Specialities
Rooibos
South Africa
The
so-called redbush is only being cultivated in South Africa. The South
Africans call their national drink Rooibos tea. Names such as redbush,
rotbuschsie, redbos or Koopmans tea are also used sometimes. In
Germany, phantasy names such as Massai or Bushman Tea are also used,
even though the tea does not have any connection to these tribes (the
massai, for example, live in Kenya and Tansania while the Rooibos grows
in South Africa). This tea-like drink contains very small, needle-like
red-brown leaves and has a very mild, pleasantly aromatic scent and
taste. Rooibos is offered pure as well as with many different flavours.
Cultivation and Processing:
The Shrub
The
Aspalathus linearis is a low-growing or straight shrub with long
sprouts which are formed like fishing rods. The shrub grows to a height
of about 1 - 1,5m. On the sprouts there are innumerable thin, leaved
side-branches which makes the Rooibos look like a bush. The leaves
remind of pine tree needles. They are prickly, but do not sting.
Nowadays,
the shrub is no longer growing wildly, but is deliberately cultivated
as wild growing, because the demand is too large for the amounts grown
wildly.
Cultivation requirements
- a deep soil which drains the water quickly.
- a slightly acidic soil
- altitudes of up to 450 metres, but no frost.
- sufficient precipitation, mainly in the wintertime.
It has to be noted, that winter takes place in South Africa when it is
summer in the Norther Hemisphere. The highpoint of the winterly
rainperiod takes place in the months of June and July in Kapstadt. The
Rooibos flower in October, hence, does not mark the beginning of the
cold, but rather of the warm season.
Harvest
The harvest takes place from January to March when the growth of the bush has halted.
Approximately 30 – 40 cm above ground, the branches and sprouts are cut with a sickle or machine and bundled.
The production facilities are controlled by the South African Health Ministry.
Processing
The
twigs are cut into 4-5 cm long pieces. The needles, the wood and the
bork of the branches are used, which explains the strange optic of the
Rooibos.
Now, the Rooibos is squeezed in rolling
machines. The mechanical destruction of the plant cells is a
precondition for its fermentation. Subsequently, they are wet with
clear water and piled on 15-20 cm high heaps.
Due to this humidification the fermentation starts in the sunshine.
The naturally green twigs become a red-brown colour. During the fermentation, the Rooibos also receives its fruity aroma.
The tea is dried in the sun until it has reached a final humidity content of about 10%.
As
a final step, the Rooibos is sieved with special sieves and thereby
separated from too large pieces as well as dirt. Finally, the tea is
treated with hot air in order to make it more durable and prevent it
from varmint infestation.
Contents
Rooibos
tea is special because it does not contain any caffeine and only little
tannins, which inhibit the uptake of iron when they are consumed in
higher amounts.
0,07 mg Iron 1,67 mg Magnesia
0,22 mg Fluor 0,04 mg Mangan
7,12 mg Calium 6,16 mg Sodium
1,09 mg Calcium 0,04 mg Zinc
0,07 mg Copper 99 ethereal oils
Effect
It is said that Rooibos, amongst
others, is favourable for blood formation and reduces the threat of
caries as well as free-radicals.
Green Rooibos
With
green Rooibos, the fermentation is tried to be avoided. For this
reason, the plant has to be treated with a lot of care starting with
the harvest. The plants may not be squeezed, or layered on top of each
other, they may not be wet and have to be turned and moved constantly.
If this is not done properly, the undesired red colour appears.
Honeybush The
Honeybusch, just like the Rooibos, was discovered in the 18th century
in South Africa. The honeybush shrub has got yellow, gleaming blossoms
which smell like honey. Due to this, it has received its name. The
indigenous also call the honeybush "vegetable bush" because it has
bean-like fruits and knot-like roots.
The wild-growing honeybush grows exclusively on small mountain
ranges in the so-called Langkloof district. The shrub grows to a height
of about 1.5 metres and grows especially well on wet soil.
In
the early 90s, Dr. Hannes De Lange of the National Botanical Institute
Kirstenbosh in Capetown re-discovered the Honeybusch. He cultivated the
tea and marketed. Today, honeybush is cultivated on 35 different sites
commercially so that the wild-growing bushes are spared.
Herb and Spice Tea Blends
Herb
and spice tea blends have grown in popularity over the last couple of
years. Some compositions are not only very tasty, but are also drunken
for their beneficial characteristics. Very up and coming are the
creations of our wellness-, ayurveda- and chai tea varieties. These
offer delicious tea experiences for many circumstances. A small
selection of this assortment with an explanation of the characteristics
are described below:
Herb Tea Blends
Kiwano ->
a very colourful blend from nature. The new and exciting taste of the
kiwano fruit adds a lot of freshness to the herb garden. ,
Ingredients: apple pieces, pineapple and papaya pieces, orange and rose hip peels, melissa, fennel, lemongrass, flavouring.
Bad Weather Tea -> a
select herb tea blend from dried raspberry leaves, rose hip peel, apple
pieces, fennel, aniseed, ribwort, strawberry-, peppermint and
blackberry leaves, sunflower blossoms melissa, elderberry blossoms,
mullein and peony blossoms, flavouring. The Aniseed and fennel give
this creation a mild, slightly sweet note.
