Soba

You are familiar with buckwheat, as in soba cha or soba noodle, but have you heard of bitter soba or Tartary Buckwheat? A close relative to the common buckwheat, Tartary Buckwheat contains more rutin (a powerful antioxidant) and is often found in the Himalayan region, parts of Southwest China, and of course, villages of Taiwan.

Despite its name, buckwheat is technically not considered a grain or a grass—it is more genetically similar to sorrel or rhubarb—but due to its high starch content, it is often cooked and consumed similar to a cereal.

During a recent sourcing trip, we discovered puffed version of Taiwanese Tartary Buckwheat that locals were brewing up to enjoy like tea. Similar to the nutty, earthy tasting notes of its toasted counterpart, this puffed soba infusion drinks more like a toasty rice milk (think Taiwanese breakfast) instead of baked bread, and the aroma is leavened by the lingering sweet aftertaste of freeze-dried corn. It's heartwarming brewed hot and delicious at room temperature or served iced!