Fengru Herbal Tea 风茹茶

Fengru Herbal Tea (风茹茶) is an herbal infusion from Penghu (澎湖), made with fengru grass (風茹草), Glossogyne tenuifolia. The plant is native to the islands and tolerates drought, wind, salt and poor soil.

How it is made

The dried herb is briefly rinsed to remove dust, then put into cold water and brought to a boil. It remains in the water as the brew cools. After about thirty minutes, the herb is removed; leaving it in during cooling deepens the colour and makes the aroma more apparent.

Flavour and texture

Chinese Wikipedia distinguishes wild, cultivated and teabag forms: wild fengru makes the strongest-smelling brew, cultivated plants give a lighter one, and teabags are lighter still. The aroma comes from the roots. Wild plants have thicker roots, whereas regularly irrigated cultivated plants grow larger above ground but have a milder aroma.