Roselle and bael fruit are probably the best-known of the traditional teas. Roselle is a type of hibiscus (specifically, Hibiscus sabdariffa) and makes the most tasty Thai tea. If you find the petals, dissolve a couple of handfuls in a liter of water and boil for 20 minutes. Boiling longer creates a deeper purple-red and more concentrated taste. Hot and straight, with a twist of lime, roselle might pass ...
* A wayward Marxist state of mind
It’s still a terrific country for tourists. Laotians are chatty and relaxed, with neither the rapacity of the Vietnamese nor the trip-wire tempers of the Cambodians. Perhaps inspired by the American journalist Bob Woodward, Kremmer claims to have extracted the fatal details from a Pathet Lao cadre during a fantastic meeting deep in the heart of the Lao gulag. For anyone familiar with Laos, the telecommunications and logistics required for such a meeting are inconceivable.
Susan J Cunningham 