Gesho (rhamnus prinoides), an African plant, can be used for fermentation like hops. The stems of the plant are boiled and then mixed with honey, to create Ethiopian “tej” or honey wine. It has no preservatives and no sulfites.
Although California is known for wineries north and south of San Francisco, this process can be seen just a little to the east in Oakland, California at the 2,500 square foot Enat Winery.
Hey, This struck a memory for me.y wife and I used to eat at a small Ethiopian restaurant in LA. After we got to know the owners they invited us to stay after closing and they brought out the Tej. I was delicious, too delicious. It snuck up on us and we took a taxi home. After that we were much more careful. Well, our business changed and we stopped making weekly trips to LA. We lost touch. I always wished I could find a source of Tej and here it is. Thanks, Steven Doyle
Hi Steven, I know what you mean. My favorite Tej is at a London restaurant where the mother of the owner makes it herself. Only commercial versions were on the menu but because I asked several questions they brought me the homemade version. I’ve been looking for an American source ever since…