Today’s tea is a green tea rather than a herbal one. I think green tea was the first ‘alternative’ tea that I tried back in the days when most people around me were drinking traditional black tea with milk. I started with plain green tea, then got hooked on jasmine tea for a while particularly the huge jasmine flowers that open in your tea cup.

I don’t drink green tea much anymore apart from when I visit my mum and dad who always have a supply. Maybe it’s because I find I enjoy green tea much more when it’s loose leaf and served from a pot, which at the moment I never seem to have enough time to make!

One of our lovely customers kindly sent us some Genmaicha, brown rice tea, which is Japanese green tea with roasted rice.  I haven’t yet been able to try it because it’s at my parents’ house but I’m looking forward to tasting it at Christmas.  Last week I found some Genmaicha by Clearspring in a little Japanese grocery store around the corner from my house and as I was keen to find out what Genmaicha tastes like, I thought I’d buy some to taste.

The tea bags come sealed in a foil packet to keep them fresh and the individual tea bags are pretty little translucent pouches. I was careful to follow the instructions for brewing as from past experience I know that green tea is delicate and adding water that is too hot can spoil the flavour making a bitter cup of tea. So I was patient. I waited a minute or so after the fresh water had boiled before pouring the water into the cup. I left it a few minutes to brew so as to get enough flavour without being too strong as I don’t like green tea to be over-brewed.

I really like the flavour. It’s not the kind of tea to drink if you feel like something slightly sweet (as I generally feel like in the mornings) as it’s a very savoury tea. For me it’s perfect for an after-lunch brew. The other day I had noodle soup rounded off with a cup of my roasted rice tea and it was lovely! Yesterday, after having Christmas afternoon tea, I was in need of a savoury antidote to the sugary delights I’d sampled earlier in the day and my roasted rice tea was perfect.  I’m now eager to try my Genmaicha waiting for me at my parents’ house! Thanks Sheila for your thoughtful present!

Rach x