Food & Drink

Orchids are among nature’s most stunning objects. For many of us, they bring joy simply by gracing our houses or gardens. Nonetheless it must be conceded that aside from their beauty, orchids have little practical value for human beings, with the single exception of the orchid that give us our vanilla flavoring.

If you had been around some 80 to a hundred years ago, though, you perhaps would have had occasion to drink a wonderful tea produced from the leaves of an unusual orchid. This drink, commonly called Faham tea, achieved some celebrity among the French populace in the early decades of the 20th century. To be specific, it was brewed from the sweet smelling leaves of the Angraecum fragrans orchid (sometimes alternately recorded as the Jumella fragrans).

The rare orchid was indigenous to the Reunion Island off the coast of Africa. An epiphytal variety known  on the island as “faham,” its usage as tea is credited to Reunion’s indigenous people, who are reported to have been the first to discover how delicious it could be.

An article in a horticultual magazine appearing in 1924 noted that so-called Faham tea had been introduced into France, where many consumers were drinking it instead of “Chinese” (i.e., regular) tea. “Every work on botany of any importance similarly places it in the foremost rank of the beneficial productions of  this favored clime (Reunion),” the author says. “One of our most illustrious writers George Sand eulogizes it in the midst of the fine description of the Island of Bourbon.” Bourbon was an earlier name for Reunion, incidentally.

The orchid in question was known to grow high up on the steep slopes of Reunion, far within almost inaccessible forests. The difficulties attendant on collecting a sufficient amount of this plant meant that Faham tea, as a commercially viable item, was doomed not to succeed. Despite general concurrence in the tea’s tastiness, it was for the most part forgotten by mid- 20th century.

Most of us won’t ever have the pleasure of knowing what Faham tea tasted like. But, if you happen to be lucky enough to own a specimen or two of the Reunion Island orchid, you could sacrifice a handful of leaves and make some yourself. To brew the tea, you first bring water to a boil in a tea kettle. Then you put in some dried orchid leaves (about as much per cup as you would regular tea) to the water, turning off the heat and permitting it to steep for three or four minutes.

A flyer from the 1920s extolling Faham tea states:

It can be used as a substitute for tea on all occasions as it combines its tonic and digestive qualities free from the sleepless effect. It possesses an aroma of great delicacy capable of being rendered more or less pungent according to the quantity used, and it gives forth a most agreeable perfume. After being drank it leaves a lasting fragrance in the mouth, and in a closed room the odor of it can be recognized long after.

This beverage has the further advantage over tea which requires to be drank at the time of making, in that it can be reserved for a future occasion if requisite and may either be taken cold or made hot again. Milk or spirits in small quantities, especially rum, serve to develope its aroma and lending it additional delicacy or greater strength render it a delicious drink. Lastly this valuable plant is made use of to flavor custards and ices, to which it communicates its delicate fragrance.

Sounds delicious. Faham tea, anyone?

Now, if you think you would like to try your hand at growing orchids, rare or otherwise, you will need accurate instructions.

Nowadays, of course, we have an abundance of excellent information on the proper way to grow orchids. The most accurate and clear guidebook to modern orchid care, many growers agree, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which may be downloaded online. Howard’s well-written guide is a thorough education all by itself. And, it is suitable for novices as well as more seasoned orchid growers. Also, check out the Orchid Secrets web site, which is publishing an ever-growing library of articles on all topics of orchid care.