Have you ever wondered why some fruits and vegetables begin to turn brown after they’re cut or bruised? This is oxidation at work. Oxidation is important in tea, because...
How to Roast Your Own Houjicha
I’ll rarely drink bancha by itself. Most likely I’ll use it as raw material to either make my own genmaicha, or roast it to make houjicha. Roasting your own...
The First Japanese Emperor to Encourage the Cultivation of Tea
Legend says that Emperor Saga (嵯峨天皇) was the first Japanese emperor to drink tea. We can’t be sure if he was really the first one to drink it, but...
Bootstrapping an Online Tea Business (Book Review)
Do you want to be the next Teavana? When I first saw this ebook I felt very curious, so I decided to buy it. All tea enthusiasts have probably...
Yamacha: Japan’s Native Tea Plant?
It’s common knowledge that the tea plant comes from China. However, throughout south western Japan there are wild tea plants called Yamacha (山茶, mountain tea). Is yamacha an indigenous...
Tea Infusers: Which one should you use?
Tea infusers are popular because they are easy to use and have a low cost. The problem is knowing which one to buy, because they come in all sorts...
Vitamins in Green Tea
Most of the time we hear about EGCG and L-theanine content in green tea, but what about vitamins? Vitamins aren’t as sexy because they are old news and we...
How to Dry Used Tea Leaves
The Japanese have been dealing with used tea leaves for so long that they even have a name for them: chagara (茶殻). If you brew loose-leaf tea daily you’ll...
What’s the type of green tea served at Japanese sushi bars?
In Japan, the traditional green tea served at sushi bars is called agari (あがり). Do you know what type of Japanese green tea is it? It’s konacha. Mainly because...
Experiment: How Much does Water Cool when Pouring?
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...