The Petite Greek

Love this stuff! My sister would be proud. :)

peopleofthesouth:

Business is brisk these days for the 600 or so growers of rooibos, a caffeine-free herbal tea unique to South Africa’s Western Cape province whose clients include Starbucks Corp.

Production of the crop more than tripled to 14,000 metric tons the past decade as farmers expanded rooibos plantings to meet demand from companies including the world’s largest coffee shop operator and Nestle SA, the biggest food company.

Tea consumption is increasing as health-conscious consumers spurn sugary and caffeinated beverages. Rooibos, like green tea, contains antioxidants that boost the immune system, calcium and fluoride. The drink constitutes about 10 percent of the herbal tea market and 1 percent of a global tea market that has an estimated value of $23 billion, according to the South African Rooibos Council.

“Five years ago, rooibos was really quite a niche product,” said Paul Jefferies, a London-based herbal tea buyer for Tata Global Beverages Ltd.’s Tetley, which sells about 300 tons of the tea a year under its Red Bush label. Thanks to “a very strong marketing campaign, sales have been on a steep upward curve.”

Starbucks offers vanilla rooibos “herbal infusion” while Nestle sells rooibos-flavored yogurt. Hain Celestial Group Inc. introduced its African Orange Mango Rooibos tea to the U.S. seven years ago.

(via npr)

When I was younger, we had these flowers growing in our backyard.  One day, my dad showed me something magical about them: as you can see, if you pinch a snapdragon on its sides, it opens its “mouth.”  My dad proceeded to put on a mini-play with the different colored snapdragons talking to each other. 

Several years ago today, my dad died unexpectedly.  Of course I still miss him every day and wish he were here, but I just can’t help but smile when I see snapdragons and remember the day they magically sprang to life. Life is pretty awesome, ya know?  

I’m grateful that he was able to teach me that lesson in his short time here.

Here’s to taking on the day and week with renewed vigor! Carpe diem!