Passion fruit needs no introduction. You cut one open and it is instantly there: the vivid color, the scent that summons the tropics, that blend of fruit, acidity, freshness and a small promise of somewhere far away. Passion fruit speaks a direct language.

I notice it again and again at events. When I bring cocktails made with passion fruit, they disappear faster than the baker's fresh croissants in the morning — most recently at a corporate event for Schminkbar in Zurich. The moment passion fruit hits the glass, guests reach for it. Perhaps it is that tension that makes it so interesting: a lovely sweet-and-sour balance that brings exotic energy to the drink while staying elegant.

That is what came to mind the first time I had TeeGschwendner's passion fruit tea in my glass. The evening before, I hadn't finished my pot, so the next day a cooled remainder was left over. The freshness and the aromatics caught me at once. That was nearly ten years ago; back then I still knew nothing about cold brew.

Summer, the exotic, the feeling of a holiday. (Images: Courtesy)

An Always-Fresh Tea

Many fruit teas have a problem: they smell grand and then, sadly, don't taste the way the nose promised. With TeeGschwendner's passion fruit tea it is different. On the nose everything is present: summer, the exotic, the feeling of a holiday. On the palate it stays juicy and shows a fine acidity that turns every sip into a refreshment.

On paper it is a fruit tea of apple pieces, hibiscus blossoms, passion fruit granules, mango and safflower petals. These ingredients are needed because passion fruit alone would not work as a tea. Yet whichever version you choose — warm from the cup or cold from the glass — this drink shows what can emerge when passion fruit is well accompanied.

A Tea Made for Cold Brew

Of course you can brew it the classic way. Warm, it shows a softer side: the passion fruit turns rounder and the mango steps a little more to the fore. That works well. In summer, though, I like fruit tea best as a cold brew. To draw the full aromas from the fruit, I steep 30 grams of tea for five minutes in 200 milliliters of hot water, then add 800 milliliters of cold water. Then it goes into the refrigerator for at least six hours. The result is a wonderful refreshment that needs no added sugar and that children enjoy too.

When I drink the passion fruit tea warm, I add three grams of dried apple mint. It gives the tea an extra layer of flavor.

Tea as a Substitute for Wine

That aspect interests me a great deal at the moment. We talk a lot about people drinking less alcohol, and more consciously, and we think about alternatives. Often this turns into a slightly strained discussion. Yet sometimes the solution lies much closer. A good tea — cleanly composed, properly served and given a small twist — can be exactly right in the afternoon, before a meal or on a warm evening. Tea, incidentally, whether black, yellow, white or green, also makes a superb companion to food. Anyone who has to watch their caffeine is better off choosing a caffeine-free version in the evening, the better to sleep.

Our tea of the month is not, strictly speaking, a tea at all. Properly defined, tea comes only from the tea plant «Camellia sinensis», which yields the various colors, from white through yellow and green to black. In Switzerland, by contrast, we drink a great many herbal and fruit teas — classic infusions.

Fruit That Brings the Glass to Life

But back to TeeGschwendner's passion fruit tea. It lends itself beautifully as a companion to food. With Asian cuisine, with curry, with lightly spiced dishes, with roasted vegetables or with desserts built on mango, coconut, yogurt and citrus, it harmonizes splendidly. It brings fruit, freshness and temperature to the table, opens the palate and leaves room for the food, the conversation and the moment.

For me it therefore belongs less in the cup than in the carafe: cold from the refrigerator, in a large glass with ice, a few fresh leaves of apple mint and, for those who like, a piece of passion fruit. Then the fruit can do what it does best and brings the glass to life at once.

Enjoyment Tool

… Preparation: Brew warm, dilute with cold water, let cool and refrigerate for six hours. Enjoy cold the next day.
… Cold brew: For something even gentler, steep the tea cold from the start and give it twelve hours.
… Freshness layer: A few leaves of apple mint bring the warm tea a fine, green freshness and more depth.
… Serving: A large glass, ideally from a carafe. That way the tea works like a deliberately served summer drink rather than yesterday's hot beverage. Add ice if you like.
… Food: Excellent with Asian cuisine, curry, light summer dishes, roasted vegetables or desserts of mango, coconut, yogurt and citrus.

Jauch's Verdict

Passion fruit works because it brings tension to the glass at once. TeeGschwendner's passion fruit tea takes up that strength and stays pleasantly uncomplicated. Brewed warm, it is approachable and round.

Cold, with ice and fresh apple mint, it becomes a fresh, alcohol-free aperitif for summer.

«Jauch's Selection»: The biweekly finews column in which Peter Jauch precisely classifies champagne and other fine beverages and supplements them with practical service advice.