Treat from Kyoto

Pastel colors of the sweets look attractive, inviting and excellent for summer.  I got a small box of confectionaries from a friend of mine.  It is a souvenir from Kyoto.  They are so cute, aren’t they?  Not to mention, so irresistible

The rainy season is finally over and the sunshiny days have started here.  It’s going to be another very hot day today.  To enjoy the fresh breeze of morning, I used white porcelain wares and enjoyably prepared tea for myself.

The confectionary gleams by the light from the window.  When I touched it with the sweet pick, I could feel the soft but firm jelly, and it started splitting out when I added more pressure.  I could perfectly imagine how it breaks down, melts and spreads in my mouth.  The flavor was ratherly surprising!  The jelly had a clear sweetness only with no other flavor.  It was extremely mellow and filling my mouth.   It is just a cluster of pure sweetness.  Every now and then, a piece of chestnut added a delightful twist with the nutty honey note, and red bean’s earthy aroma pleased my palate.  The sweets from Kyoto brought a luxurious and cool moment for my usual summer day.

Visiting a Potter Studio

One day, I took some tea bowl samples, some pictures and random designs that I drew, and visited an expert potter.   Now, I’m trying to have two types of original tea bowl made for my shop.  One will be a black tea bowl with apparent volume and another one will be light for its size with a bright glaze. 

You might think that a tea bowl is just a simple vessel but to create a tea bowl, you have to consider many aspects and details for its functionality and pleasing appearance.  The details will include clay, glaze, weight, dimensions, figures, and so on (depending on one’s tastes).  What I most consider is the entire atmosphere consisting of all these delicate aspects.

Checking the size before baking

After several meetings, the potter finally showed me the first sample of black tea bowl.  It is shaped by a turning wheel and is handsomely carved outside.  Engraved edges give the bowl a varied and expressive look.  I actually used the bowl yesterday and I liked it.  The black tea bowl beautifully steals attention in the tea room and perfectly matched a dark-wine-red tea container.  It was great moving tea whisk in it.  The craggy surface creates an interesting touch.  The skilled potter already made the first piece in perfect shape that meets all of my desires kind of tea bowl. 

The sample piece satisfies my taste, but I think something is missing here.  It’s the atmosphere.  It is very minor difference.  I wanted it to be massive, but the sample piece is very composed.   Now I realized that it was because I was concerned too much about the weight, and asked him not to make it too heavy.  So, he thinned the wall and reshaped the tea bowl.  Even though it appeared heavy, I would want it more wild and livery.  I can’t wait for the next piece. 

Favorite breed

I got 10 tea samples of different breeds to study: 1Yutakamidori, 2Saemidori, 3Asatsuyu, 4Asanoka, 5Yabukita, 6Koshunn, 7Benifuki, 8Shizu7132, 9Kanayamidori, 10Okumidori. 

Comparing the different samples at the same will make it easier to find the differences.  However, 10 samples were kind of too many for me.  I got confused after tasting several kinds.  I think I need more experience on this, hahaha.  Anyway, it was very interesting.  Some teas have a distinctive aroma, and some teas are very mild.  I was kind of surprised to find out that Yabukita has relatively strong bitterness among the ten. 

My favorite one is Asatsuyu.  I simply find it tasty.  The most significant character of this tea is umami.  You find it right after you sip the tea and it beautifully lasts to the end.  The umami merges with other flavors and creates a rich body in the taste.  You can enjoy the umami changing into milder sweetness during the aftertaste.  This tea has more bitterness than Yutakamidori and Saemidori, but it’s not sharp at all, so I can still consider it mild. 

In the tasting, I used boiling water, so I prepared it again with lower temperature (leaf:2g, water:30ml/1oz, 65C/149F, 1min).  Using this method, I found out that it has a nutty sweet aroma.  The aroma will get me to have a good expectation.  With the first sip, I was sure that my assumption was correct.  The rich umami pleased me.  But, I feel something missing in the taste, so I still need to experiment for a better mixture.  Anyway, I like Asatuyu.  You try it and let me know your preference.  

Breed of tea

“Yabukita”  Have you ever heard of that name?

There are many breeds of tea plant.  Each type has different characteristics.  Yabukita is the most popular breed of tea in Japan because of its excellent quality and really impressive yield.  Approximately 70-80% of tea fields in Japan produce Yabukita.

