Rooibos Tea
Rooibos (Afrikaans for ‘red bush’) is a member of the legume family of plants, and is commonly used to make a tisane (herbal tea). Rooibos grows exclusively in the Cedarberg Mountain region and around Clanwilliam and Citrusdal, due to the specific climatic and geological conditions of the region).
Large-scale cultivation and industrial processing of the plant started during the 1930s. The leaves of the bush are harvested, bruised and finely chopped, wetted and left to ferment in rolls or mounds, finally they are dried in the sun. The fermentation process enriches the flavour and gives to the leaves their distinctive red colour (rooibos is often marketed as red tea). The resulting product is then boiled or steeped like tea to make a beverage that is enjoyed both hot and cold. In its native South Africa, many people consume it with milk, similar to the British tradition of drinking black tea with milk.
Personally I’m not a fan as it tastes…I can’t put my finger on it but its not my cup of tea.
