Caribbean “Bocha” with roasted rose branch tea
Winter is the best season for foraging wild rose branches for tea.
The winter months are a slow season for foraging. Conifer needles are available, and maybe some jelly type mushrooms if you live in a temperate climate. For one of my favourite teas, however, winter is the perfect time to forage for it.
During the winter, sap in deciduous bushes and trees is stored in the roots, leaving the branches dry. Branches that are already dry can be immediately roasted, bringing out a warm nutty and sweet flavour when brewed into tea. Bocha (or Boucha) in Japanese means “stick tea”, and is made from the branches left after stripping the leaves to make into tea.
The tea for Caribbean “Bocha” includes fennel seeds and mint for a fresh touch to the warm roasted branches. When mixed with the rich smooth Dos Maderas 5+5, the drink brings to mind tropical vacations while in the midst of winter.
The Caribbean “Bocha” cocktail is a recipe from The Cocktail Balance 2.0.
ROASTED ROSE BRANCH “BOCHA” TEA
50 g Dried Rose Branches
1 g Fennel Seeds
3 g Dried Mint Leaves
1000 g Filtered Water
If you are using fresh branches, allow them to air dry for several days until they are completely dry. Skip this step if you are using branches that are already dry.
Cut the branches into approximately 5 centimeter pieces with scissors or pruning shears.Heat the oven to 180°C and add the dried branches in a single layer on a baking tray. Check the roasting process often until they become slightly dark and aromatic –you don’t want to burn them, only roast them. This process can take about 10–15 minutes.
Take the branches out of the oven, cool, and store in an airtight container. To make the tea, boil water in a pot and add the roasted rose branches, fennel seeds and dried mint leaves. Let simmer for ten minutes, allow it to cool, then strain.
CARIBBEAN “BOCHA”
30 ml Dos Maderas 5+5
90 ml Roasted Rose Branch “Bocha” Tea
METHOD: Build over ice block
GARNISH: Roasted Rose Branch (optional)
GLASS: Patrik Illo