Wellness
Sencha Sea Weed Wakame ->
Sea weed is demanded more and more, following the wellness trend. The
Wakame sea weed typically contains huge amounts of the vital trace
mineral iodine. However, an overdose of iodine is hardly possible when
drinking Sencha Sea Weed Wakame in normal amounts.
Ingredients: green tea, green mate tea, sea weed pieces, lemongrass, natural lemon flavouring.
Fruit Tea Blend Apple-Ginger-Melange ->
The typical turkish apple tea was combined with the always popular
ginger spice to an exciting blend with a juicy-spicy taste experience.
Ingredients: apple pieces, ginger pieces, rose hip peel, flavouring.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda means „The knowledge
of Life“ and forms the basis of the traditional, all-comprising natural
medicine of India which has been used for 5,000 years. Ayurveda
comprises the knowledge of the completeness of the human being which
means that the health of body, mind and soul is understood as one and
not separable. The maintenance of this balance can be achieved by
following the ayurvedic style of life.
Ayurveda
differentiates between the five elements of all life forms: earth,
water, fire, air and space. These elements affect the human being in
his physical and psychological constitution. These elements are
summarised in the energetic levels of the three Doshas Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
VATA PITTA KAPHA
Space & Air Fire & Water Water & Earth
Dosha the Dosha the Dosha the
Movement & Activity Metabolism & Temperature Regulation Quietness, Strength & Resistance
Following the ayurvedic teachings, the respective dominance and
level of each dosha characterise each human being. When the doshas are
in balance, the person feels happy and healthy.
To
support this balance, the nutrition takes up an important role amongst
other factors of the ayurvedic teachings. Depending on the individual
diagnosis and allocation of the doshas, the right nutrition can have a
favourable and balancing effect.
Product characteristics:
Die
ayurvedischen Tees verzichten grundsätzlich auf den Einsatz von
orthodoxen Tees und sind damit coffeinfrei. Da die Bestandteile wie
Pfeffer etc. dem Aufguss eine natürliche Stärke und Schärfe geben,
empfehlen wir, den Aufguss mit warmer Milch oder im abgekühlten Zustand
mit Fruchtsäften zu mischen. Diese Mischungen sind dann speziell für
Kinder und Senioren zu empfehlen. Ansonsten probieren Sie die
Mischungen pur, gesüßt und in heißem als auch kaltem Zustand.
Ayurvedic Tea Fasting Tea-> During the times of fasting,
this tea is a harmonic, well-balanced blend based on Indian recipes and
acts supporting. The intesive, spicy-flowery scent and taste lets all
ingredients unfold themselves fully.
Tea-like infusion: Ingredients: green mate leaves, lemongrass, rose hip peel, ginger pieces, Roman chamomile, kardamom, black pepper, basil.
Ayurvedic
Tea Women's Activity Tea -> Following an old Indian tradition –
suitable for every day. Fine, aromatic aniseed and fennel as well as
sweet, fruity juniper in your nose and on your tongue refresh and
invigorate at the same time.
Tea-like infusion:
Ingredients: orange peel, cinnamon pieces, fennel, liquorice, cardamom,
ginger pieces, angelica and dandelion roots, cloves, juniper berries.
Preparation:
We suggest a level tea spoon per variety, brewed with boiling water for 5-7 minutes.
Chai Tea
Chai
tea used to be only known among the Indians where it is a national
drink, but its popularity is rising in the Western world as well.
Classical components of the Chai tea are black tea and the famous
Indian spices such as cloves, fennel, aniseed, caramom, pepper and
ginger. This composition comes originally from the ayurvedic health
teachings and is not only added for taste benefits, but also for its
favourable effects on body and mind. This black tea - spice blend is
made perfect by adding milk and honey or sugar.
Our
Chai tea is a symbiosis of the Indian and European culture. Classically
Indian is the black tea chai. Rooibos and green teas which are popular
in Europe receive a special note thanks to the added spices. We suggest
you add milk (? tea with ? milk) which ever tea you chose.
Black Tea Spicy Chai -> black tea, anisseed, cinnamon pieces, ginger pieces, black pepper, cloves, chicoree roots, flavouring.
Rooibos Red Chai -> Rooibos tea, aniseed, ginger pieces, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon pieces, cloves and flavouring.
South America
Brasilian Green Mate
The national drink of South America, which is yielded from a type of
holly. The small, light green, cut leaves taste and smell slightly
smoky. This tea is said to have health maintaining qualities.
Lapacho
Comes
from the outer bork of the Tecoma tree which has its home in the Andes.
Its slightly wooden character does not suit anyones taste, but it is
also said to have many favourable characteristics.
Catuaba
Like
the Lapacho, only the quick-growing bork of the catuaba tree which
grows in the tropical rainforests of South America is used. In Brasil,
this infusion is said to have an invigorating and strengthening effect
and counts as one of the most popular tea varieties.
Preparation:
1 table spoon per 1l water, bring to boil, let sit for approximately 5
minutes. The infusion has a typical, herb aroma and becomes slightly
bitter when infused longer.
Catuaba Vanilla Cream -> Our "gourmet" is also offered with a hint of delicate vanilla-cream character as an alternative to the natural catuaba.
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