That is quite fascinating! I remember years ago the acupuncturist that I shared treatment room space with brought me some kumquat tea when I had a sore throat. I remember a salty taste, I wonder if it was the same sort of preservation. He practiced Traditional Chinese Medicine and organized a tour to Taiwan where we toured pharmacies and clinics and visited lots of herbal markets. I learned a lot about TCM from him over the years
Yes, it probably would have been the same type of drink you had Melinda.
The TCM tour sounds fascinating, when you dig deep into it you probably find other cultures use similar herbal remedies in their parts of the world as well. TCM seems to be gaining in popularity in recent years, so you were years ahead of the mass!