Rosie & Java – Rooibos Sgt Pepper’s Orange
I have bad news for tea and coffee fans who live in the Richmond area. Sadly, Rosie & Java closed their bricks-and-mortar shop last weekend. The wonderfully named purveyors of tea and coffee are still running their online shop and I totally recommend that you check it out.
I’ve tried several Rosie & Java, teas – Keemun Peony, Blue Lavandula, Izu Matcha, Richmond Royal Blend and Dark Chocolate Cherry Parfait – and I really enjoyed them all. (Although the Dark Chocolate Cherry Parfait wasn’t quite as cherry-y as I would have liked.)
I had one Rosie & Java tea yet to be reviewed in the tea stash, which is this here Rooibos Sgt Pepper’s Orange. (And yes, as it’s a rooibos, it isn’t technically tea. But rooibos is, by and large, the only non-tea I have any time for.)
Sgt Pepper’s Orange contains – in addition to rooibos – orange, red peppercorns and chilli peppers. To be honest with you, I was expecting something with a little more oomph. Mind you, I do like my chilli-flavour things super spicy. I appreciate that a drink which makes your eyes water and your tongue go numb probably wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of Aspalathus linearis.
There’s still plenty to enjoy here. The oranginess complements the rooibos nicely and there is – if you look for it – a pleasant kick from the pepper and chilli. I suppose if I want to ramp up the capsaicin effect, I could munch on a bird’s eye chilli when drinking it.
It’s another happy thumbs-up for a Rosie & Java tea. It’s a great shame that – having made it through the pandemic – they’re being forced to abandon their presence on the high street. Chris and Alice, the lovely couple behind the tea business, said that their reasons for shutting up shop included “the current economic climate”, which is both upsetting and unsurprising.
I wish Mrs Rosy and Mr Java all the best in their continuing online teamongering endeavours. I will definitely be making another purchase soon. Palace Court Afternoon, Madagascan Rose Vanilla and Sapphire Lady Citrus Earl Grey are all calling to me.
Today’s featured book is On The Road by Jack Kerouac. Because although Rosie & Java are no longer literally on a road in Richmond, they are now ‘on the road’ in a figurative, nomadic way.
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