Chamomile Cordial- Perfect For A Summer Picnic. (Rocks Chamomile Cordial.)

Member Name: Machair1

Product:	Rocks Chamomile Cordial.
Date:	02/06/09 (42 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tastes fresh and lovely.

Disadvantages: Contains sugar.

This very unusual cordial is the work of Rocks, a company I have been loyal to for over a decade. Firstly buying their lovely English country wines, and more recently their superb range of organic cordials. These have been so popular that they have now taken over, and the company no longer produces the wine on a commercial scale.

The Chamomile Cordial is available from www.goodnessdirect.co.uk and here it retails for £2.77 for a 360ml glass bottle. You should also be able to find it in independent health food stores, but sadly not yet in supermarkets that tend to only stock their simple flavours such as orange and blackcurrant.

The cordial is made from sugar, apple juice, water, and lemon juice and it contains 4% chamomile. As with all their cordials it is organic, and you won't find any artificial additives in here as Rock's pride themselves on providing a natural product.

So although called Chamomile it isn't something which tastes like the tea, which I know many people feel is a brew made from weeds, which should really be on the compost heap. This cordial is really apple and lemon with a hint of the herb, so is a delicate and lightly floral drink, which is perfect for a summer day. Don't expect to taste no chamomile though as it is subtle but really distinguishable, and certainly the smell is more than just a hint. They have got the amount just right and have created a very unusual but really refreshing drink, which I have recently discovered, and have enjoyed it immensely, so much so I took a bottle on holiday with me recently.

You mix the cordial with either still or sparkling water, and you can also serve it hot which is very pleasant and tastes rather like a chamomile tea, which has only just seen the tea bag and has been served with a slice of lemon.
The colour of the drink when served cold is a very pale green, and it is lovely with ice making a really refreshing drink.

I think they have got the packaging just perfect as the bottle is presented with a lovely apple green sleeve adorned with chamomile flowers. It is a simple picture and it creates an image of tranquillity, this is perfect as of course chamomile is known for its relaxing and calming properties.

The company have been making drinks for over 20 years in Berkshire, and many of the ingredients are actually grown by themselves reducing food miles and ensuring the organic standards are upheld.

As there are no preservatives in this you will need to pop it in the fridge after opening, and here it will last 14 days or more in perfect condition. I have kept mine for a month with no problems. As they use fruit pulp in many of their cordials it is a good idea to shake before use, though this one is not really affected too much by residue, though the plain orange one can be.

It does contain sugar so I guess you should consume in moderation, but I would certainly drink this and would share it with my children if they were still at home, as it is in my opinion better than one loaded in chemicals. It is organic, gluten free, dairy free, yeast free, egg free, vegetarian, vegan, nut free, and wheat free so is pure and really a treat from nature.

It is something different and a really nice change from other summer drinks. I would recommend it and think it is a great find to discover something so different and innovative, and free from anything artificial at all. It forms an integral part of their herb and spice range of which I have also tried the lovely lavender cordial and have reviewed that here on Dooyoo.

It is lovely to see a family business thriving and producing simple and natural products. This is a drink I will continue to buy and to enjoy.

It conjures up an image in my mind of a summer picnic in a field of daisies and buttercups. I have tried this on just that occasion -a lunch in the countryside, and it is a perfect drink if you don't want wine. If you are someone who enjoys elderflower cordial then this will appeal. A great drink for a change.
www.rocksorganic.com

Summary: A very special drink which is unusual but very tasty.