Q & A
  Time for Question and Answer
1.Q : I use a good quality tea, but why does not it taste as good as it is supposed to ? A : There may be more than one reason, but the most probable is that you do not use enough tea leaves. The higher the quality of tea, the more leaves and less water you should put into your pot. Does it sound a little too expensive ? It will prove to be the contrary in fact because you will be able to enjoy a second and a third brew just as much. �� �� 2.Q : I use a good quality tea, but why isn't it green when I brew it ? A : Generally, Sencha is colored bright yellow with a tint of gold, while Fukamushi-cha is green resulting from a longer steaming process. �� �� 3.Q : Are there any SHOULD-NOTs in brewing green tea ? A : Yes, here are four most important rules you must keep. 1) Water should be boiled first and cooled afterward to an appropriate temperature. 2) Do not add new leaves to the used ones in the pot. (The flavor of the new leaves are absorbed by the used ones.) 3) Pour out all the water in the pot till not a single drop more comes out of it. 4) Make a second brew immediately after the first. 4.Q : Is it true that the same tea leaves are used for making Chinese tea as Green tea ? A : Yes, it is. While green tea is made of leaves that are not fermented at all, Oolong tea leaves are lightly fermented and those of Black tea have undergone a through fermentation process. (Strictly speaking, the species of tea leaves differ from one kind of tea to another.) �� �� 5.Q : What to do with the tea that is past the expire date ? A : Make it into Hoji-cha. Place a sheet of traditional Japanese paper in your frying pan and roast the old leaves in it while holding the pan at about a few inches above a high flame. Be careful not to overroast them. �� 6.Q : How should we keep our tea ? A : Keep unopened packages in the freezer. Do not open a package taken out of the freezer before it has been warmed to the room temperature. Once opened, it is best to use up the whole package in one week to ten days. Buy small packages at frequent intervals. �� 7.Q : Can we brew Green tea in cold water ? A : Yes, you can. It has been known to be an ingenious way of enjoying Green tea in summer since a long time ago. Put plenty of tea leaves in the pot, pour some cold water and wait till the tea leaves start to open up. It will take much longer to brew than in hot water, but it is worth waiting. If you have time and patience, put some leaves and water in a glass container and keep it overnight in the refrigerator. �� 8.Q : Are ready-to-drink bottled teas made with the same tea leaves as we use at home ? A : Yes. They are usually made with broken powder tea leaves for the reason that it is easier and quicker to brew. 9.Q : What is the basic difference between green tea and black tea? A : The differece is in the fermentation. Green tea leaves are preserved by various techniques such as steaming and baking right after being picked; whereas black tea leaves are exposed to the air for a length of time and then processed. This method gives green tea its unique color and also helps retain one vital resource - the polyphenol.
THE SHOULD-NOTS OF GREEN TEA
1. Adding new tea leaves for a second brew. Throw away the old ones and do not ever mix with new leaves. The flavor of the new leaves will be absorbed by the old ones. �� 2. Leaving some unpoured water in the pot. Pour the water to the last drop. In this way, a good flavor will be retained in a second and a third brew. �� 3. Making a second brew some time after the first. A second brew should be made immediately after the first. Do not let the used tea leaves sitting in the pot. �� 4. Keeping tea leaves in a wrong place. Tea leaves absorb the smell of other things easily. Take great care to keep them properly stored. Unopened packages should be kept in the freezer and not be opened before they have been out of the freezer long enough to be warmed up to the room temperature. Once opened, they should be put in an air-tight container and kept in the refrigerator. �� BEST BEFORE WHEN ?
�� Green tea contains bio-active agents within.No matter how carefully you preserve it, after a certain period of time, the quality begins to deteriorate. The package may tell you BEST BEFORE, but it is always better to use it up within one month once it is opened. Do not buy more than you can consume in one month. Make a little more frequent visit to your tea shop and you will always enjoy drinking Green tea that is fresh and flavorful  |
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