Book III · Chapter I · The Afternoon Show

The Aniseed Conjurer

Liquorice and chocolate, conjured from aniseed and vanilla

In the back room of an old lolly shop, Ambrose the fox tips his top hat and pulls liquorice out of thin air: a pinch of aniseed, a curl of vanilla bean, a flourish over strong black tea. The queue swears there's chocolate in it too; he just winks. The show is such a hit that by sunset nobody wants to leave, so Ambrose sets off to find one last trick that will send everyone happily home.

Where it's from · Aniseed is the tiny seed of a Mediterranean herb, and the flavour behind old-fashioned liquorice lollies. Vanilla is the dried, fermented pod of a climbing orchid first grown in Mexico and now mostly in Madagascar. There's no liquorice root or cocoa here: the chocolate-liquorice trick is all aniseed, vanilla and flavouring over black tea.

Caffeine: High
Good for: Treats, Weight
Tastes: Sweet, chocolate

50 g · $14.95100 g · $24.95250 g · $49.95

Chocolate-liquorice style black tea with aniseed & vanilla · Hot · As a latte · Ordering opens soon

Chapter III Loose-leaf organic turmeric, ginger & black pepper herbal blend in a white ceramic bowl

Book II · Chapter II · The Summer Visitor

The Laughing Kookaburra

Lemongrass, ginger and native lemon myrtle, steaming or over ice

At the height of summer a stranger lands on Tobias's fence and laughs so loudly the whole hedgerow jumps. He's a kookaburra, blown a very long way from home, and he has brought a bundle of lemon myrtle and lemongrass to thank Tobias for a place to rest. Tobias adds ginger, rosehips from the wild roses and a handful of petals, then pours the brew over ice. That night the almanac reads: Summer. A new friend, and something lemony.

Where it's from · Lemon myrtle is a native Australian rainforest tree from coastal Queensland, famous for its intensely lemony leaves. Lemongrass and ginger come from tropical Asia, and rosehips are the bright red fruit wild roses leave behind once their petals fall. Every ingredient in this jar is organic.

Caffeine: None
Good for: Digestion, Refresh
Tastes: Citrus, spicy

50 g · $12.95100 g · $21.95250 g · $44.95

Organic lemongrass, ginger & lemon myrtle herbal blend · Hot · Iced · Ordering opens soon

Book II · Chapter III · The Winter Hearth

The Ember Forge

Turmeric, ginger and a spark of black pepper, hot from the coals

When the frost bites, Tobias packs what's left in his larder (nettle, liquorice root, the last of the kookaburra's lemon myrtle) and carries it to the forge at the end of the lane. The smith already has a copper pot of turmeric, ginger and black pepper on the coals, and she tips his gifts straight in. One by one the whole hedgerow crowds in from the cold, the kookaburra laughing on the anvil. Tobias writes the last line of the year: Winter. Share the larder.

Where it's from · Turmeric and ginger are cousins: knobbly roots from South and Southeast Asia that have warmed kitchens there for thousands of years. Black pepper first came from the Malabar Coast of south-west India, tulsi (holy basil) is grown and revered across India, and the lemon myrtle is Australian. Every ingredient in this jar is organic.

Caffeine: None
Good for: Comfort, Winter
Tastes: Spicy, earthy

50 g · $14.95100 g · $24.95250 g · $49.95

Organic turmeric, ginger & black pepper herbal blend · Hot · Ordering opens soon

Love it, brew it, know it

Why you'll love it

Naturally caffeine-freeRoots, seeds and leaves only, so this warming cup suits any hour of the day.
Spices with a long historyTurmeric and ginger have been simmered together in South Asian kitchens for centuries, often with black pepper close at hand.
Tulsi, the courtyard basilTulsi, or holy basil, has been grown in Indian courtyards and brewed for generations. Here it brings a warm, gently peppery perfume.
Both-hands warmthA peppery, gingery glow from the first sip — the cup to wrap both hands around on a chilly morning.

How to brew it

Water: 100°C
Leaf: 3 g
Per cup: 250 ml
Steep: 6–8 min

Give the roots the full eight minutes, or simmer gently on the stove for ten for a deeper golden cup.

Good for & good to know

Body comfort
Winter wellness
Happy digestion

Contains: Liquorice, Not pregnancy-friendly.

May contain traces of nuts, soy, sesame, gluten.

Contains liquorice root — avoid with high blood pressure, and enjoy in moderation.

Contains celery seed and liquorice root. Not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding without advice from your healthcare professional.

The Ember Forge

The make-up of this chapter

Love it, brew it, know it

Why you'll love it

How to brew it

Good for & good to know

More from Tobias's book

Badger & Burdock

The Laughing Kookaburra