It’s not easy to tell what the water temperature just by looking at it. Say that you are going to brew gyokuro, so you’re aiming for 60ºC (140ºF). How...
Umami: The Fifth Taste
Imagine that you’re reading a tasting note for a Japanese green tea and this comes up: “Sweet with a deep umami flavor…”. You’ll end up wondering what umami is....
How to Make Green Tea Jelly
Jelly is fun. I make jelly with fruit pieces inside about once a month to eat at home, and sometimes I make jelly shots if there’s a party. I’ve...
Caffeine: The Popular Stimulant also found in Green Tea
By judging the popular products available we can conclude that in general, people like caffeine. Coffee, tea, chocolate and even soft drinks contain caffeine. The stimulating property of caffeine...
How to Make Your Own Roasted Rice for Genmaicha
I love genmaicha. The roasted rice adds a nutty flavor and aroma that combines perfectly with green tea. This tea is popular in Japan, where it has a long...
Green Tea Allergy: Is it Possible?
I’ve always been very allergic. Dust and pollen makes me sneeze, have a stuffy nose, and itchy eyes. Two common medications: aspirin and ibuprofen, make my eyes swollen. As...
L-theanine: Why Drinking Green Tea is Relaxing
Did you know that only the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) and a few others contain L-theanine? The characteristic flavor of green tea is due in large part to this...
EGCG: The Amazing Antioxidant Found in Green Tea
If you’re interested in the health benefits of green tea, then you must first learn about EGCG. I want to explain to you what EGCG is in the simplest...
Herbal Tea: Is it Really Tea?
It’s easy to be confused about what tea actually is when we hear about things such as rooibos tea and honey lemon tea, since their ingredients have nothing in...
About the Tea Plant: Camellia Sinensis
I’m sure you’ve drank tea plenty of times, but have you ever wondered where it comes from? The Camellia sinensis is commonly known as the tea plant, tea tree...
Green Tea Harvests in Japan
Did you know that green tea in Japan is harvested at different times of the year, and that the price and quality of tea leaves depend greatly on the...
Basic Etiquette for Japanese Green Tea
We are all taught basic table manners so as to make social interactions smoother. If we look at etiquette that way, wouldn’t it be good to know a thing...