Happy New Year everyone!  I hope your year has gotten off to a good start, but if not and you are feeling bunged up and burned out after a few weeks of 2011 then it’s time to get the kettle on and brew yourself some tea!

Where to start?  There are many teas at Local Coffee + Tea that we can recommend you drink at this time of year to restore your energy and vitality but I would like to concentrate today on Green Tea.   Again, we have many varieties to choose from and the key is finding one that suits you.  If you like the taste of a particular tea, the chances are you will drink more, so experiment till you find the tea for you.

There is a green tea you should take note of.  Matcha is finely ground powdered green tea and is one of the healthiest beverages you can ingest.  When you drink matcha you are ingesting the whole leaf rather than an infusion of the tea leaf.

Matcha Green Tea

Most of green tea benefits are gained from 2 components, a family of antioxidants called catechins which include EGCG (or epigallocatechin- 3 gallate) and an amino acid called L-Theanine.   EGCG protects against cell damage that can result in disease.   Several medical reports indicate that green tea has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.   L-Theanine boosts the brain’s levels of alpha waves which in turn leads to greater mental focus and feeling of relaxation.  There is evidence that theanine also counteracts any negative behavior of caffeine.

Matcha is said to contain 10 times the antioxidants of regular green tea and the same goes for L-Theanine content.  If you cannot manage between 4 and 9 cups of regular green tea then have 1 or 2 cups of matcha every day.

Matcha can be served many ways, again find what works for you.  I am a juicer so blend right into my daily serving of fresh juice.  You can add to your water bottle, make an iced or hot latte with soy, almond or rice milk or simply drink a shot straight up.  We offer a ceremonial grade of Matcha as well as an Organic grade.

Green Tea Ice Cream

You can make ice cream too.  Check out a previous post along with a recipe for green tea ice cream.  Also, I have had customers tell me that they add matcha to their regular cuppa tea.  Matcha is all good, so you need to start drinking matcha NOW.

There are some other traditional green teas you should know about.  Goji Green contains the ‘superfruit’ gojiberry which also has powerful anti-oxidants.

We offer several unflavored green teas including Chunmee Taipan Superior, Pinhead Gunpowder and an unusual fair trade, raw tea from Kenya called Kosabei Plantation.  Our classic Jasmine green tea is very delicate and our very popular Strawberry Smile make those cups of tea go down really easy!

Look out for my next blog which will include some of our herbal teas which also have healing properties.  Time to put the kettle on, hope you are doing the same!  Good health and happiness for 2011 and make sure you ‘take time for tea’.

Cheers,

the TeaLady

We are very excited to offer two new teas to the Local Coffee + Tea menu, both are Matcha powdered green teas.  We have a ceremonial grade as well as an organic ceremonial Matcha.

Matcha Powdered Green Tea

There is no tea that is as celebrated or as famous as Matcha (powdered green tea). The tea first appeared in Japanese tea manuals sometime during the 12^th century, making it one of the country’s most ancient varieties and used in the Japanese tea ceremony for centuries. It was believed by the ancient Japanese that tea was a gift of the heavens and held great restorative and spiritual power on earth. The development of the tea ceremony or Chanoyu began as a way for people to show and appreciate reverence to this power and was practiced by the Buddhist monks who drank the tea for meditative properties during long religious ceremonies.

From the unique way the tea is produced, to the important place it still holds in the cultural life of Japan this celebrated tea has taken on a whole new power and meaning throughout the rest of the tea drinking world.

So what makes Matcha so special?

This greenest of green teas is a beverage where the LEAVES are consumed, not strained like other teas. You will actually drink 100% of the polyphenol nutrients contained in the leaf, giving Matcha the label of healthiest natural beverage in the world today. Along with the nutrients, you will receive a good dose of energy for wakefulness combined with lots of amino acids for relaxation. A truly great combination of ingredients which we can all benefit from today. I think those Buddhist monks were very smart in recognizing the power of this tea!