Do you ever consider the breeds when buying your green tea?  I honestly think that most people do not.  The tea sold in stores is usually blended with some different kinds of tea.  Blending helps supply excellent quality and stable taste of tea.  A single-breed tea is not a mainstream in the market.  The breeds are not mentioned on the package of most tea, so your chances of distinguishing or knowing the breed of tea are quite low.

The trend for Yabukita and the loss of uniqueness (due to the blending of one type with another) may encourage the demand for variety and distinctiveness.   I believe paying attention to the details on the breeds is given much importance by tea lovers these days.  It will be interesting to try the tea that is not perfect but unique.

I got some samples of different breeds to study them.

Gyokuro brewing experiment

As I mentioned in the last entry, I’m looking for a new brewing recipe.  I want a milder flavor compared to the current recipe that I have, and the combinations that I could think of are the following: “A” and “B”.

	A: Less leaf, More water	B: Higher temp., Shorter time	C: ?
Leaf	3g / 0.11oz	3g / 0.11oz	-
Water	30ml / 1.1oz	30ml / 1.1oz	-
Temp	45C / 113F	55C / 131F	-
Time	2min	1.5min	-

“B” has a slightly more bitterness in the aftertaste than “A”.  However, they basically have a similar flavor, and they are a little weaker than I expected.  Based upon the results, I decided the third mixture, “C”.

	A:	B:	C:
Leaf	3g / 0.01oz	3g / 0.11oz	4g / 0.14oz
Water	30ml / 1.1oz	30ml / 1.1oz	30ml / 1.1oz
Temp	45C /113F	55C / 131F	40C / 104F
Time	2min	1.5min	1.5min

I got a much better result with “C”.  It has more impressed and distinct flavor with good umami and it also has a smooth taste.  However, I honestly think that something is still missing, and I know that I can improve it more.  Today, I had too much tea and can’t pursue farther tests.  I want to try it next time.  Nevertheless, so far “C” has provided me great satisfaction and is pleasing to my palate.

The ranges of gyokuro-preparing conditions

If you look for a way to prepare gyokuro on books or on the internet, you will realize that there is a wide range of brewing conditions among the sources. 

The ranges

Leaf:                   2.5-5g  (0.088-0.176oz)

Water:                20-40ml  (0.7-1.4oz)

Temperature:      40-60C  (104-140F)

Time:                  1.5-3min

In gyokuro brewing, you might have experienced that a slight difference in the conditions will make a big difference to the taste.  You can think of infinite combinations within the ranges.  Have you figured out what’s best for your?   I love flavorful gyokuro, so I prepare it with plenty of leaves and a little water in a low temperature.  It is something like the following.

Leaf:  4g  (0.14oz)

Water: 25ml  (0.88oz)

Temp: 45C  (113F)

Time:  2min

However, I’m interested in other ways since I tried a smooth gyokuro at Gyokuro-no-sato (http://everyonestea.blogspot.jp/2012/05/importance-of-brewing-conditions.html)  I’ll do some experiments to find out the way to brew that type of tea that I’ve tried there.  I’ll introduce about it on the next entry.

My experience with tea comic

On my video recorder, I can register some keywords that I’m interested in.  It automatically records the TV programs related to the keywords.  Of course, I’ve registered the keyword chanoyu, or The Way of Tea.  In the recorded shows, there is an anime every week.  I’m not an anime or comic enthusiast, so I’ve always deleted the show.  However, I sometimes check it a little before deleting.  It is a story about ancient tea masters.  It slowly drew my attention.

I found out that the anime is based on comic books.  I’m not sure if it is common worldwide, but in Japan you can rent comics.  I have rented the original comics.  It is entitled Hyoge Mono.  The comic is regarded as fiction but its outline is still based on the actual history.  The story is about one of the Rikyu’s disciples, Oribe Furuta. 

Oribe was a samurai warrior and also a tea master.  The episodes tell how he lived in the warring States period.  Expensive utensils were even used as a gift in war negotiations.  While tea people sought the beauty in tea, greed, conspiracies and selfish ambitions were involved.  That is the interesting part.  You will find Oribe’s humorous and distinctive character in the course of flourishing his way of tea.

This is the face when Oribe found out that Rikyu was using a cracked lid on the tea container.  He was glad to know that his idea was not wrong and Rikyu has the same aesthetic sense. 


NHK  Hyouge Mono >>>  http://www9.nhk.or.jp/anime/hyouge/

Color of tea cup

I love white color for tea cups.  You can see the natural hue of the tea.  I personally think that tea in a dark colored cup doesn’t look so delicious.  The cup’s color also has a significant impact to the impression of the taste.

