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Japanese Green Teas
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Tuesday, 23 March 2010 15:17 |
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I m in the process of planning a trip to Japan for "first flush" (the first tea harvest of the spring). Needless to say, I m excited about seeing the "utsukushii" (beautiful) tea farms and tasting the "oishii" (delicious) "o-cha" (tea) and "wagashi" (Japanese sweets that are typically consumed before drinking matcha). Since Japanese teas are on my mind these days, I thought I d share a few tidbits about this fascinating group of teas:
- Japanese teas are known for their sweet-vegetal flavors, which some describe as "grassy" or simply as "green."
- Japanese tea pronunciations can be a little intimidating at first, but they re easy to learn once you know the basics. This guide to Japanese tea pronunciation is a huge help for newer fans of Japanese green teas.
- Most Japanese teas are steamed green teas. While it seems like a unified class of tea at first glance, it actually has quite a bit of diversity. Learn more about each major type with this illustrated guide to Japanese green teas.
- Water that is barely simmering is usually best for brewing Japanese teas. Hotter water tends to "scorch" the teas, leaving them bitter and harsh. Likewise, shorter brewing times (usually two minutes or less) tend to yield smoother, sweeter flavors.
- Matcha is a form of powdered green tea that has recently become popular in the West as a food ingredient. It gives chocolates (such as the Vosges Matcha Bar) a bold, rich taste and added complexity.
- Matcha is not prepared like other Japanese green teas. Instead of being brewed, it can be whisked into hot water or made into easy green tea lattes. Traditionally, matcha is made in Japanese tea ceremonies, but you can also make it casually with these simplified matcha whisking instructions.
- The main tea-producing regions of Japan are Uji (where Kyoto is located), Shizuoka and Kyushu. I ll be visiting Uji and Shizuoka during my trip, and plan to post photos and a guide to Japanese tea-producing regions after I return.
Do you enjoy Japanese green teas? If so, what are your favorite types? Also, have you visited any Japanese tea farms before? If so, I d love to hear your travel tips and favorite travel memories!
Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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Interested in learning more about tea? Sign up for the free, easy Tea 101 e-course.Japanese Green Teas originally appeared on About.com Coffee / Tea on Monday, March 22nd, 2010 at 09:26:18. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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