By Natalia Gill, from An Appetite For Joy
Lively and full-bodied rosehip & hibiscus tea, in all of its ruby radiance, is truly a gift from above. It also makes a beautiful gift for loved ones this winter season!
(Check out more information about the 12 days of Christmas series this post is part of and how to win a Vitamix blender here)
My mom made this tea for me often when I was a child. It was a German brand, Pompadour (now called Teekanne), and I remember finding the taste to be wondrous and comforting – like love in a cup.
Recently, I was able to recreate this experience by putting together loose rosehips and hibiscus. It makes me happy that it is organic, virtually unprocessed and contains only two pure herbs! We like it with a little honey. It is also terrific spiced and/or iced!
My kids love to warm up with a cup and I love that it gives them the opportunity to relax and regroup for a few minutes. The eye of the storm if you know what I mean.
This year as we sip, we are bundling Rosehip & Hibiscus Tea and Honey as a gift for teachers, friends and family. (We’ll also be giving some bottles of homemade Elderberry-Tart Cherry Syrup.) I chose a variety of tins and jars from Specialty Bottle to be spruced up with tags and ribbons. Thankfully, simplicity is always in vogue because I’m not particularly crafty!
I like how this gift stands on its own, but another idea is to add some cookies and give “teatime in a bag”. Some ideas: these hearty quinoa cookies are a favorite of ours, sprouted gingerbread men are festive and fun for kids, and these Sweet Almond Cookies (grain and dairy free) look delicious!
I have used several different jars and tins from Specialty Bottle, and my favorites for this gift are:
- FOR HONEY: the 2 oz. hexagon glass jar (.65/ea) Be sure to close it tightly!
- FOR TEA: the 6 oz. oval hexagon glass jar ($1.03/ea) or the 4 oz. deep tea tin container with clear cover (.86/ea)
If using a glass jar for the tea, be sure it is stored in a dark place.
I purchased Frontier brand organic cut and sifted rosehips ($10/lb)and organic cut and sifted hibiscus ($13.88/lb) from Vitacost. If you have local places to buy herbs check them out, otherwise two Nourishing Gourmet affiliates, Vitacost and Mountain Rose Herbs, are excellent places to purchase these items online.
The tea calls for equal parts of each herb. And I decided to use the honey I bake with – a reasonable brand from Costco (but not raw).
Here is my cost breakdown per gift:
Tea: $1.14 (considering 8 Tbsp or enough for 12 cups of tea)
Tea tin/jar: $0.95 (average)
Honey: $0.31 (2 oz.)
Honey jar: $0.65
TOTAL: $3.05/gift set*
*This cost does not include shipping charges since the cost breakdown would vary greatly depending on the size of the order. It could add up to $1-$2 per gift set (or be negligible if ordering a larger quantity of containers).
- 1 tsp rosehips
- 1 tsp hibiscus
- 8 oz. water
- honey, to taste (I like 1.5 tsp to round out the tart rosehips)
- Steep loose tea in freshly boiled water for 5-8 minutes. Strain and add honey.
Latest posts by Natalia Gill (see all)
- “Busy Day” Asian Veggie Noodle Soup (Gluten & Grain-Free Options) - December 1, 2016
- Greek Sweet Potato Hash – $15 Meal from Trader Joe’s - March 31, 2016
- Apple Pastila (A Honey-Sweetened Confection) - December 9, 2015
I tweeted about this giveaway for the first entry here under the name CarolGuenzel. I have been interested in this book since you first brought it out. Thanks for the chance to win it.