Matcha Whisk

The vibrant, emerald green color of the powder is attributed to some very careful cultivation. The Gyokuro Japanese tea plant variety is shaded by bamboo mats several weeks prior to plucking. This forces the plant to produce more chlorophyll and results in a supple, rich green leaf. The youngest, tender shoots are then hand plucked, steamed and dried. All stems and veins are removed before the leaves are stone ground into a fine powder which resembles talc.

Fortunately there are no demands on us today to drink the tea only in a ceremonial manner. Matcha can be enjoyed many ways such as cold brewed, hot using water or made into a latte type beverage with regular milk or any of the alternatives.  In an earlier post, I experiemented with Matcha Green Tea ice cream and it was fab.

However, there are some rules for enjoying the tea when preparing hot. Sift the powder through a strainer to prevent any lumps when water is added. Water should be used when around 180 degrees. If boiled, then it should sit for 2-3 minutes. This allows for immediate consumption when the tea is at peak flavor.

In order to brew in a ceremonial manner you will require a bowl, bamboo scoop and whisk.

Warm your bowl and cup.

Prepare whisk by soaking tip in boiled water for about 10 seconds.

Pour out water and dry bowl. Add 2 scoops of Matcha powder.

Add 2oz water.

Submerge any loose bits floating on surface.

Whisk briskly back and forth until surface becomes frothy.

Consume immediately.

Whisked Matcha

Enjoy this wonderful addition to our tea menu.

Cheers,

the TeaLady

July is National Ice Cream Month so with the help of Chef Maryna of Local Catering we used some of our new Matcha Green Tea to make Green Tea Ice Cream.  We are still working on packaging for bulk sales, so our Matcha is only available in drinks at our shops.  But there are many culinary options Maryna and I will be exploring with Matcha Green Tea and ice cream seemed like a good place to start.

Once you discover the wonderful world of home-made ice cream your life as you once knew it will change forever.  Since starting Local Catering, an extension of Local Coffee + Tea, Chef Maryna’s culinary world has continued to expand.  I have introduced her to our menu of teas, and the magic of camellia sinensis.  Maryna grew up in South Africa, so she has leaned towards our selection of Rooibos.  She is exploring ways integrate tea into her dishes and ice cream sounded like a great place to start.

 Here is the recipe we followed for Matcha Green Tea ice cream.
Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 Tbs Matcha tea powder
6 Egg yolks

Directions:

1.  Separate the egg yolk from whites in a large bowl.  Add sugar and Matcha, then whisk until incorporated.
2.  Heat cream and milk in a saucepan until it comes to a boil.
3.  Remove milk from heat then slowly add 1 cup of hot milk mixture to the sugar-egg mix, whisking vigorously to prevent eggs from curdling.
4.  Add mix back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk and whisk to combine.
5.  On low heat (do not boil or it will cook the eggs and you will end up with Macha scrambled eggs!) continue stirring until the temperature reach 170 degrees.
6.  Pour mixture into a clean bowl and let it cool on an ice bath in the refrigerator until completely cold (about 30 minutes).
7.  Follow your ice cream machine directions and spin ice cream for about 20 minutes.
Pour into a container and freeze until set (about an hour).  Scoop and…..yum!

So what makes Matcha so special?  The vibrant, emerald green color of the powder is attributed to some very careful cultivation. The Gyokuro Japanese tea plant variety is shaded by bamboo mats several weeks prior to plucking forcing the tea bush to produce more chlorophyll creating a supple, rich green leaf. The youngest, tender shoots are then hand plucked, steamed and dried. All stems and veins are removed before the leaves are stone ground into a fine powder.

There is no tea that is as celebrated or as famous as Matcha. The tea first appeared in Japanese tea manuals sometime during the 12^th century, making it one of the country’s most ancient varieties and used in the Japanese tea ceremony for centuries. It was believed tea was a gift of the heavens and held great restorative and spiritual power on earth. The development of the tea ceremony or Chanoyu began as a way for people to show reverence to this power and was practiced by the Buddhist monks who drank the tea for meditative properties during long religious ceremonies. See blog post on Chanoyu - Japanese Tea Ceremony.

