The Mysteries of Tea ~ Japanese Sencha
photograph by Melissa Placzek
“Meanwhile, let us have a sip of tea.
The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos,
the fountains are bubbling with delight,
the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle.
Let us dream of evanescence,
and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things.”
~Okakura Kakuzo
:: Tea of the Week ::
Japanese Sencha
This is a common, moderately priced green tea that took me a little while to get use to. I remember the first time I tried it and thinking “mmmmm….it tastes like a hay bail.” This tea is a good example of a tea that takes awhile to get use to, and proof positive that even the most pungent, earthy teas can become favorites.
Sencha is made from the first harvest of leaves in the spring. The leaves are immediately steamed which removes the enzymes from the tea and makes the color more vibrant. It is then dried and rolled.
Characteristics- Delicate and sweet with a flavor reminiscent of the sea and freshly mown grass.
Appearance- Deep, vibrant flecked, green “needles” result in a golden-yellow liquor.
Tea pairing- Wonderful with all seafood dishes and fresh salads.
:: Tea Fact ::
Japanese Sencha is extremely high in vitamin C.
What’s in your teacup?
~Melissa
today i had cranberry oolong, gunpowder and am about to brew a honeybush i think. your comments remind me of gunpowder – it was so different when i first tried it, like, more bodied and smoky or something. i love how varied teas can taste! this one looks beautiful!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying your tea and exploring new flavors! I thought about what you said about the description, and it true…this can be said of a lot of green teas. You’ll have to taste the sencha to know what I mean 🙂 It’s REALLY grassy. Like mow your lawn and throw it in a cup grassy…but I love it. LOL
xo,
~M
My own homemade Chocolate Chai is in my teacup today. The only teas I have left are decaf which is a turn off in the morning, no matter how they taste. LOL Placed an order for some Chocolate Rooibos, Vanilla Black, English Breakfast, and some Earl Grey Supreme. Not sure I’d enjoy the grassy taste, but I’d try a sample before I decided for sure.
mmmmmm….sounds like you have a lot of good cups of tea to look forward to Kimber 🙂
kimber please share how the choc rooibos tastes! i have vanilla almond black which is my fave! i got the english breakfast in the sampler and i love that too – great flavor!
i had cherry rooibos this afternoon – yum!
the chocolate rooibos really does sound yummy!
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Hello Tova! xoxo! thanks for commenting!