain Tea. You can also try them in many tea houses around Armenia.
In the kitchen Armenians use, among other spices, laurel, Ceylon cinnamon, paprika, black pepper, ginger, cress, coriander, tarragon, parsley, black mustard, basil, dill, garlic, cumin, vanilla and saffron. Some of these, like parsley, dill and basil can be consumed fresh, they are really good ingredients for Armenian sandwiches or the summer salad.
The Armenian well known cured beef, called the Basturma, is also a result of well-chosen group of Armenian spices. The brown coat of spices over the meat is called Chaman. It has a special way of preparation and used mainly the ground seeds of caraway. Visit the specialized store of huge assortment of spices in Armenia.
There are a lot of natural plants that in the hands of an experienced Armenian become medicine that leave all the high-end laboratories of the world in shame. Armenian masters mix leaves, flowers, fruits and even roots of many plants in a specific ratio to create live saving pastes or liquids. Raspberry, hawthorn, leonurus, sanguisorba officinalis, astragalus microcephalus, cascuta, daphne mezereum, juniperus, primula and many more are widely used in these procedures. Some of the plants contain toxic materials and should be handled only by a professional, also any wrong mixture or use of the plant can cause serious harm or even death, therefore consult a professional and they will be happy to assist you with all your needs.
One of the most prominent medical centers specializing on curing various diseases purely with natural pastes, liquids and mixtures is Primula Medical Center located in Yerevan, Armenia.
