Vanilla - Blood Orange

Rooibos is the South African shrub Aspalathus linearis, brewed like tea. It contains no caffeine and almost no tannin, so the infusion does not turn bitter even after a long steep.

Ingredients: blood orange pieces and vanilla. In the cup this reads as a bright citrus tartness with a berry shade and a creamy-sweet roundness.

There is no caffeine at all and little tannin — the infusion does not turn bitter even after a long steep.

Preparation: 15–20 g per litre, 5–8 minutes, water at 100 °C. Rooibos is brewed with fully boiling water and a long steep does no harm: unlike tea leaf, it does not turn bitter over time.

The quantities given are averages. Soft water calls for slightly more tea, hard water slightly less.

It works well both in retail and in a venue: caffeine-free, forgiving of brewing mistakes and still good cold — it makes an iced tea with no extra outlay.

Storage: in a tightly sealed opaque container, away from light, moisture and strong odours. Tea readily absorbs foreign aromas, so it should not be kept next to spices or coffee.

Packaging: sold loose, the price is given per 100 g. Alveus supplier code — 87011.

The supplier is Alveus (Germany), one of Europe’s largest tea houses. Packing and dispatch from the Verdamare warehouse.