Boil your Rooibos! Boil your red tea!

Red Tea.  Or not a tea at all?

Tisane? Or not herbal?

Rooibos (pronounced Roy-boss) has been enjoyed for centuries by indigenous peoples of South Africa. Rooibos is a broom-like plant of the legume family growing in South Africa. The generic name comes from the plant Calicotome villosa, aspalathos in Greek (scientific name is Aspalathus linearis). This plant has very similar growth and flowers to the redbush.

Rooibos teas can be herbal infusions made from a South African red bush and other ingredients like ginger, blueberry, mint, chocolate, chai, and on and on. Rooibos by itself is sometimes called "red tea." There are also green Rooibos teas that are just as delicious as the popular red teas but much harder to find on the regular market.

Now for the part that will set your sensibilities alight – boil the rooibos! Yes, boil! If you have had rooibos in the past and you “just couldn’t get over the taste” then you obviously made it like tea (you know, that Camellia Sinensis leaf). If you boil tea, it turns bitter. We all know that. But rooibos is not tea.

Try this. Take rooibos and brew it like tea. Steep it for about 3 to 4 minutes. At the same time, take some of the rooibos and add it to boiling water and boil hard for about 2 minutes. Strain.

Taste both. You may find you like the boiled rooibos much MUCH better.

Now grab a good book, turn your mobile device off for an hour and enjoy your boiled rooibos!

Tregothnan Peppermint Tea now carried by Fancy That

Fancy That is now carrying Tregothnan Peppermint Tea. We have had several questions about peppermint tea so we thought we would share a little primer on the newest tisane carried in our Tea Boutique.

Peppermint tea is a tisane (An herbal infusion or similar preparation drunk as a beverage or for its mildly medicinal effect) of peppermint, Mentha piperita. While not actually a “tea”(i.e. not made from the leaves of the bush (Camellia sinensis)), it is brewed like a tea and is sometimes called mint tea. It is naturally caffeine-free. A “tea” made from blending peppermint and spearmint leaves is referred to as double mint tea.

Though there have been no human clinical trials on the health benefits of peppermint tea, some believe it has healing effects because of the menthol that it contains. It is said to ease stomach problems and headaches. It is known that certain chemicals (properties) found in peppermint inhibits the growth of certain bacteria, and can also help relax muscles. Peppermint oil may be good for the skin, produces fresh breath, may be used to treat sinuses, and also is used to fight gingivitis. Drinking it in tea form may help you obtain some of these benefits. Stop by for your 10 sachet box of Tregothnan’s Peppermint Tea! No worries if you are not local- we can ship to you anywhere in the continental USA (call us toll free 1-888-323-2TEA (2832)).

Thanks for stopping by and hope to see you again very soon!