The weather has been amazing this week and while we still tend to drink hot tea throughout the year we also enjoy a few select iced brews. We will be sharing these with you at the Tea House throughout the summer months but wanted to share with you one particular brew that we have been enjoying today. Mostly because it is not what you expect in terms of preparation - so we love the ceremony - but also because it tastes great!
Recipe // Iced Houjicha | As always this recipe has been shared with us on our travels. We make a few adaptations but these methods have been passed through generations so we find they are best left alone!
About Houjicha | You can learn more about Comins Houjicha by clicking Here but in short Houjicha tea has the same first three processing steps as Sencha. First they are steamed, then dried and crumpled before being shaped. But to make Houjicha, the tea goes through one special additional step which is pan roasting.
- Houjicha contains the beneficial Catechin : because like Sencha, the leaves are grown in full sunlight.
- Houjicha is very low in caffeine : due to the pan roasting.
Who drinks Iced Houjicha | Houjicha is traditionally a farmers tea and so it was shared with us that on hot days farmers would enjoy cool Houjicha by by boiling tea & water together in a kettle and then cooling it in a nearby stream. That is still one way of preparing Iced Houjicha - if you don't have a stream then you can use the fridge! The method we wanted to share is the one we use in the Tea House.
Comins Iced Houjicha | The method we use involves a Kyusu, boiling water and a couple of ice filled glasses. It is very simple - prepare two ice filled glasses, place around 8g {or 4 x Comins caddy spoons} of Houjicha into the pot and fill with boiling water. Leave for 1 minute and then fill the glasses - alternating between the glasses so that you get a consistent taste between the two. Enjoy.
Let us know what you think! Want to buy Houjicha? | Comins Houjicha | Uji Japan | 50g £4.00
