Rooibos (South African Red Bush) and Lavender Tea

Yesterday I was going through the drive-through coffee hut and saw a brand of tea of which I was not familiar. The brand is Zhena's Gypsy Tea and one of her "specialteas" is one marketed as Red Bush Lavender Tea. Here is my copycat version of this mild-tasting herbal tea. Red Bush (in Afrikaans: Rooibos) is available online and in some natural food stores and gourmet shops. Www.gypsytea.com describes red bush tea as: : "Rooibos (pronounced roy-boss) has been used for its medicinal properties in South Africa since the early 1900’s. South Africans attribute the plant with several positive benefits including headache relief, reduced allergic reactions, and even colic relief in babies. Scientists have found Rooibos to be beneficial in the treatment of liver diseases, diabetes mellitus, certain skin disorders, and cataracts". Caffeine-free and low in tannins.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  loose red bush  tea leaves ("rooibos")
• 1  tablespoon  fresh  lavender flowers
•  orange slices or  lemon slice
•  sugar or  honey, to taste

Directions

1. Boil enough water to fill up your teapot.
2. Place the red bush tea and lavender blossoms in the tea infuser; set in teapot.
3. Pour the boiling water into the teapot, cover with a tea cozy and steep 5 minutes.
4. Serve with orange slices (or lemon slices) and sugar on the side.
5. Note that both the amount of tea used and amount of flowers used are estimated.
6. Also delicious as iced tea!