General Tips
- Keep a fresh pot of Rooibos warm for hours; it won’t lose its flavour or taste.
- Keep cold Rooibos in the fridge for up to two weeks.
- Reheat cold Rooibos several times; it won’t develop a bitter after taste like black Ceylon teas.
Rooibos Cooking:
- Rooibos is a natural meat tenderiser; use it as the basis of your chicken, beef or lamb marinade. Give a tangy taste to stews or potjiekos by replacing the water with Rooibos
- Rooibos adds extra flavour to sauces. Dissolve stock cubes in Rooibos for an aromatic taste.
- Rooibos can be used to substitute milk in almost any recipe.
- Soak dried fruit overnight in cold Rooibos. There is no need to add sugar when cooking the fruit.
- Add colour to your marmalade by cooking the fruit in Rooibos.
- Dilute powdered and frozen cold drink concentrates with Rooibos instead of water.
- Substitute coffee with Rooibos when making Irish coffee and serve as a caffeine free alternative.
- Make delicious ice tea by mixing ice cold Rooibos with sugar and lemon, or mixing it with your favourite fruit juice.
- Sweeten a pot of strong Rooibos with honey to taste. Stir well to make sure all the honey is dissolved. Leave in fridge overnight. Serve as an ice cold, refreshing drink.
Rooibos Beauty:
- Wash your face with lukewarm Rooibos instead of water; it is a great alternative skin freshener.
- Rinse dark hair with strong Rooibos to give it a beautiful shine.
- Treat tired and sensitive eyes to a rinse with lukewarm Rooibos. Press eyes gently with a face-cloth dipped in lukewarm Rooibos.
- Treat acne with a mix of a cup of strong, warm Rooibos, one teaspoon apple cider vinegar and two teaspoons of oatmeal or gluten-free flour. Cool until lukewarm and apply over face. Lie down and relax for 15 minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm tea. Press dry gently.
Rooibos Gardening and Home:
- Use cold, left-over Rooibos tea and/or leaves to feed pot plants.
- Rinse your pet’s coat with a solution of Rooibos to relieve eczema and other mild skin problems.
- Use Rooibos to dye material – the strength of the tea and the soaking time will influence the colour
Rooibos First Aid:
- Rooibos has been used for years to treat a number of ailments and there is much anecdotal evidence (stories) of how well they work. While some of these treatments have not been proven in the lab, they are definitely safe to use and worth a try:
- Add a few Rooibos bags to your bath water to soothe a sunburned skin.
- Treat itchy skin by wiping the affected skin areas with a face-cloth dipped in a strong solution of lukewarm Rooibos. Press very gently to dry, as rubbing would make the problem worse.
- Apply strong Rooibos tea to the skin to relieve eczema, rashes and diaper rash. You can even bath your pet in a Rooibos solution to treat skin problems.
- Treat hay-fever by taking lukewarm Rooibos in the cup of your hands and gently drawing the tea into your sinuses. Hold it for a few seconds, release it and blow your nose gently.
- Calm down digestive upset and colic in babies and adults with regular Rooibos drinks.
The Coolest Drink for Summer:
Made from only Natural Ingredients.
An exiting burst of Rooibos ice tea. Just add water for a healthy, refreshing and thirst quenching ice tea in an instant. Delicious when served ice cold or when adding citrus fruit juice to taste. Prepared ice tea can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks. Powdered ice tea must be stored in a cool dry place, with lid tightly closed.
- 2-3 heaped teaspoons per serving( 250ml).
- 10 heaped teaspoons per liter.
- Just add water.
- To enhance dissolving of ingredients, use hot water.
- Can be served hot or ice cold.
- Do not add milk.
- Different fruit juices.
Carmien Instant Ice tea available on request in natural ginger and strawberry flavour.
Rooibos Innovations:
Rooibos is extremely versatile. Here are some of the ways to get your daily Rooibos boost:
- Try flavoured or blended Rooibos tea as an alternative to regular Rooibos.
Vanilla, Strawberry, Blackcurrant, Lemon & Honey, Buchu, Honeybush, Camomile etc (more flavours) - Quench your thirst with an iced Rooibos in a variety of flavours such as strawberry or lemon.
- Experiment with green Rooibos, also available as a chai tea. (Chai tea is traditionally loose leaf tea boiled in a pot with milk and water.)
- Order a delicious “Red Latte” or “Red Cappuccino” – hot or iced – available at most coffee shops. These innovative new products are made from Rooibos in a novel espresso format.
- Keep instant Rooibos on standby as an ultra-convenient and economical thirst-quencher.
- Look out for fruit juices, yoghurts and sweets containing Rooibos extracts.
- Use Rooibos in your cooking as a basis for stews and marinades.
- Rooibos is used more and more in skincare and household products such as soap, foam bath, body scrub, bath salts, moisturisers, toners and facial masks, as well as room and linen fresheners.
The Perfect Rooibos Cup:
- Use boiling water with neutral pH. Never used over-boiled water, as the oxygen in the water will be depleted and tea will not infuse properly. By adding milk, protein base of your cup of tea will change. For detox purposes it is always better to drink tea without milk.
- Steep for 3 minutes or more.
- Can be served with or without sugar honey, hot or ice cold.
The Perfect Pot:
Leaves
- Boil fresh cold water. Add leaves, 5-10 ml tea per cup. Pour boiling water in tot he pot. Allow 4 minutes to infuse. Push plunger down.
- Enjoy with or without milk, sugar, lemon, or honey.