Drinking this greenest of green teas, or enjoying Matcha Green Tea ice cream, you are consuming the whole leaf and will drink 100% of the polyphenol nutrients contained in tea leaves.  This gives Matcha the label of healthiest natural beverage in the world today. Along with the nutrients you will receive a good dose of energy for wakefulness combined with lots of amino acids for relaxation. A truly great combination of ingredients which we can all benefit from today.

Visit our Siesta Key shop or the cafe at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens for a Matcha Latte, also excellent with soy milk and a bit of honey.  Or celebrate the summer by making some Matcha Green Tea ice cream at home.

Konnichiwa  (Kon-ee-chee-wa) or Hello

I wanted to share some notes about the Asian Cultural Festival that took place a few weeks ago at Selby Botanical Gardens here in Sarasota.

Local Coffee + Tea sponsored Tea Ceremonies again this year on Saturday, February 27th.  Kim Pham, owner of the Kaleisia Tea Lounge in Tampa again presented 3 traditional ceremonies in the Great Room.  Also on display was a magnificent collection of Kimonos presented by the Manatee Sarasota Kimono Club.

The stage was set! And then it RAINED and rained all morning. It was so disappointing after all the excitement and preparations. However, the show goes on.

All the attractions that were due to take place outdoors were then moved to the same room. That meant I got to see the Japanese drummers, which was very energetic (and loud!). This was followed by a martial arts demonstration.

Our first ceremony was Gongfu Cha, the Chinese Tea Ceremony.  Kim talked during the ceremony guiding visitors through the relevance of each movement. For more details about the whole ceremony visit our post from last year. Everyone was intrigued and eager to taste samples that Kim offered.

Sampling after the Gongfu Chinese Tea Ceremony

Next was Chanoyu, the Japanese Tea Ceremony which I was honored to take part in. If you have never seen this ceremony let alone take part in one, it is truly breathtaking.

Kim briefed me prior to commencing the ceremony as there is no conversation during the ceremoy. I bow, enter the set and kneel. It is customary to eat a sweet first which has been prepared for the guest.  Kim enters in a traditional kimono dress and prepares the tea in very quiet, small movements. This is such a meditative part of the ceremony and it was wonderful to be so still and in the moment despite the large room filled with people watching.  I drank the delicious matcha and Kim reversed all her movements before leaving the ceremony area. I then followed. Visitors had the opportunity to ask questions.  Again, more details from our blog post last year.

Chanoyu Japanese Tea Ceremony

Our last ceremony was Panyaro, the Korean Way of Tea. Kim was adorned in a truly beautiful pink and turquoise ceremonial dress. By this time the weather had improved, the sun came out and most of the visitors went out into the garden. The few remaining were enchanted, including 2 members of our audience that Kim included in the ceremony.

Panyaro Korean Way of Tea

I would like to thank all the visitors who came to celebrate with us at the ceremonies.

Despite the weather it was a lovely day and an experience I look forward to repeating next year.

Sayonara

The Tea Lady

Our collection of teas celebrating the crown jewels of Sarasota is now complete. Check out our Celebrating Sarasota Teas. The line up includes Selby Select, Mable’s Rose Rooibos Tea, Mote Beach Tea and Van Wezel Anniversa-Tea.

All four teas are naturally caffeine-free, packed in distinctively colored resealable bags to maximize freshness and most importantly, they are DELICIOUS.

You will see the details below along with slogans we had fun writing.  The overall idea is – Sarasota, That’s My Cuppa Tea

Selby Select – Juicy orange peel and yogurt pieces blended with rooibos for a dreamsicle finish. Created to honor Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, a tropical oasis of orchids and other epiphytes. “Selby Select, because you can’t steep an orchid”

Mable’s Rose Rooibos Tea – Rose petals and cherry blossoms infused in rooibos bursting with flavor. Mable Ringling created her beloved rose garden before starting on Ca d’Zan, the one of a kind estate at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, and with this tea we pay tribute to this mysterious woman. “Mable’s Rose Rooibos Tea, if you liked John’s house, you’ll love Mable’s tea”

Mote Beach Tea – an exotic mix of fruits and herbs including rosehips, apple, hibiscus, pineapple and coconut for a tropical infusion. Created in honor of the research conducted at the Mote Marine Laboratory. “Mote Beach Tea, so delicious you’ll be jumping with our dolphins”

Van Wezel Anniversa-Tea – a rooibos with red and black currants for an amethyst inspired brew. This season marks the 40th year of fabulous performances at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, our gem by the bay. “Van Wezel Anniversa-Tea is one hot act that’s also great iced”

At Local Coffee + Tea, our motto is Sip Locally and we are committed to three core principles; promoting local businesses, protecting local environments and celebrating local treasures. Visit Local Coffee + Tea at Siesta Key Village, Selby Gardens and every Saturday at the Downtown Farmer’s Market in Sarasota.

