Ginger Bounce Rooibos

Ginger, (Latin: Zingiber officinale), is one of the oldest known spices in the world. The sharp flavored root has its roots, pardon the pun, in both India and China, but gets its name from an ancient Indian Sanskrit term stringa-vera, which translates into English as “body like a horn”. The spice is mentioned in the works of Confucious, the Koran, and various European Medieval cook-books. Ginger grew in popularity because it kept for a long time and was able to survive long trading voyages. The spice subsequently became a frequently traded commodity and at one point was usually offered along with salt and pepper.

Now don’t worry, we haven’t unearthed, again sorry the pun, a centuries old storehouse of ginger for this tea - we’ve used a freshly grown variety. And what a tea it is! Blended with the mellow character of South African Rooibos and hints of fruit, the ginger lifts spicy notes that warm the mouth and cleanse the palate. (Incidentally, its palate cleansing qualities make it an excellent alternative to green tea when eating spicy Asian dishes.)

So now, you are probably wondering, since comedic timing generally calls for bad jokes to be told in threes – where is the last pun/bad joke? For that we refer you to the recently published "Tea and Cookies", by noted author Duncan A. Biscuit.

200 ml (about 7 ounces) of brewed Rooibos contains the following nutrients:

Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 teaspoon of Rooibos for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the pot, cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes. Pour into your cup; add milk and sugar to taste.

Iced tea brewing method: (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 teaspoons of Rooibos into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the Rooibos. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the Rooibos into the serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.

References: [1] South African Medical Research Council - www.mrc.ac.za//promec/antimutagenic.htm