Mma Ramotswe's Bush Tea

Is it possible to fall in love with a country you have never been to nor have very much in common with? Because I think I have. Alexander McCall Smith introduced me to the serene and beautiful country of Botswana and, most importantly, to the traditionally built detective Mma (Precious) Ramotswe, lover of bush tea. McCall Smith writes the charming series "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" which takes place in his adopted home of Botswana where bush tea is the answer to just about any situation. Mma Ramotswe, Botswana's only lady detective, drinks bush tea so often in these books that I just had to know what it is...and why it is so good at getting people to truthfully answer questions! Other than her love of Mma Potokwani's fruit cake and some boiled pumpkin, Mma Ramotswe's clear devotion to bush tea...not "ordinary" tea (why would you want that?!) is so profound I just had to learn more about it, and, of course, find out where I could get it.

So after a little sleuthing, this is what I discovered about the wonderful bush tea... Bush or Redbush tea is actually a colloquialism for Rooibus tea. Rooibus bushes, the plant this fermented tea comes from, are only grown in the small Western Cape of South Africa. Rooibus is chopped, bruised and left to ferment in heaps. Once complete, the Rooibus leaves turn from green to its infamous red colour while drying in the sun before being consumed. Mma Ramotswe prepares her red bush tea just as one would prepare black ("ordinary"!) tea, with a good helping of milk and sugar. It can also be prepared using lemon and/or honey.

I now have to admit two things. One, I couldn't believe that Bush Tea was the same thing as the now main stream Rooibus tea and two, up until doing my little research on Bush Tea, I had never had Rooibus tea...I was a regular Earl Grey drinker. So I started shopping for and tasting Rooibus tea.

I started by going David's Tea...I figured that their loose leaf varieties would be a great place to start although certainly not a great place for service but that is another story entirely. I enjoyed the regular red rooibus I ordered (in trying to emulate the tea that Mma Ramotswe enjoys, I don't want to have any flavoured red rooibus).  The tea was mild and sweet with a distinct honey aroma. A very enjoyable and relaxing tea indeed.

Since I did not order the tea with anything in it, I returned to my office and poured the brewed tea into a mug and added milk and sugar...what a difference! The tea took on a new dimension, as if it now became a delicious dessert with feel good effects. I now realize what Mma Ramotswe was talking about when she said that a cup of bush tea makes everything better. She is totally right. Mma Ramotswe....you may have already converted me! I can't wait to try more!

On a trip to Ottawa I found a lovely tea shop in By Ward Market, an interesting and eclectic market with a multitude of interesting vendors. This tea shop, Maple Leaf Teas, boasted at least a dozen rooibus teas. I purchased some loose leaf organic rooibus...again nothing flavoured...although they did mention that their blueberry rooibus was their best seller. At a ratio of one teaspoon per tea cup, I was incredibly excited to try my new tea. Upon my return home I made this lovely tea and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Once again, this sweet aromatic tea has won me over. I don't think that I will be able to have "regular" tea again.

I tried to find rooibus at Teavana (owned by Starbucks, I believe) and they don't carry any unflavoured rooibus. So no luck there! My search continues.

When I was visiting a small nutrition store in my small home town, I was lucky enough to discover that they carry a brand of bagged Rooibus tea. I, of course, purchased some and I drink at least two cups of this organic, caffeine-free tea each day. Delicious!

Interestingly, I have not been able to find unflavoured rooibus in many "main stream" tea shops....generally speaking I regularly find vanilla flavoured rooibus at these places. If any of you know of a place to find brewed rooibus, please let me know.

I have also been researching tea brands that sell rooibus tea in supermarkets and the like and I was excited to discover that Tetley makes "plain" rooibus tea...however, it is only available in the U.K.....much too far a trip from Canada in order to get some tea!!!

Well, Mma Ramotswe...you were right. Bush tea is better than ordinary tea! I am officially converted! I will continue on my journey to find tea shops with this delicious tea.

Cheers for tea time!

P.S. Mma Ramotswe enjoys her tea with cake. Especially fruit cake from Mma Potokwani, the matron of the orphan farm. Look for my future blog with fruit cake recipes (I swear it will be better than your grandma's fruit cake!!!).

Tlhôla sentle!