Gathering A light morning wind blew gently over rows of neatly planted tea, a light mist resting within the ‘ohia canopy. The weather had been calm and dry the night before, the light of the full moon shining intensely across these same fields, pale, white light individually spotlighting each leaf. This was our first morning […]
Growing up, my grandmother frequently asked me to gather spring water in the coldest month each year. Replying to my complains, she told me that gathered in this way the water would taste good and stay fresh for a long time. The desolated mountain road was often covered in snow with very few people in […]
The First Flush The first flush is an exciting time for us in the tea fields. We love to witness the undeniable passing of winter’s quiet with the sudden burst of vitality indicative of spring. In Japan, this first tea is called shincha, or new tea crop. In Hawaii, we call it the ‘first flush’ […]
It became my routine to make homemade electrolyte drinks weekly on Sunday, my food prep day. Four litres (2 x 2qt mason jars) of electrolyte green tea drink lasts me enough for a week. A homemade electrolyte drink is a great alternative to gatorade or commercial electrolyte drinks for reduced calories and dollar amounts. Also, […]
What is Caffeine Caffeine is an alkaloid. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, heart muscle and respiratory system. It is diuretic, increases alertness and delays fatigue. Caffeine is naturally found in many plants. Caffeine in Tea Caffeine in tea gives bitterness. Generally more caffeine is found in younger leaves and earlier harvest. Higher quality green […]
Create a less resistant path and make the habit stick Habit plays a critical role in tea drinking and health. Often an action is carried out because the situation makes it the least resistant path. Like muscle strength, will power is a limited and exhaustible resource. You can plow your way through, but will eventually […]
Tea making is expression of bitter note. Bitterness is only relative to other flavors. Sweet taste in green tea is balanced by mild bitterness to give complete flavor profile while oxidation of bitter leaf adds floral and fruity notes. Many people think green tea is bitter. It’s true, green tea can be bitter. However, there […]
Hand Processing I do a lot of hand processing because I can learn a lot about tea leaf and how it goes through changes. At every moment I can feel the leaf and the change. The leaf tells me what to do at each stage. All the mistakes I make will show in the cup. […]
Nihoncha Instructor (or Japanese Tea Instructor) is a certification program offered by Nihoncha Instructor Association in Japan to help promote education and consumption of Japanese Tea. This program is rather standardised teaching the most popular Japanese green tea. Sencha is most commonly studied and many of the regional differences are standardised to teach one basic […]
It is often said that as tea plants get more stressed, the taste of tea becomes bolder and superior. Source of stress could be elevation, shading, and even soil conditions. In China, tea harvested in wild is often considered better quality than cultivated tea. Wild ones have stronger flavor and potent? Da hong bao is […]