Central Africa · Drink
Chá de Caxinde (Fresh Lemongrass Infusion)
A fragrant, sun-golden Santomean herbal brew made with crushed fresh lemongrass stalks, citrus leaves, and warm island spices.
The story
Across São Tomé and Príncipe, Chá de Caxinde is the definitive daily tonic, brewed at dawn in modest timber houses and grand roça kitchens alike. Created by the Forro and Angolares islanders using backyard medicinal plants, it is revered for aiding digestion and relieving equatorial fatigue. A core technical secret lies in crushing rather than chopping the fibrous lemongrass stalks, which releases aromatic citral compounds directly into the decoction without introducing bitter chlorophyll notes.
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