Tag 'Tisane'

Treat yourself to something sweet, refreshing, and tart to kick-start a sunny afternoon, starring loose hibiscus petals and rosy red berries.

Our tisane of the month is the mesmerising Butterfly Pea Flower. These blue petals make a stunning infusion.

Newby introduces its’ first Wellness Tea Collection. Created using the highest-quality, natural ingredients, the organic certified Wellness Collection offers a range of blends that cater for every mood and moment.  

Based on the holistic principles of Ayurvedic medicine, the chosen ingredients offer a variety of health benefits through five invigorating organic blends: Night Calm, Energy Boost, Wellness Spa, Body Balance and Yoga Relax are imbued with the properties of plants, herbs and spices.

Night Calm is the perfect aid to a satisfying night’s sleep, while Body Balance offers cleansing and harmony. Yoga Relax provides stillness, whilst revitalising Energy Boost and soothing Wellness Spa blends combine organic herbs, fruits, flowers, and aromatic spices with green tea, completing this versatile collection.

Each blend is recognised by a special design on the box, inspired by vintage botanical books, identifying the blend by its initial letter. Together, the five blends spell ‘Newby’, creating a captivating collection, which also offers an assortment of the five new blends within a luxury gift box, to be shared and enjoyed.

Our tisane of the month is the deep copper coloured. The rooibos plant, or ‘red bush’, is native to the Cederburg Mountains in South Africa, and is still grown almost exclusively in this unique terrain to this day.

While not technically a tea, the leaves of the rooibos plant are tannin rich, much like a classic cup of black tea. Rooibos is an Afrikaans word (pronounced ‘roy-bos’) meaning red bush, the botanical name is aspalatus linearis, and is classified as a member of the legume family. The name ‘linearis’ refers to the needle like leaves of the plant.

It is likely that the rooibos has been consumed for centuries by the indigenous population, but the first record of its consumption came in 1772 when European botanist, Carl Thunberg observed the local people climbing the mountains to harvest leaves from wild rooibos plants. There is some archaeological evidence that suggests the plant was being used for medicinal purposes a thousand years ago.

South Africa was an important stopping point in the trade route between Europe and Asia. Tea was one of the most important commodities that passed through here, and was therefore greatly sought after. However tea was a very expensive product at this time, so the tea loving Dutch settlers of South Africa popularised the drinking of local rooibos as an alternative. At this time all rooibos was harvested from wild plants found growing in the mountains.

It wasn’t until the 20^th century that cultivation of rooibos began. A Russian immigrant called Benjamin Ginsberg pioneered large scale production of rooibos by experimenting with new processing methods and developing manufacturing capabilities. Ginsberg had experience in the tea industry and saw the opportunity to grow and market rooibos as an alternative herbal tisane.

The cultivation of rooibos turned out to be difficult and complex. Rooibos seeds have to be scarified in order to germinate, and will only grow in acidic, sandy soil. This is the reason why rooibos can only be grown in the native region of the Cederburg mountain range. The unique terroir is what gives the beverage its special flavour.

The plant itself is a short, broom like bush, with green leaves that turn a deep reddish amber when oxidised. After harvesting the leaves are bruised to encourage oxidation. As well as changing the colour, this brings out the sweet nutty aroma of the leaves. The leaves are then dried, often under the hot sun, before being graded and packed.

The resulting tea is a deep sienna colour, with a deliciously sweet aroma and a tannic taste. We add sweet orange zest to this particular blend to balance the bitterness with bright citrus aroma. This is a balanced and warming brew. Caffeine free and packed with anti-oxidants, it is a healthy alternative to tea.

This infusion is perfect for enjoying after a meal as a caffeine free alternative to black tea. It is also delicious in the morning as a smooth and balanced start to the day. Discover our range of luxurious rooibos blends here.

This month the spotlight is on the wonderful and often overlooked herb. This incredibly fragrant plant produces a wonderfully clean and sunny brew that is perfect for after a meal or as a refreshing palate cleanser.

Lemon verbena, Latin name Aloysia Citrodora, is a woody shrub that originally hails from South America, where it grows up to three metres tall. The plant is also known as lemon beebrush due to the popularity of its lilac flowers with bees. The leaves emit a wonderfully lemony aroma when bruised, hence the Latin epithet citrodora, meaning lemon scented.

Lemon verbena has likely been used for millennia and has a long history of use in traditional medicine, possibly originating with the Incas. It was first brought to Europe by Spanish and Portuguese explorers in the 17^th century and was cultivated for its lemon scented essential oil. It is still cultivated for its oil but is also popular as a healthy and refreshing tisane.

It is thought that the Incas discovered the many health benefits of lemon verbena, and many of these traditional uses and benefits have since been validated through studies. It contains high levels of polyphenols that are antioxidant rich, known to reduce the damage done by free radicals in the body. It boosts immunity and is also an appetite suppressant, stopping us from feeling hungry between meals, as well as helping to burn fat and regulate metabolism.

One of lemon verbena’s most easily perceived benefits is the positive effect on our mood. Taking the time for a hot drink is a relaxing and indulgent experience, and even more so with lemon verbena as studies have shown that it has a calming effect that reduces stress and anxiety, and studies have shown evidence that consumption of this caffeine free tisane before bed improves sleep. When combined with its natural properties that aid digestion, it makes this the perfect after dinner drink.

We use premium leaves for our Verbena tisane, carefully dried before being preserved for freshness – and that’s it. The resulting brew is a pale green yellow cup with a heady aroma of lemon, eucalyptus and a hint of mint. The taste is sweet and clean with a refreshing finish. Why not try it as an iced tea on a hot day for a healthy and cooling drink.