Fancy a spot of tea?

I have to admit, I'm kind of a snob.  Food snob, wine snob, and tea snob.  I don't drink coffee, other than an occasional espresso macchiato (I'm an espresso snob, too!).  This is my one habit, and it is, in fact, very good for you.  With tons of antioxidants, the health benefits range from cancer prevention to lowering cholesterol.  AND it's delicious.

This is not your grandmother's tea.  Unless she is Japanese - then it is her tea.  The making of the tea is a daily ritual, which may take several tries to brew the perfect cup.  Unlike an English tea which is prepared piping hot, Sencha should be brewed at around 170 degrees.  I listen for the water to just start to boil then turn it off.

The best way to prepare this is to have a small tea pot designed for loose tea, in a 8 or 12 oz. size.  When the water has reached temperature, fill your drinking cup with water to heat it, and to cool the water slightly.  Add a teaspoon of tea to the pot and put the water from the cup into the tea pot.  Let it brew for only one minute.  Subsequent steeps need only 30 seconds or less.

The tea will have a very soft feel and should be a bright, vibrant green.  If it tastes bitter or is a yellow colour, the water may have been too hot, or brewed too long.  Art in a cup.