A carafe on the garden table, ice cubes chinking, a pale pink tint through the glass: Fraîcheur Glacée Menthe Stévia Bio was composed for this kind of afternoon. It is also enjoyed hot, but it is cold that it shows its full measure.

Lemongrass and mint, both from Egypt, open the blend; apple from Turkey follows. Then come hibiscus, mulberry leaves, rosehip, pineapple, stevia, marigold and cornflower petals, all organically grown. Stevia, whose leaf is naturally sweet, sweetens the drink in advance.

The dry blend, green and red flecked with gold, recalls a mojito without rum. In the glass, the freshness of mint dominates, supported by lemongrass; hibiscus and rosehip bring a light tartness, pineapple a juicy flesh, and stevia ties the whole together with a clean vegetal sweetness. The finish is lively and refreshing.

First prepare it as a hot infusion: 12 to 15 g per litre, water at a rolling boil, 100 °C, seven to ten minutes of patience; for half a litre, use between 6 and 7.5 g. Strain, let cool, then place the carafe in the fridge a few hours before serving over ice, with a slice of lime if you like. Naturally caffeine-free, it suits any time of day, from lunch to evening.

It pairs with a fruit salad, lemon sorbet or madeleines. Bought loose in Bordeaux or Nice, it keeps in a closed, opaque tin.