Tej & Ethiopian Dinner

[smertz001]

The wife and I went to an Ethiopian restaraunt (Blue Nile) tonight for dinner. At looking at their web it looked like they didn't serve alcohol. Not a problem. But then we walk in and see a full bar. Nice!

Even nicer, on the menu was Tej! So, of course I had to try it! And it tasted so good I got another... What ever it's called they served it in.
View attachment 934

It was dry, and had a little unknown spicy to it. Very tasty like I said. The whole experience was very tasty.

 

[Swordnut]

That's a berele, the jug like glass its served in. Tej is a mead spiced with twigs and leaves from a buckthorn shrub which gives it a hop-like taste. nice find, wish something like that was available where I live.​

 

[Jim H]

Hmm. This got me thinking, "why not make you're own?" Then, looking up Buckthorn, the main flavoring agent, it is apparent that you have to treat this bad boy with caution, if you're going to make a batch of Tej... or at least use a well-tested recipe.

Buckthorn, especially its bark, is known as a purgative and laxative in animals and people. The bark of the largest buckthorn, Rhamnus purshiana, is often called cascara sagrada or chitticum bark (1;​2;​3). The berries, harvested when fully ripe, may be cathartic, depurative, diuretic, laxative and violently purgative. They may have their effect by producing active aglycones, which damage epithelial cells in the colon (4;​5;​6). In vitro and animal studies suggest that anthranoid laxatives are associated with tumorigenesis. Therefore, it is suggested that such laxatives, including buckthorn, not be used over a long time (6;​7)

No likes an ex-lax mead.

 

[joemirando]

No likes an ex-lax mead.

Hmmm... 3 parts tej, one part club soda with a sprig of buckthorn bark as garnish. You could call it a Trotsky.


Joe

 

[Jim H]

Hmmm... You could call it a Trotsky.

Hah!

 

[akueck]

You can buy gesho leaves and twigs to make your own Tej. When I get around to it I am planning on getting these from Brundo (in Oakland CA).

 

[smertz001]

Very interesting information there JimH! This could explain part of my night Thursday (;

But I do plan on making some as well eventually, it's on the list now that I've tried it and enjoyed it!

 

[Jim H]

Very interesting information there JimH! This could explain part of my night Thursday (;

But I do plan on making some as well eventually, it's on the list now that I've tried it and enjoyed it!

I was hoping that I was wrong! You didn't experience the "violently purgative" part, did you?

Anyway, it looks like the bark and berries are the most ... active, ahem ... part of the plant. I'm not sure of the small twigs that some recipes call for, they may have enough bark on them to do damage. Maybe you want to only use the leaves, if you're going to make it.

Remember, if you're getting the greens in an herbal shop, the items sold might have medicinal properties, and might not be the same as herbs used in food.

 

[mannye]

There are as many recipes for Tej as there are houses in Ethiopia..everyone has their own formula...it's just like BBQ sauce...Find one without that crazy pooping tree additive. I'm sure 20 minutes on Google will reveal many different variations. In the end, T'ej is mead.

 

[crowquill]

Montezuma Winery makes a commercial tej that's pretty good. I'm not a big fan of most of their meads but that's one I try to pick up when I go by the winery. They're near Seneca Falls, NY.