Reishi mushroom tea in Korea

I read a book last winter - forgot the title   - about natural food, foraging and reishi mushrooms.  Ever since reading that awespiring detail about the connection with food and everything else - my overall attitude about health food has been shifted to a "I know the properties of this and that" to approaching health benefits as a journey to enjoy the learning that comes with patience and trials.  

Reishi mushroom is very new to me as well as tea drinking.   I haven't been a huge tea drinker until recently.  

But now, I start my day with a hot tea in the morning (corn silk tea) and at night (buckwheat tea, green tea) almost as rituals.  

The health benefits of reishi mushroom tea is very solid (its history of reishi tea goes far far back in time in China).  I shouldn't say anymore, how about "immortality" - does that spark your interest? Please read and learn about it online.

I ordered a 500g sliced and dried reishi - called "YoungJi" mushroom in Korean - bag online for less than 30,000won(about $30).  They feel more like soft tree barks than the typical mushroom texture (soft and wet) one is used to.  They were sliced long ways - but easy to break in chunks for tea.

There are so many ways people seem to enjoy this tea - some prefer it dark like black coffee and some mild as green tea.  Since I'm new to this, I aimed to drink it on the milder side.

I broke a few pieces of the sliced dried reishi mushroom into the teapot - boiled it for 15 minutes in low heat.  

My first trial came out much darker and bitter in taste.  Some add honey for taste - but it's still too bitter and the sweet taste only adds insult to the injury as your tongue fights and decides which flavor to dictate among the two polar opposites of bitter and sweet tastes.

But after a few trials, I perfected my reishi tea to my liking.  You have to experiment with it and that's part of the fun!

As a caution, it's recommended to avoid drinking this tea when you are "sick" (boils, fever, etc) - it's best to drink it as "prevention" rather than "remedy" - this is for that.  And not to prolong intake for more than a few months or so - because you don't want your body to get used to it and not working the best with your body.  Always anything in moderation is advised, no matter how beneficial.  

I drink it to enjoy the benefits and not so much for the taste.  It's an acquired taste because it has a "sourness" to it that one has to get used to.   But since the benefits are so strong - I'm willing to put my tongue on hold for this "immortality potion."

Fyi: I am not a doctor or health expert - please do your own due diligence with any info online.