A cup of rooibos may be as integral to your daily life as brushing your teeth, but have you ever thought of its journey to your table?
Its birthplace is predominantly in the Cederberg and around the villages of Clanwilliam and Citrusdal.
A cup of rooibos may be as integral to your daily life as brushing your teeth, but have you ever thought of its journey to your table?
Its birthplace is predominantly in the Cederberg and around the villages of Clanwilliam and Citrusdal.
Mingwei Tsai, a tea merchant and co-owner of Nigiro tea café in Cape Town, says, “I don’t think South Africans fully comprehend that rooibos grows primarily in a specific area of the Cape and nowhere else in the world.
I don’t believe we realise how precious rooibos is. "It is extremely famous in international markets, where it is considered to be ‘red gold’. It is so special, a beautiful tea.”
And he should know. He is steeped in the knowledge of tea and tea-making, having been in the industry for more than 15 years, and having sipped some of the finest teas in the world.
Mingwei says some farmers don’t actually cultivate rooibos – it grows wild on their farms – but most rooibos we drink is commercially grown.
Commercial farmers collect seeds from their own plants, or buy seeds or seedlings from other rooibos farmers, which they then plant in rows. These grow into shrubs up to 1.5m high, with delicate leaves and small, yellow flowers. They take between one and two years to mature, and are pruned once a year – but judiciously, because cutting back too much would stress the plant, which generally lives for about four years.
Harvesting can be done only in warm months, and since rooibos plants have thin, fine leaves and more branches than leaves, harvesting is a delicate business. Leaves and young branches are reaped and the branches cut into pieces. The cut edges are exposed to oxygen, which is very important for the fermentation, or oxidation, of the tea. It increases enzyme activity, which increases the sweetness of the tea. “In the process, it changes from a green, grassy flavour to a woodier, earthier flavour,” says Mingwei. “The leaves are high in antioxidants and give a beautiful sweetness and the taste of honey. The branches add a woody note and colour. The combination of branches and leaves is very important for the overall taste,” he says.
Green rooibos is harvested and then quickly dried, it is not fermented. With red rooibos, the branches and leaves are piled up on outdoor tea-drying courts and enzymes, heat and water change the nature of the tea – akin to the difference between grape juice and wine. Mingwei says, “In tea making there is a trinity of temperature, time and water, which are all very important in the fermentation process.”
Rooibos farmers know when to stop this process: Over- or under-fermentation will adversely affect the taste – and the tea is then taken to be dried in rotating driers. The next stage is sterilisation, by means of steam. This is a carefully controlled process: If steamed too long, the tea is rehydrated.
Once sterilised, the tea is taken to a packing factory, where it is packaged, either as loose leaves, or in tea bags. Mingwei is something of a purist and believes tea leaves impart a superior taste to tea in bags. “Tea bags are preferred by some because of the convenience,” he says. “But this is often to the detriment of the taste of the tea. People are too rushed: They dunk the teabag up and down in the cup a few times, squeeze it out, then drink the tea quickly. "With tea leaves, you experience the ceremonial aspect of tea drinking, and waiting for tea leaves to steep allows you some space in this busy world. Use this interval to take some time for yourself.”
He explains that, for optimal taste, fermented rooibos needs to infuse for five to eight minutes, in freshly boiled water. Green rooibos can be infused in water at 75 degrees.
He almost shudders at the thought of people who add milk and sugar to their cup of rooibos. “There are waves of flavour in rooibos, including citrus, woodiness and sweetness, and if you add sugar and milk you are flattening the waves to a straight line.”
Besides its taste, ever-growing numbers of people are enjoying rooibos for its health benefits. According to the South African Rooibos Council, 72% of South African households have rooibos in their tea caddies and domestic demand is increasing by about 5% per annum.
Rooibos has no kilojoules and contains no caffeine and researchers have found that it can help prevent and slow down cancer, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent liver disease, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, ease stomach cramps and other digestive disorders, relieve allergies and soothe itching skin.
So next time you sit down and put your feet up to enjoy South Africa’s unofficial national drink, not only will you be consuming a truly local product, but you’ll be doing your body a favour as well.
