Fortnum & Mason Tea Advent Calendar - Day 9 Rooibos Infusion

 



I have to admit to a lukewarm reaction when it was revealed what today's "tea" was on my calendar.  I tend to only drink Rooibos in complex blends with a lot going on, and not just straight Rooibos infusions.  And yes, contrary to the popular belief of many, rooibos IS an infusion.  Rooibos is NOT a type of tea, but is in fact a sort of tea substitute from South Africa.  It's a bush - a shrub called Aspalathus linearis and it tastes NOTHING like tea.  Not that it isn't a pleasant beverage to steep, but I tend to enjoy it more when there are other herbs and berries in the mix.


None the less, I brewed up the cup of redbush "tea" to try it out.  After all, just because it's not something I usually drink, doesn't mean that I wouldn't like it!! ....... except that I didn't really like it.  It tasted like shrub water.  No, really - it tasted like I was sucking on a wet shrub close to the ground so that I could taste the dirt too.  I added milk half way through the cup hoping it would help.... but it only tasted like dirty shrub milk.  Not an improvement.


Final thoughts:  I like blends with rooibos when there is more going on, but I do not enjoy dirty shrub water.

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