Suport your local treasures and celebrate Sarasota one cup at a time.
md

We have broken down the details of brewing a fine cuppa with our post “Infusion Confusion” now let’s put the record straight on multi steeping your tea.

We are talking about loose leaf tea rather than tea bags which are designed for one use only. See “Think Out of the Bag” post. Depending on the type and quality of loose tea, you should expect to make several steeps or infusions.

Follow your usual procedure to make the first cup of tea. If your preference is strong tea I suggest increasing the amount of tea, rather than the time you allow the tea to infuse. Make only the amount you require or decant into another pot to preserve your leaves and stop them from over infusing or tasting astringent.

This is an important step. It’s not the fault of the leaves as they simply carry on doing what YOU put them there to do!

Add more water to start the second infusion, releasing another round of flavor. Allow more time; I usually double my original infusion time. You may enjoy this cup more than the first; it has a roundness or smoothness which is most pleasing.

At Local Coffee + Tea we add the first and second infusion together making what we believe is the perfect cuppa. We call this multifusion!

Go ahead and infuse your leaves once again. You can continue this process until the leaves offer you no more surprises. If you are infusing a rolled leaf you will certainly be rewarded with many infusions, a cut leaf not so many. Our oolongs offer at least 4 steeps, and my personal favorite for beautiful multifusion flavors is Flowering Pomegranate.

Multi-steeping is also one of the reasons we love using tea makers with pressure release bottoms to brew loose leaf tea. The lid keeps the leaves moist and fresh if you are away from your tea making duties. You can also place the tea maker in the refrigerator if not using till later in the day or even the next day.

Experiment, play around with each tea. You will notice after the first steep, it is hard to overstep the tea and you should not experience any astringency. This is one of the reasons some people prefer the second or third steeps to the first. And remember it is suggested that oolongs are washed, basically discarding the short first steep or rinse. If you read our “Oooolongs” post you will note that I drink this batch and love it!!

Enjoy multi infusions as you drink loose leaf tea and keep in mind the great value loose leaf tea offers long after a tea bag is discarded.

Cheers,
the tea lady

This ceremony was not as rigid as the Japanese Tea Ceremony [Chanoyu] but more formal than the Chinese Tea Ceremony [Chongu Cha].  Kim was very passionate in her presentation of the Korean Way of  Tea or Panyaro, explaining tea is an important part of reclaiming the true heritage of the Koreans.

After the Japanese invaded Korea in 1910, many  traditions and aspects of Korean cultural were lost, systematically wiped out by the invaders.  Some writings survived in remote monasteries and from these historical relics Panyaro, the Korean Way of Tea has been revived.

As with the previous ceremonies, Kim’s costume was beautiful (see the photo below). she knelt for the ceremony and the four guests, myself included tried to remain in the same position. It proved more difficult for all of us!

Each movement was performed slowly and precisely. Kim returned her hands to her lap after each movement.  The tea items were covered with a cloth, red on one side representing the earth and blue on the other, representing the sky.

Hot water in a large teapot was poured into a bowl. The tea cups were each filled with hot water to warm them. Each time the bowl was lifted she used a small napkin to wipe the bamboo scoop before placing the tea into the teapot. The water was removed from the cups and each filled with a small amount of tea. Kim kept going back up the line again until each tea cup was filled.

Tea Lady and Kim Phram after the Korean Way of Tea

What a great day at Selby Gardens and a fantastic experience. So different from the English ritual of taking tea and yet in so many ways the same.  My thought was that regardless of how you take your tea, make it special every time and embrace the moment.  Local Coffee + Tea was a proud sponsor of all three Tea Ceremonies at the Asian Cultural Festival.

Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japanese Tea Ceremony was a much more complex, absorbing and meditative than the Chinese Tea Ceremony [Chongu Cha].  Through tea every human encounter is recognized as a single occasion which cannot be repeated. As such, every aspect of the ceremony must be savored as nothing is permanent.  Seek beauty with your mind and heart and cherish the moment. Tea culture is “god like” and referred to as Teaism in Japan. 

The ceremony takes place in a designated room, in our case defined by bamboo mats with shoes removed. Kim wore a simple creamy blue kimono.  Usually up to four guests participate, and on Saturday Michael was the honored guest.  He entered the ceremony by crawling through an imaginary tunnel to signify leaving any material items outside of the tea ceremony, as all are equal regardless of status or social position. No words are spoken.

Water is held in a stone jar and touched only by the host. Water represents Yin and the heat of the fire, Yang. The container symbolizes purity.  A sweet is served to the guest as the host uses a fine silk cloth or Fukusa to wipe the ceramic jar.  The Fukusa is carefully folded after each movement and requires a high level of concentration or state of meditation.

The tea bowl and whisk are rinsed and wiped.  The water is poured to represent a waterfall.  The tea, in this case a matcha is scooped and whisked, then presented to the guest with a bow. 

Teaware for Chanoyu - Japanese Tea Ceremony

The tea ware does not match and the tea bowl is usually a cherished item of the host and represents the moon (yin). It is placed next to the water container which represents the sun (yang).  The bowl is wiped and turned after each guest drinks, though host does not drink any tea.  The Japanese Tea Ceremony is a gift to the guest, a gesture of love or respect.

We had a crowd of well over 100 at the Activity Center at Selby Gardens for the Asian Cultural Festival.  The tea ceremonies were sponsored by Local Coffee + Tea.  Kim answered many questions and was simply fabulous.  Next, I will post notes from the Korean Tea Ceremony soon. 

The Tea Lady

This last weekend was the Asian Cultural Festival at Selby Gardens.  The event was packed with uniquely Asian activities; bonsai displays, martial arts performers, taiko drummers, and other dancers.  On Saturday, Local Coffee + Teasponsored 3 tea ceremonies – Chinese, Japanese and Korean.  I enjoyed all three and participated in the Korean Tea Ceremony.  I’ll share the details here along with a few pictures.

Kim Phram presented all three ceremonies in traditional attire and using proper tea accessories and authentic teas.  She owns Kaleisia Tea Lounge in Tampa.  Kim was fantastic, very knowledgeable and thrilled to share the history and details with all that attended.  Kim is the owner of Kaleisha Tea Lounge in Tampa and is a true student of the tea ceremonies. 

 I will break the details into 3 posts. 

Gongfu Cha, the Chinese ceremony was first at 11am.  This style of ceremony is all about the tea, what it tastes like and smells like. The audience was encouraged to ask questions and Kim talked all the way through describing the ceremony as “tea with friends”. Each step is meant to be a sensory exploration and appreciation.  A very small unglazed clay teapot, yixing was filled a third full of tea for multiple, quick infusions. The pot and small drinking cups were all rinsed with boiling water first then the tea was rinsed or flushed. The first infusion was only 30 seconds.

Kim explained the tea came from a wild tea plant in the Yunnan Province of China and was bought directly from a farmer. She calls it ‘No Name’ tea because this is tea the family drinks and has no name.  Very special tea, sweet and delicious.  And Kim wore a traditional Chinese special occasion dress of silk, but back to the Gongfu Cha.

No Name Tea

The tea is poured in a continual motion over each cup so all are filled together and taste the same.  There are 2 cups with the larger is called the “snifter”. This was tipped upside down releasing tea into the small drinking cups, about 2 sips worth.  Then the snifter is smelled to appreciate the aroma. Kim moved everything using bamboo chopsticks.  Typically up to five infusions are made from the same leaves, adding 10 seconds of steep each time.

Next up the Japanese Tea Ceremony,

the Tea Lady