Tea with a twist, South African style with Carmién Rooibos Tea
Tea drinking.
Culturally diverse but integral to so many different cultures, the preparation, serving and sharing of tea is a tried and tested method of human interaction. Especially when it comes to Carmién Rooibos Tea.
In Japan the tea ceremony is an art form of grace, hospitality and respect.
In China tea ceremonies exist for almost every occasion and are even part of a traditional marriage celebration.
In Britain it is the answer to everything. All news from a forecast of dire weather, personal tragedy, good news or Brexit are met with an “I think we need a nice cup of tea now”.
In India Chai tea is consumed all the time, Morocco is known for its minty tea and in Egypt I became rather fond of the strange and sweet hibiscus tea that is offered everywhere you go.
Most of the working world stops for fifteen minutes twice a day for a tea break. Those fifteen minutes usually being at the exact time you are trying to reach them urgently, but that is beside the point.
South Africa has joined the tea party and is going big.
You see we have rooibos tea. It is a unique tea that grows only in a tiny area of the West Coast in the Western Cape. For many years it has been enjoyed as a refreshing drink as well as a health brew by all the different S.A cultures, but now the world has discovered rooibos and we are showing them how to take tea drinking to another level.
The folks at Carmién Tea are a team of passionate farmers, producers, artists and scientists of rooibos tea and they are very creative. They have added a wide variety of fruits, flowers, herbs and fynbos to their rooibos tea and the results are a range of exciting tastes and versatile uses.
10 ways to enjoy Carmién Rooibos Tea
- As a simple cup of your favourite flavour. Take ten minutes out of your busy day to brew and enjoy your favourite Carmién Rooibos Tea. Sit somewhere quietly and just relax, refresh and restore yourself. Drink it warm with no milk, sugar or sweeteners added.
- A Gin and Tonic in nice, but a gin with creative experimenting is marvellous. Bring out the juniper flavours by brewing, chilling and mixing a quarter cup of plain rooibos into three litres of gin. Allow to stand and chill for a few hours. Other flavours to try with gin are the Lemongrass and Ginger, Ginger and Chilli or even the spicy Chai Tea.
- Smooth moves. From a healthy green to a decadent mocha chocolate with dates and a hint of chilli and almost no calories, smoothies and rooibos make a great combo. Get your smoothie recipes here.
- As a cocktail. The opportunities are endless. The Fire and Spice Cocktail uses Chai tea to add something special to cranberry juice, vodka and limoncella. Garnish with a slice of lemon and the party is on. More cocktail recipes here, or just invent your own, and then tell us what you used.
Carmién Rooibos Tea
- What’s for supper? Soup up your soups with rooibos tea, bring variety to your pasta sauces or go totally traditional when you braai. A little imagination and a few tea bags make supper time an adventure. Find your inspiration here.
- Calling all bakers. Carmién Rooibos Tea, date and banana muffins, tea infused fruit with nut crumble or a coconut chocolate torte, find your favourite baking recipes here
- With food and craft beer. The creatives at Darling Brew not only make outstanding beer, they cook with it too. Then just to add to the awesome, they paired their beers with Carmién teas. This was a taste sensation of note and I strongly recommend trying them all. Rush out and buy some Carmién Rooibos Tea and a couple of bottles of Darling Brew and get cooking. Here are a few suggestions to encourage you. Curried Bone Crusher beef sliders with Bone Crusher Wit Beer followed by Chai Rooibos Tea. Prawns marinated in a Long Claw Reduction served with Long Claw saison and paired with Cherry Orange Rooibos. Pulled pork cooked in Thunderbird Pale Ale and served with pineapple glazed tacos and a red cabbage pickle washed down with Thunderbird and chased by Lemongrass and Ginger rooibos.
- Creative pairings with food and wine. The Green Carmién Rooibos Tea all aid digestion and assist in breaking down bad fats, making an excellent tea to have with a starter and a main course. The fruity, rounded, flavours of the Cherry and Orange goes well with a dessert and a port or sweet wine like Grand Constance from Groot Constantia.
- As a tasting experience at the farm or at Hebron. Get the fullness of the flavours when paired with goat’s cheese, dark chocolate, dried sausage and Turkish delight. Click here to book a farm tour and tasting.
- Give it away. Carmién Rooibos Tea makes a great gift. The variety pack for those who have yet to discover the variety of flavours, as a birthday present, or for someone who is ill. Carmién have a tea for every occasion.
Celebrate local is lekker and add rooibos to your lifestyle. #SipSouthAfrica
Farm Tours
Rooibos Fields, Factory Visit, Tea Tasting and Video Screening R80 per person during the Harvest Season (January – April) or R50 per person for the rest of the year. Mondays – Fridays at Bergendal Carmién Tea. (Tours dependant on availability and weather). Book via 022-921 8900.
Pairing at Hebron
Tea, wine and flavour pairing R50 per person at Hebron (Wednesday – Sundays) situated on the Piekenierskloof Pass on the N7
Tea, wine and 3 small course meal pairing R150 per person at Hebron (Wednesdays – Sundays) situated on the Piekenierskloof Pass on the N7
All options must be pre-booked:
Hebron Tasting Room: [email protected] | [email protected]
Carmién Tea: [email protected]
Where: Bergendal Farm, Paleisheuwel Road, Citrusdal
Contact: +27 (0)22 921 8900
Take the road less travelled in the West Coast Way
For more information on West Coast Way Routes and the list of 101+ Things To See And Do in the Cape West Coast, visit our eventspage. Choose to go on a self-guided adventure drive by following the routes, or book an air-conditioned trip to top West Coast attractions in South Africa.