Red Espresso

Those of you who follow Gourmet Girl Magazine know two things: 1) Louis is the king of coffee and 2) I'm the queen of tea. For me, coffee is never on my horizon or in my thoughts. I don't drink espresso, or coffee for that matter, so when I heard about Red Espresso tea, I contacted the company expressing an interest to try out their product. I couldn't imagine making tea using a machine designed exclusively with coffee in mind.

First a little history

I've been a fan of rooibos, a.k.a. red tea, since it entered on to the tea scene in America in 1996. Originating in South Africa, the indigenous peoples would harvest the leaves from the Rooibos bush, crush them, leave them in piles to ferment, and then dry them. It wasn't until 1904, when Benjamin Ginsberg, whose family had traded in tea for centuries, realized its potential and began trading with the mountain people to bring rooibos into the European market. All was well until post WWII when the industry collapsed (1948). Efforts to save it culminated in the creation of the Clanwillian Tea Cooperative. They in turn requested England's Minister of Agriculture, in 1954, to develop a board to regulate and oversee all aspects of the industry. With the Board's supervision, improvements were made in production (refining methods) and marketing, allowing for worldwide distribution and enjoyment.

Jump to 2005, when a South African Cape farmer, and espresso junkie, Carl Pretorius was looking for a quick fix, but he was worried about caffeine. He opened up his rooibos red tea, instead of coffee, and poured it into his espresso machine and viola, Red Espresso was born.

About the tea

The rooibos tea used to make Red Espresso, grows wild and is harvested by hand from a single farm located in the highest altitudes of South Africa's Cedarberg Mountains. The method for cutting the leaves is patented as is the method of preparation, which gives Red Espresso its rich flavor, color and health properties. In addition it is naturally caffeine free and claims to contain five times more antioxidants than green tea and 10 times more than regular Rooibos tea.

The tea resembles finely ground loose tea and can be made in either a home or professional espresso machine, French press or filtered drip brew. It is intended to be used as a replacement for espresso and other coffee type drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos.

The tasting

I opened the bag and beheld these gorgeous red hued grounds, similar in appearance to finely ground coffee. The aroma reminded me of the woods, earthy and nutty. I opted to use my French press so as to watch for natural oils while it steeped and was rewarded with a beautiful deep mahogany colored liquid. My first taste was done red, (the new black) with no sweeteners or cream or milk. The aroma changed after steeping with hints of fruit upfront and a more intense flavor than traditional rooibos. There is a slight bitterness one associates with coffee. For those who enjoy cream/milk in your tea, which I gave up long ago, I added some and was rewarded with a texture that was smooth and creamy.

This tasting proved to me that it is possible to get, as the coffee drinkers say, a great shot, from this bold and fruity flavored tea. I'll be curious to see how many coffee drinkers become converts, switching their allegiance from lattes and cappuccinos to Red Espresso. The added bonuses: naturally caffeine free, loaded with anti-oxidants, and no additives or preservatives. As the company states, "Indeed this would be an exceptionally healthy alternative to regular espresso. If you are a chronic espresso or coffee fiend, and your habit is causing you health related issues such as caffeine jitters, withdrawal symptoms, headache, insomnia, and so on, then I recommend you switch from coffee to Red Espresso. It is so much healthier for you than coffee and the health benefits are literally endless."

Personally, I could drink this tea hot or cold and am looking forward to trying my hand at developing a recipe or two with it. This is a great way to start to your day! So pull out that espresso machine and give Red Espresso a try, you won't be disappointed.