Ponaire Cascara Coffee Cherry Tea

uberalex

I've been interested to try Cascara for a while, and Ponaire had it available on their website. It comes in a sealed platstic bag, as sort of hard shells, a bit like pistachio shells. You simply infuse it as you would any other tea.

I've found the best results are to use really hot water, and to give it at least five minutes. The result is a reddish-hued tea with a light, sweet taste. It has a smokiness that's reminiscent of coffee, but doesn't really taste of the black stuff.

Overally I'd recommend it, though the price is high enough to make it an indulgence, rather than a regular purchase, I think.

http://www.ponaire.ie/proddetail.php?prod=CascaraTea

donnacha

uberalex wrote: »

I've been interested to try Cascara for a while, and Ponaire had it available on their website. It comes in a sealed platstic bag, as sort of hard shells, a bit like pistachio shells. You simply infuse it as you would any other tea.

I've found the best results are to use really hot water, and to give it at least five minutes. The result is a reddish-hued tea with a light, sweet taste. It has a smokiness that's reminiscent of coffee, but doesn't really taste of the black stuff.

Overally I'd recommend it, though the price is high enough to make it an indulgence, rather than a regular purchase, I think.

http://www.ponaire.ie/proddetail.php?prod=CascaraTea

Hasbean regularly sell cascara and I've enjoyed it on many occasions. Watch out as it is literally loaded with caffeine!

uberalex

donnacha wrote: »

Hasbean regularly sell cascara and I've enjoyed it on many occasions. Watch out as it is literally loaded with caffeine!

That's a great point, I had been thinking 'tea' not caffeine

I looked it up, it's not as bad as I had feared: http://www.squaremileblog.com/2013/08/30/cascara-and-caffeine/

25%-50% the caffeine of the brewed stuff. Not nothing, but not murderous.

donnacha

I'm amazed at that report - I've felt fairly high after a few mugs of it - maybe there is something else in the coffee cherry

BTW it is only £4 a bag via Hasbean.

http://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/bolivia-finca-illimani-cascara

http://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/bolivia-finca-loayza-feliciano-ramos-cascara

http://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/bolivia-finca-david-vilca-cascara-2013-14