Drink

 

Rooibos (Redbush)

 

 “There is no problem so great, that it can’t be solved with a cup of bush tea”

Madame Ramotswe

 

Tea and travel go hand in hand. Many places have a tea that is unique to that region, or one that complements its cuisine.

In Morocco we marvelled at piping hot mint tea, being perfectly poured from great heights.

In Sri Lanka we took a somewhat rickety, local train, up into the picturesque hill country region. We visited tea plantations and tasted tea at its source; fine Sri Lankan tea which is widely exported to the rest of the world.

I’ve tried and failed to appreciate the appeal of green tea. In Japan, on a day off, some colleagues took us to ‘The City of Green Tea’, Uji. They invited us to lunch at an old, traditional restaurant.

We crawled in through the entrance, a bit like a giant cat flap, and sat awkwardly, crossed legged on tatami mates. There we were treated to a ‘tea banquet’, several courses of green tea infused food, culminating with green tea ice cream and green tea petit fours. We smiled at our hosts and said it was “oiishi”. (delicious)

It was not!

In Goa, Bangalore and Chennai I’ve savoured cups of Chai; aromatic tea sold by the ‘Chai wallahs’ or tea vendors. The sweet, milky tea, prepared with cloves, ginger, cinnamon and cardomom, perfectly accompanied the spicy local fare.

The aroma of any of those teas can transport me back to Marrakesh, Nuwara Elia, Uji and India.

Somewhere between writing ‘The Act of Giving’ and ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go’, I got sick. It was a nasty sinus thing. I laid low for a few days, watched countless travel programs on TV and drank copious amounts of Rooibos tea.

You have probably heard of Rooibos. It’s a unique plant that is only found in the Western Cape’s magnificent Cederberg region, about 200 kms out of Cape Town. Aspalathus linearis, is a leguminous plant from the Fabaceae family. It’s harvested, fermented using traditional methods, and spread out under the South African sun to dry. It is then that it turns a deep reddish-brown colour.

Rooibos is my answer to most infections, aches and pains. It’s a great source of minerals such as Iron, Copper, Calcium, Potassium, and Zinc. It has countless other health benefits.

Recent studies suggest that the Luteolin antispasmodic molecule in Rooibos, a potent antioxidant, might even attack cancer cells. (Erickson, L. 2003. American Botanical Council)

Made properly, we let it infuse. We steep. We wait. It can help to slow us down, even just for a few minutes.

Rooibos is naturally caffeine free, so unlike coffee, I can drink lots of it. And it’s rare that I love something that is actually good for me. It’s completely pure and natural. It contains no additives, preservatives or colourants.

It can be served as iced tea, as ice lollies, even in a Panna cotta! And there’s a whole range of beauty products available; soaps, serums and shower gels, all tapping into the tea’s natural anti-oxidants.

But I didn’t always love Rooibos. I first tried it when we lived in Zambia. It was served like most tea there, sweet and with condensed milk added. It tasted disgusting.

Some time later, I was given plain Rooibos with a little honey for a stomach ache. I was instantly fine. And I was instantly hooked!

I am on a one-woman crusade to get others to enjoy Rooibos (along with Madame Ramotswe, of the Lady Detective series). I have loved those books, a perfect light read when travelling.

At various times, both home and away from South Africa, Alexander McCall Smith’s stories have taken me to Southern Africa and quenched my thirst for a link to the bush. Alongside my cup of Rooibos, I was transported. And that coppery red colour of the tea, is reminiscent of the deep red earth found across so much of Africa.

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series is set in Botswana. McCall Smith celebrates the land, traditional values, culture, history, and people through the characters. The central character, Madame Precious Ramotswe, loves Rooibos tea. She too proclaims it’s virtues. This post’s proverb come from her.

The books were bestsellers , hugely successful. And The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” was adapted to screen by Richard Curtis and the brilliant, late Anthony Minghella. Now, if you travel to Bostwana, you can even book a Ladies Detective Agency Tour on your trip to Gaborone.

But is the tea we drink ethical? You want to know that the social and environmental conditions for tea workers is as it should be.

There are organisations like The Ethical Tea Partnership where we can find out more. Most people have heard of Fairtrade, though products are not always widely available in all countries.

I’d like to think, when I sip my Rooibos, that workers in the tea industry are treated fairly. I don’t want that cup of tea to leave a bad taste in my mouth.

Both the Khoi and San people have claimed that the rooibos industry evolved from their traditional knowledge. And now they want a stake in this R300m industry.

It’s a contentious brew of politics, colonial history and social justice.

What’s your favourite tea? Does its aroma transport you to another place? And is it produced ethically?

 

© Maggie M / Mother City Time