Qishr – tea from coffee husks.
A traditional tea in Yemen made from coffee husks. I mean, yeah! okay, I’m gonna try it – purely out of curiosity. So I got a 1/2 pound of qishr from sweetmarias when I saw it available – no expectations of what it was other than Tom’s description (good, not great. Rosehips. Ginger Tea). But what the hell. I’ve paid more for a cup of coffee that was awful, so at worst, I am better informed and out 5 bucks.
Well, i don’t know if I will actually make it through the entire 1/2 pound I bought. Not that it is all bad, actually, and there are some very interesting things going on in the tea, but it left a pretty acrid and biter finish that was not at all to my liking. And it lasted for a long long time.
Unsealing the bag released powerful aroma of apple, clover, the Portland Rose Gardens in full bloom – an intensity like standing under a magnolia tree in full bloom, but not quite the same syrupy depth. It’s actually very beautiful to see – looking to me a lot like a certain cinnamon and honey encrusted pistachio shells.
Them being husks, I fully expected it to be earthy, spicy, and, well, husky – but that was just not there in the aroma. Just intense fruit like I was sticking my nose in a vat of juiced apples. Maybe all the earth was in the brew?
After that… mildly tea-like, but more like mild, thin good coffee – traces from that same aroma, hints of the sweet rose flavor. Overall, nice.. And then I sat and worked for a while, and then it started showing itself. Bitter. Astringency. Acridity. And it went on for a while.
It was pleasant until that. That harsh acrid overtone – pasting itself across my tongue. Rough, harsh and started killing my buzz. I don’t want to go back to that. It was worse than poorly toasted black tea. Worse than
I think I might try putting some in the oil over a tea light and let it fill the room with its smell. Dim the lights & spin some Tosca. I Want Some Honey. Loud.
