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Rooibos tea tastes like dusty hay. Until this morning that was our verdict -- based on numerous experiences -- on rooibos tea in general. But we've been enlightened. Thanks to Equal Exchange's new certified organic and Fairtrade rooibos we can now tell you it's possible to get lovely, delicately flavoured rooibos teas, too.
New to the Equal Exchange range are the Honeybush and Buchu Rooibos and the Masala Rooibos. Both are organic and Fairtrade, grown by small-scale farmers in South Africa. In fact, the whole process from hand-picking the leaves to processing and packaging the final product takes place in South Africa, which is obviously great for the tea-growing communities there.
Honeybush and Buchu has a strong, flowery scent, but a mild berry flavour which takes the rough and ready out of rooibos and puts floral and femininity in instead. A very elegant tea.
The Masala Rooibos, on the other hand, has bold, 'Christmassy' flavours like cinnamon with a clove aftertaste. We know we should be drinking rooibos to make ourselves healthier, but boy would a whiskey be good with this one.
SmartPlaneteer Jen Marsden is also impressed with Equal Exchange's ordinary organic and Fairtrade rooibos, saying: "It's pleasantly refreshing with its clean, crisp, almost fruity flavour and it doesn’t have that nasty aftertaste you often get with those other hippie herbal teas."
Chamomile tea may calm you down and green tea might perk you up, but we think Equal Exchange's rooibos teas are more subtle than the standard popular flavours. Plus, the herbal infusions are reportedly very good for soothing stomachs and helping relieve nervous tension.
The health benefits are an added bonus, but of course it's the ethical and sustainable credentials (and the taste!) that do it for us.
Equal Exchange Honeybush and Buchu Rooibos and Masala Rooibos will be available at £1.89 for 25 teabags at Ethicalsuperstore.com, Planet Organic, Abel and Cole and independent health food shops from the first of December.
21 November 2007 03:56pm
To be honest, I really hate rooibos usually, but I'm now tempted to give it another go...
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