The best way to enjoy Japanese Green Tea is steeping it in hot water and drinking it. Sometimes, it’s fun to get a little creative in the kitchen, so when a packaged arrived from Japanese Green Tea Company with Issaku, Matcha, and Hojicha tea leaves, I wanted to try something new.
I absolutely adore tea! Coming from a Chinese family, tea is integral to all dining experiences and there is always a pot of tea to aid in digestion. I had a lot of tea like oolong and jasmine growing up. When I had green tea at a Japanese restaurant, I instantly loved it. As I grew older, discovering a wide variety of green tea really opened my eyes to how delicate yet versatile this tea can be.
I just steep my tea in hot water and sip away most of the time. Occasionally, I enjoy being a bit fancy. Below are some different ways of using Issaku, Matcha, and Hojicha tea leaves from Japanese Green Tea Company.
Japanese Green Tea Company is the only US-based company to source tea directly from Arahataen Green Tea Farms in Shizuoka, Japan. Shizuoka has been the centre of green tea cultivation in Japan for centuries, and the region’s intense sunlight and intermittent fog gives each batch of tea its distinctive flavour.
Issaku Cold Brew Green Tea
Issaku is the highest-grade tea available from Arahataen Green Tea Farm and due to the complex and long process of creating the tea, only a limited quantity is available to produce every year. This was a winner at the Global Tea Championship in 2017.
One way to enjoy this tea is turning it into a cold brew.
1. Use 3-4 teaspoons of tea
2. Dissolve in 30oz of hot water
3. Refrigerate for 3 hours
4. Stir tea, strain and serve cold
Cold brewing Issaku gives the tea a slight sweet taste and removes a bit of bitterness. It was strong but very enjoyable on a hot summers day. You probably didn’t think you could cold brew tea right? Most people talk about cold brew coffee, but yes, cold brew tea is a thing.
Hojicha Layered Latte
I absolutely adore their hojicha. Hojicha is roasted green tea and has lower caffeine and less bitter than other tea. I’ve had hojicha is a lot of different desserts, but making a latte out of these loose leaves if my favourite.
- Steep 2 teaspoons of hojicha in 1 cup of hot water for 1 -2 minutes.
- Froth 130ml of milk with a teaspoon of liquid sugar.
- Pour milk and honey mixture in a tall glass.
- Slowly pour your hojicha tea to create the layers in the latte.
The roasted flavour of hojicha mixed with the warm frothed milk really feels like a warm hug to me. One of my favourite drinks to make and easily impress any guests.
Matcha Brownie Mochi
Matcha is Japanese Powdered Green Tea. The green tea leaves are allowed to dry, stems and veins are removed from the leaves, and then the tea is ground into a fine powder. A lot of people drink it hot or drink it cold, but baking with matcha is pretty amazing too.
My friend Michelle from Sift and Simmer has a great recipe for Matcha Brownie Mochi. She also has other great ideas for using matcha too. All you need is matcha, glutinous rice flour, and some other kitchen basics.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed all 3 teas – Issaku, Matcha, and Hojicha and it came in the mail very quickly. Japanese Green Tea Company is located in Portland, Oregon but they distribute and sell tea in North America, so you don’t need to fly to Japan to get authentic green tea.
Of the 3 teas, I enjoyed Hojicha the most as it’s pretty hard to find where we live. Plus, the price point is great for the amount of leave your receive.
If you’re interested in Japanese Green Tea, Japanese Green Tea Company is a wealth of knowledge and also sells amazing varieties of green tea, which I highly recommend.
