Coffee Leaf Infusion

Coffee beans are made from the seeds of Coffea plants.  These plants' fruits or cherries, and dried leaves can also be used to brew beverages that taste nothing like coffee.

Except in places like Ethiopia and Sudan, coffee leaf infusion has never become popular or mainstream.  Some health food stores in North America do carry dried coffee leaves for those who use them.

Recently, a startup (Wize Monkey) in Vancouver, BC, has begun to market its Coffee Leaf tea (technically it is not a tea) in bag form. The arabica leaves are sourced from and processed in a Nicaragua coffee plantation.  

Each bag is brewed like tea, about 3-4 minutes at 95°C.

Coffee Leaf Tea bag

The infusion is rich red brown in color.  It is smooth, sweet and ever so slightly herbaceous.   It is pleasant but a bit generic.

Coffee Leaf infusion

A flavored version of Coffee Leaf seems to bring out more sweetness; however, it has a slightly bitter artificial aftertaste.

Mango Coffee Leaf

Why coffee leaves?  Some researchers claim that a cup of coffee leaves has higher antioxidants but lower caffeine than a cup of tea does.  
 

Douglas Fir Tip

Douglas-fir, named in honor of the Scottish botanist David Douglas, is one of the most popular Christmas tree species.   It grows in the Pacific Northwest.  The needles of Douglas-fir are flat, soft and fragrant.  The tender young tips can be plucked for making jelly and tisane.

This Douglas Fir Spring Tip comes in filter bags.   The conifer tips were wild harvested in the Siskiyou Mountains in the northwestern California.   Steep a bag in 95°C - 100°C water for 10 minutes to make a cup of beverage.

Douglas Fir Tip tisane

An orange-colored infusion of Douglas-fir tip is light, aromatic and lemony.  It also has cedar-like and dried citrus-peel flavors.  It  does leave some astringency in the mouth.   The infusion is wonderful with honey.

Douglas Fir Tip infusion

"Rocking around the Christmas Tree
Have a happy holiday..."

Burdock Root

Burdock is a robust plant of Euroasian origin and can grow to very large quickly.  Its taproot is slender but long, and is consumed as a root vegetable in Asia.  Known as gobo in Japan, it is often julienned and sauteed with carrots.  Gobo has a unique earthy flavor.

In addition to its culinary use, burdock root is also dried as a herb.  It is one of the herbs in Essiac, an alternative herbal remedy.  Dried gobo reminds one of burnt wood in a forest.   Infusion made from dried burdock root is earthy and minerally.   It is strong and herbaceous but at the same time it is smooth and sweet.   Use about 1 teaspoon of dried root and steep it for 5 minutes to make a cup of warming infusion.

Gobo may have these medicinal attributes:

• purifying blood 
• removing toxins
• stabilizing blood sugar
• treating skin problems
• improving digestion

Gobo infusion

Guayusa

Guayusa (ilex guayusa), a species of the holly genus and cousin of yerba mate, grows predominantly in the Amazon region of Ecuador.  The leaves of these guayusa trees are plucked and dried to develop flavor.  Traditionally, the Jivaro Indians (known for their technique of shrinking heads) and the Kichwa tribe brew and drink guayusa at dawn for sustained energy and mental alertness.

Guayusa has a high caffeine content, about 60 mg per 8 oz cup.   However, guayusa, like tea, also contains l-theanine, an amino acid that produces a calming effect and alleviates jitters.  Following is a comparison of caffeine content:

Brewed Beverage             Average caffeine per 8 oz cup

Coffee                                90 - 150 mg

Tea                                     15 - 50   mg

Guayusa                              40 - 80  mg

Yerba mate                         30 - 60  mg                           

Guayusa has been shown to contain a high amount of antioxidants.  There are several unsubstantiated health claims about drinking guayusa, which is also said to induce lucid dreaming.

Guayusa

To make a cup of guayusa, steep 3 grams of dried leaves in 8 oz hot water for 5 minutes.  Guayusa is surprisingly smooth and complex.  Its flavors are interesting: sweet, moist, mossy and mineral.

Yerba Mate

Yerba mate (iles paraguariensis), a species of the holly family, is cultivated in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.  Mate made from dried yerba mate leaves and stems is a widely popular beverage in these countries.

Yerba Mate

Modern mate cup and bombilla

The uniqueness of mate is its traditional or cultural way of preparation and consumption.  In a nutshell,

• Fill a cup made from gourd, wood, metal or ceramic over half full with dried yerba mate leaves.  
• Flip, shake but not stir to have the leaves lopsided on one side of the cup and larger stems on top.
• Put a bombilla (a special straw) in the hollow space of the cup.
• Pour some cool water in the space.   Add hot water (around 80°C) after the cool water is absorbed.   
• Sip mate from the bombilla and continue to refill the cup with hot water.   
• As a communal drink, continue to refill the cup with hot water and pass it around until the flavor is gone.   It is usually one refill/brew per person.    

Mate contains caffeine or matteine.   It is earthy and grassy.  The first brew is very strong and can be slightly bitter.

Mate

Mugicha

When malted barley is fermented, it is beer.  When roasted barley is brewed, it is Mugicha. Mugicha is a popular household beverage in Japan as well as in Korea (known as Boricha). It is naturally caffeine-free but not gluten-free.   Roasted barley has always been used as a coffee substitute.   Loose roasted barley and 'tea bag' barley are available from Asian grocery stores.

Mugicha is made by simmering or steeping roasted barley.   It can also be chilled or cold brewed as a perfect summer drink.  To make the traditional infusion, use about one tablespoon roasted kernels for 8 ounce water and simmer it for 2 to 3 minutes.  Strain and serve.   A more convenient method is to steep one barley 'tea bag'  in a large mug for 5 minutes.

Mugicha has deep roasted grain and light malty flavors.   It is said that Mugicha has antibacterial and anticoagulant properties.

Mugi Cha

Soba Cha

Nothing beats a cup of soba cha when a summer storm turns a backyard into a winter wonderland.

September 10, 2014

Soba cha or roasted buckwheat infusion is popular in Japan and Korea.   Made from roasted tartary buckwheat kernels, soba cha is caffeine-free.  Tartary buckwheat and common buckwheat belong to the genus fagopyrum and are not related to 'wheat'. Tartary buckwheat kernels are smaller than common buckwheat's but contain more or chock-full of rutin.

Roasted tartary buckwheat

Roasted tartary buckwheat can be enjoyed like Grape-Nuts cereal and is delicious.  Its fine aroma borders between popcorn and donut.   To make an eight-ounce cup of bright yellow soba cha, steep about 2 teaspoons of kernels in 100°C water for 5 minutes.  The soft brewed kernels can be consumed like brown rice.   

Soba cha is warming and comforting.   Its predominant flavor is toasty grains or nutty rice.  

Soba Cha