Spend a few hours being utterly mesmerised by what fynbos can do for you while you sip your way through teas and digestives, as well as making a Spekboom salad.
Where is it?
The Cape Town Heritage Trust, Company’s Gardens
Why should I do this?
We all love and admire the Cape fynbos family, but here you’ll get and even greater appreciation when you learn about the magical healing qualities it has. Apart from learning how to make infusions, cordials, spritzers and more, you’ll also get to make a salad with Spekboom, complete with a Buchu infused olive oil! Have you ever?
How much am I going to pay?
R450 per person, which includes an informative talk, tasting of teas, cordials and digestives, along with making a Spekboom salad. You also get to go home with some cuttings to make your own infusions along with basic instructions and suggestions.
How do I book?
Bookings can be made through Webtickets. The experience takes place every Wednesday and Thursday at 14h00.
Contact details
Telephone 021 426 2157, email info@gettothepoint.co.za
Living the Western Cape, I have become very appreciative of the beauty of fynbos and I have also learnt a few things along the way about its healing qualities and other attributes. However, I was not prepared for how little I actually knew and how easy it is to incorporate fynbos into my daily life until I was hosted at the Cape Town Fynbos Experience.
A whole new world opened up before me and before I know it I was hatching plans to make fynbos infusions for me and my dog (he has itchy skin) and a rose and mint cordial for summer, as well as pouring some Rooibos tea into my next goulash. Here’s the thing – I don’t even really like Rooibos tea as a rule!
I don’t want to give too much away as you need to experience this for yourself, but you can expect to spend a few hours being utterly mesmerised by what fynbos can do for you. In addition, everything is so beautifully and thoughtfully laid out that you just want to try it all. There’s a selection of teas (some are great, some are downright awful), digestives (think Bucchu Brandy and Rhino Bush Gin) and you end the session with a fynbos salad that will see you munching on Spekboom leaves dipped into Buchu infused olive oil and Snow Bush infused vinegar. Making a salad for your next braai is about to become interesting!
In addition, your host, Giselle Courtney from Get to the Point, has a wealth of knowledge and passion for fynbos, making her the perfect guide on your journey of discovery. She’s only too happy to answer questions, come up with solutions and potions for any ailment you (or your pet) may have and her enthusiasm is catching.
Here are a few things I was fascinated to learn:
- Honeybush Tea helps relieve menopause-related symptoms and helps protect against osteoporosis.
- Buchu can be used as an antiseptic wash to wounds, as well as a compress to relieve swelling, bruising and sprains.
- The Rhino Bush was responsible for saving many lives during the Influenza Pandemic.
- The Snow Bush (wild rosemary) can be used as a hair conditioner.
- Rooibos Tea is used as a milk substitute for babies prone to colic.
- The Cancer Bush is one of our greatest treasures (it refuses to grow anywhere else in the world) as it has a strong reputation as a cure for cancer and is now increasingly being used as an immune booster for people with HIV/AIDS.
- The leaves of the Rose Pelargonium makes a wonderful flavouring for cordials, cakes, puddings and scones, while Mint Pelargonium makes for a delicious ice cream as well as a good summer spritzer.
Finally, something else that this experience left me with: South Africa may have many of it’s own problems to deal with, but we do have the cure for almost every ailment and illness out there and that makes me even more proudly African.
Inside information
The shop next door has a wonderful collection of reasonably-priced creams, balms, teas and more. I can highly recommend the BuchuLife Moisturising Cream. It has does wonders for my skin in just over a week!
Published September 2018 | Hosted by Cape Town Heritage Trust