Jiaogulan and Rose Tea
Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) and Rose (Rosa damascena) tea
I love tea!
Although I often drink coffee at work these days, I usually have a cup of strong, black tea in the morning, my favourite is Earl Grey, with its lovely bergamot flavour (with milk of course). In the afternoons and evenings I usually have green or herbal teas.
I have been mixing my own blends of herbal teas since I can remember. I thought I would share some with you.
Jiaogulan was first described in 1406 CE by Zhu Xiao, who described it in the book Materia Medica for Famine as a survival food. [1]
It is a vine of the Cucurbitaceae family which includes cucumbers and gourds. You can see the winding growth in the image below. It is widely grown in South and East Asia.
Photo: Jiaogulan - Gynostemma pentaphyllum details: flowers and leaves, by Pelikana (2013)
“Residents in the Guangxi and Shicuan provinces called the herb Xiancao which translates to herb of immortality.”[2] I can’t help but think drinking this tea might be somehow beneficial!
The Damascus Rose 🌹has a beautiful floral scent and a fragrant and lovely taste. I became most familiar with it from the rose water used in Middle Eastern cooking. Through my research I also learned that Rosa damascena was inscribed to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists as an element of Syrian cultural heritage.[3]
This tea has a smooth, slightly sweet and floral taste. I enjoyed this combination a lot and will likely make it again. The tea was purchased in Thailand, and the rose buds I grew and harvested from my garden in the Yukon (2022).
Here is to you enjoying a nice brew! Please share your favourite tea blends in the comments.
[1] Cheng JG, et al. (1990). "Investigation of the plant jiaogulan and its analogous herb, Wulianmei". Zhong Cao Yao. 21 (9): 424.
[2] Distinctly Tea - https://distinctlytea.com/products/jiaogulan-herbal-tea?variant=39933634052252
[3] Practices and craftsmanship associated with the Damascene rose in Al-Mrah - https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/practices-and-craftsmanship-associated-with-the-damascene-rose-in-al-mrah-01369
