Hi, I am planning on growing this herb later this summer. You are correct, the Native Americans used to drink this tea (called Oswego Tea) and it was a popular substitute during the British protest. The flowers are edible and can be used in salads. As for the taste, depending on your plant, it tastes either like spearmint and peppermint or lemony. It also has a slight undertone of oregano. You can use this herb in cooking in place of mint or with mint. The flowers are fragrant and attract lots of beneficial insects.

Plants for a Future is an excellent resource for finding out herb uses. See link below.

FataMorgana

Here is a link that might be useful: Pfaf - Monarda didyma