The two cups of tea in the picture are the same.  However, don’t you see the obvious different impressions between them?   Can you tell why?

The cups are both made of white porcelain having the same texture but you can tell the difference between the colors.  The cup in the left is yellowish white, and one on the right is bluish white.  I’m not saying which is good or bad.  I just think that the tea in the yellowish cup seems to have a more rounded flavor with umami containing essence of genuine.  On the other hand, the tea in the bluish cup looks more refined and seems to have a clear and crisp flavor.  Again, they are the same tea, so they taste the same when you drink them.  Interesting, isn’t it?  Which one would you prefer?

You can make the taste of the tea look different by the color of cup.  It is one of the most important aspects when you choose your cups!

Exquisite cold sencha

Continuation from the previous entry

My method is basically cold-water brewing.  However, I use lukewarm water in the beginning to awaken the leaves and to help faster infusing.  The tea prepared with this method has much more profound flavor with ample bitterness than the cold brewed tea, and it also has much more sweetness of umami than hot brewed tea.  This method takes a little extra effort but it is worth the try!

One serving for a glass (or for three regular sencha cups)

Tea leaf: about double of regular amount (12g/0.42oz)

Lukewarm water: 50degC/122degF, Just enough to submerge the leaves (50ml/1.8oz)

Cold water: 200ml/7oz

Ice cube: adequate dose

The leaves shown here is not 12g.  They are 8g.  Sorry.

1.    Put the tea leaves and lukewarm water into the teapot and brew it for only 10 seconds.

2.    Add a few ice cubes and cold water and brew it for 10 minutes.

3.    Pour into a glass.

Best served in cold and enjoy the exquisite flavor! 

I don’t set the time for my second brewing.  I just refill the teapot with cold water and a few ice cubes and leave it while I enjoy the first serving.   The second tea will be ready in an hour or two; which is a pretty good timing for my second refreshment in the office.

Cold sencha brewing

How do you prepare cold sencha in the summer?

Easiest way will be preparing strong sencha with hot water and pouring it into a glass with a lot of ice cubes.  The brewed tea is very refreshing but it could sometimes taste too bitter.  It might be a little difficult to control the strength or flavor of tea. 

Another way will be brewing sencha with cold water over a night.  The tea prepared in this way will be very smooth, but it could sometimes be too mild.  The problem is that I don’t want to wait for such long time. 

What is your way?

This year, I’m into another method for preparing cold sencha.  It is just in between those two methods in taste and effort in preparing.  The flavor is exquisite.  It has a sweetness of good umami but it also has an ample amount of bitterness.  I’m pretty pleased with it and lately I enjoy my tea with this method in the office.

I have been preparing this tea by the rule of thumb.  I’ll measure the actual conditions and introduce them on the next entry.

Sea shell for sweets!?

In the tea lesson this week, sea shells were brought in front of me.   Sea shell for sweets!?  The guests smiled as they were looking at them.  I’m often surprised with the beauty of confectionery, but this time I was surprised with its unpredictability, the playful idea.

I opened the shell.  There was not any actual meat inside, and it was filled with golden jelly.  I scooped it by using the other empty shell and put it into my mouth.  It was indeed sweet.  Its flavor stimulated a Japanese pure caramel candy.  The dark brown part in the center gave a change in the flavor as I tasted it.  It is miso, fermented bean paste.  The slightly salty and distinctive flavor of miso harmonized the roasted sugar flavor from the beginning.  

It was very interesting and unique confectionery that I had ever tried.  It is made in Kyoto.  Serving this type of sweets might not be common in the tea ceremony, but I love the idea to give your guests a bit of surprise.  Have you ever tried any confectionary that amused you with a surprise?

Sencha producing process 2

This is the continuation from the previous entry.

c. Junen

EQUALIZE MOISTURE in the leaves by rolling with pressure.  This stage does not involved heating.

After junen, the leaves lose sliminess.

d. Chuju

Loosely ROLL and DRY

The leaves get deep green.

e. Seiju

Tightly roll into NEEDLE SHAPE on a thing like washboard.

1.   Drying

At the last step, the leaves are dried in a dryer.

Each step is processed on a different machine and it takes a half of a day to finish the entire process.  The machines can be controlled by a computer program and can make tea automatically.  But, I saw staff taking out the leaf samples from the line once in a while, and checking the leaf’s condition.  And, they adjusted the setting of the machines and determined the amount of time needed until the cycle is done. 

The most striking words from one of the staff were “Machines do not produce tea but our senses do.”

Control panel of a machine