Sencha is my all time favourite green tea & every time I have a chance to experience in a new way, I’ll seize the moment. One of those moments was in Stockholm this summer where I found a sea buckthorn sencha drink.
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Inspiration behind the beverage
In 2019, we had a 3-week road trip from Finland to Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. We drove all the way to the Westernmost coast of France and then followed the coastline back home. It was a fun tour with hubby and our puppy, combining work and leisure. And of course, I did quite a bit of foodie shopping not only in France but also in Stockholm just before our ferry took off towards back home.
Among flour and many delish treats, we grabbed healthy snacks to the ferry trip including a sea buckthorn green tea drink (Havtorn med grönt te). This specific one was by Karl Jansson garden in Cickelbo & it was AMAZING! Since I do not have access to this drink here at home, I needed to somehow try to replicate this delicious healthy pick-me-up.
I think I got pretty close with the combo after all sea buckthorn is a strong berry. The recipe makes 0,5l of Sea buckthorn Sencha drink.
Homemade Sea buckthorn Sencha Drink
Getting to know sea buckthorn
Bye-bye flue, so long dry skin. Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is an amazing energy and vitamin booster for the fall. I guess it could be considered a Nordic equivalent for orange fruit but it’s so much more. Sea buckthorn is full of vitamin C, E, fiber, and good fats.
We got a chance to go picking fresh sea buckthorn berries of the season but you don’t need fresh berries to make this drink. I’ve found multiple producers in Finland and around the Baltic sea, for example, Finnish brand Kaskein is a favorite brand of mine. In Amazon, I found a brand called Erbology* but the text does not show whether the juice is cold-pressed.
For the UK berry lovers, I found an alternative sea buckthorn juice from Stockholm Organic. I suppose your local organic store has a brand or two in their selection, too. Try to find one if you haven’t tried this healthy juice yet.
In addition to flavoring tea, I use sea buckthorn juice in smoothies. The taste of the unsweetened juice is super sour so you need to balance it out with sweet fruit or vegetable. Apples or sweet apple juice, ripe bananas, and sweet carrots make delicious combinations with sea buckthorn.
Homemade tea drinks
I’ve been cutting down coffee the past year & making homemade infused drinks has been my second nature. There are so many healthy and unhealthy options in the supermarkets but I prefer to make my own so that I can somehow manage the hidden sugar intake.
Well, this sea buckthorn version is quite a luxurious one due to the acidity of the berries but one can balance it out. Ahead of a busy week, I’ve prepared 2-4 bottles of infused tea drinks. So easy to just grab one from the fridge.
I would love to hear your coffee alternatives for fall and winter, please share!
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Love, Saara