Cheese and Green

To begin with, let me explain this;

Tencha is the name for tea leaves used for Matcha. In other word, Tencha is ground into powder. Once tencha become powdered tea, it is called Matcha.

Also, when green tea，especially high quality tea including Tencha, is brewed with water, not hot water, it will be richer in "Umami", a kind of amino acid. It is called “mizu-dashi” method. (“mizu” is water, and “dashi” means brew)

OK,now......at a Japanese tea room in Osaka.

They served me this: Cheese and iced Tencha tea brewed in “mizu-dashi” method.

Actually, I knew cheese and black or Oolong tea can go well. But I just thought green tea won’t. I don’t know why, I just had such a fixed idea. But….interestingly, it was good combination. Both cheese and Tencha tea have amino acid and they didn’t clash.

Then, they served this too: Cheese with black pepper and Sencha tea brewed with hot water, not high temperature.

It was more interesting. When I drank the tea after having cheese, the cheese became much milkier. Then, aroma of pepper remained a bit, which was good.

Many of you may know the marriage of cheese and green tea already. I should’ve known that much earlier. My today's lesson was.... “Think outside of the box!” :-) 

BTW, the variety of the green tea is very very special. An annual production of the tea is....just 10kgs! Lucky me!

"Water brewed" and "Ice-cube brewed"

While I was in London this May, I joined a seminar conducted by a well-known tea maker. Some, from Australia or South Africa or so, were talking about if tea can be brewed with water or not. I told them, “Yes, that is what I often do especially in summer in Japan!.” They were so surprised that tea can be brewed with water, even iced-cubes. No wonder, even some (or many) Japanese don’t know.

Even those who didn’t know about “water-brewed ( known as “mizudashi” ) green tea ” or “ ice-cubed brewed (known as ”koridashi”) green tea”, they start talking about it…..thanks to “bottled tea”.

A tea company, ITO EN. LTD, released “water-brewed green tea with Matcha” and “ ice-cubed Gyokuro”.

Anyway…….the season for “mizudashi” and “koridashi” has come in Japan!

*You may be interested in this;  about Japanese green tea by ITO EN LTD

http://www.itoen.co.jp/eng/allabout_greentea/index.html

photo by ITO EN, LTD

Gyokuro + Tencha = !???

G7 summit was held in Ise-Shima in Japan last month. At its working lunch, Japanese tea called “Gyokuten” was served. What is “Gyokuten”?? I’ve never heard of it.

According to my reserch, “Gyoku” is for Gyokuro. "Ten” is for “Tencha”, which is the name for tea leaves used for Matcha. Once the leaves called Tencha are ground into fine powder, the powder tea is called Matcha. In other word, ground Tencha is  Matcha. Anyway, "Gyokuten" is a blend green tea from Gyokuro and Tencha. 

I know I see many tea  blended with Matcha like “Sencha with Matcha” and “Matcha Genmaicha”. So I guess people are not surprised anymore by tea blended with Matcha. 

Instead of Matcha, which is everywhere now,  it may be the time for “unground Matcha” =Tencha now.

Photo by　Kyoto Shinbun 

What is Sencha!?

At a well-known tea shop in London, I found a tin of tea named “SENCHA”. I was so excited to know that Japanese green tea was there! BUT.... it was not. That “sencha” was from China. 

Actually, I’ve seen a lot of other non-Japanese green tea with the word of “sencha” as a part of its name. I believed that sencha is the tea from Japan, but it was not. 

What is Sencha, then!!?? 

I remember that there is Black Matcha made from black tea or Rooibos Matcha made from Rooibos in the US. The name of Matcha and Sencha seem to have developed a life of their own outside of Japan, ha, ha. 

Sencha from Japan

TEA - UK and Japan -

I visited London about 20 years ago for the first time. I’ve visited there several time since then. And I did again this spring.Wherever I went, tea meant “tea with milk” before. Every time I visited,  I felt the drinking habit had been changing little by little. And this time, few tea shops I visited recommended tea which is good with milk. They recommended green, green-flavored, white etc.

 

Does that mean their traditional drink is going to die out???  Maybe not. Tea with milk is still there, especially at home.

A young lady who works at a tea shop told me….”Tea with milk is not going to die out because that’s the British. That’s how we do.”

 

The green tea consumption has decreased in Japan. How many Japanese will say the same thing for our traditional tea? I’m not sure…

Can you make a decision now??

"Well..which tea should we get this time?...."

Have you ever wondered about your choice of tea? In that case, these teas will solve all your problems, maybe:-) 

Each tea has the special name according your request such as…

*Ryokucha (green tea) which is drunk by people in Kakegawa, known as the city where many people live long.

*Ryokucha (green tea) to offer hearty hospitality

*Konacha (dust tea) which first class sushi restaurants are eager to serve

*Oolong tea which goes well Chinese food

*Hojicha which goes well with fatty food

*Wakocha (Japanese black tea) which is good with toast for breakfast

I guess you have already made a decision, haven't you? Ha, ha.

Can Be a Gateway to Tea-Leaf Tea!?

According to the Japan Soft Drink Association, the output of green tea drinks in 2015 has increased four years in a row. Which means about 6% increase from the previous year. Does this mean that Japanese drink more green tea??? The answer is...yes and no…. ", I think.

"Green tea drink" here refers to mainly bottled one. Bottled tea is everywhere, and very popular. But not tea-leaf tea. Bottled tea is often served on the dinner table at home. But not tea made by kyusu. Many green tea shops and tea places in Japan now are full of tourists from overseas rather than Japanese. It is what it is. 

But, even young Japanese know green tea is healthier. That’s why they pick up the tea rather than soda or so. I should look at the positive side of it. Bottled green tea can be a gateway to tea-leaf tea:-)