tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2106815346229702986.post5192438843133991699..comments2024-03-21T00:17:37.281-07:00Comments on sherapop's salon de parfum: Tea Time: Let's Talk Sencha!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2106815346229702986.post-82975658684601165692013-12-05T15:20:54.450-08:002013-12-05T15:20:54.450-08:00Hello, Kim! How splendid that we have a samovar ma...Hello, Kim! How splendid that we have a samovar maven among us!<br /><br />Most Americans have not tried sencha, because the vast majority of green tea at the grocery store is China green of various (usually low) grades (see my tea bag theory, in a response to Jale, above...). You can probably buy the Stash Premium green at your grocery store, but as far as I've seen, that's the only sencha-style tea available at most supermarkets. Of course, you could always visit your local Japanese food market and get some very high-grade and pure sencha (not a blend) for a reasonable price. Do try!<br /><br />That's so wonderful that you love matcha--which is a close cousin to sencha. In fact, your comment segues perfectly into the next episode of Tea Time! The title will be: "Magical Matcha", or should it be "Magnificent Matcha", or perhaps "The Miracle of Matcha"? Well, anyway, you get the gist: I love matcha, too! ;-) I'll try to post that one tomorrow...<br /><br />It's great to know that you take your beverages so seriously--no less than a prep cabinet: I love it!!!!!!<br /><br />Jale also mentioned adding cardamom to black tea. Now I really must try it! As far as cream and sugar for black tea, I am *exactly* the opposite of you. Now I am curious: how do you take your coffee (aside from hot ;-)). Whenever I get a "handcrafted" drink from Starbucks I request extra hot. Sometimes it's still not hot enough, depending on the barista. I should probably say "extra extra hot" to make my point as emphatic as possible. ;-)<br /><br />I have tried rose-scented tea, though I've never done it myself. It seems that you really have your systems down to a science. Saffron also sounds like a potentially fascinating addition. I do have saffron threads, and I LOVE the scent of saffron, so I should try that, too.<br /><br />I'll be expecting lots of input from you on the matcha episode. Great to see you hear, Kim! ;-) sherapophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14116821928196122529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2106815346229702986.post-13715169073081110722013-12-05T14:03:56.917-08:002013-12-05T14:03:56.917-08:00Wow My Dear, A very interesting topic as usual! No...Wow My Dear, A very interesting topic as usual! Now I am asking myself, could it be? Have I never had sencha tea? not that I am aware of! Am I missing something? I must try as soon as possible!<br />I am a tea drinker, but of the black nature. I drink loose whole leaf tea usually earl grey made in a stove top samovar. I add from time to time different flavors depending on my mood.<br />The flavors usually are cardamom, rose geranium ( one leaf from the plant), rose water ( a drop or two) and if I am felling extravagant saffron ( a few threads) .<br />I drink it sweet, no milk, and in a clear glass, so I can see the color I do not like it too dark.<br />However, am not completely dedicated to just this one drink this way. I like different drinks at different times of the day. The samovar black tea is my after 3pm drink.<br />While I have never tried sencha tea, I do drink matcha tea powder in the morning, prepared in the form of green tea latte. Not in traditional Japanese fashion, but I do love it!<br />Next drink after green tea latte is my coffee, I am a stove top perker, I like my coffee as hot as possible!!!! <br />Then I usually fill in between with assorted tea bags, they are perfect for time saving and being on the go!<br />I actually have a beverage prep cabinet to rival a coffee shops!<br />As for the fragrance that fills the go to spot......<br />kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00679088481122152544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2106815346229702986.post-76233507790040032862013-12-05T13:05:50.789-08:002013-12-05T13:05:50.789-08:00I love the samovar story! Yes, times have changed!...I love the samovar story! Yes, times have changed! <br /><br />Earl Grey and Cucumber? That's an odd-sounding combination, but potentially interesting, although I must confess that I am mildly prejudiced against Jo Malone for charging edp prices for colognes with poor longevity...<br /><br />Lale Doinante Blanche2 is a creation I've never heard of. Is that a new house? I do have some obscure tea fragrances which came and went at Anthropologie. It was a nice concept: tea-centered fragrances packaged in book-like boxes. Here's a link to my reviews of a couple of them and also pictures:<br /><br />http://sherapop.blogspot.com/search/label/Anthropologie<br /><br /><br />I, too, like white tea, and will be brewing some up here soon. Stay tuned! ;-)sherapophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14116821928196122529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2106815346229702986.post-57898524839394317552013-12-05T12:00:35.956-08:002013-12-05T12:00:35.956-08:00Wonderful! I believe that your "theory" ...Wonderful! I believe that your "theory" is the dusty tea-bag-truth. Well, samovars are no longer in fashion. I remember the strong, black concentrate which kept on bubbling for hours on my grandmothers samovar in Tehran. This black tea had to be diluted with water and we had it with little lumps of sugar we held between our lips while sipping the hot tea. Not recommended for people with teeth-problems...<br />Your recipe for a "chai-pudding" sounds tempting, I'll give it a try and report back. About tea-scents: Jo Malone's Earl Grey and Cucumber is lovely. And "Lale Doinante Blanche2 isn't bad either, it features white tea. "White tea" is another beauty, "Pai Mu Tan" is the one I adore. Jalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737630225062955740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2106815346229702986.post-37458518515537148482013-12-05T07:04:07.627-08:002013-12-05T07:04:07.627-08:00Yes, Jale, thank you so much for elaborating on yo...Yes, Jale, thank you so much for elaborating on your tea bag issue, which is totally valid. <br /><br />Here is my theory: when the tea is sorted for buyers, the first choice leaves make up small batches to be sold at places such as Upton Tea Imports, whose clientele are serious connoisseurs. The next choice leaves go to upscale companies such as Tazo and Stash. Next comes decent but not great companies such as Twinings (sorry Brits, but it's a fact ;-)). <br /><br />Moving down, as the good leaves are now disappearing fast and furiously, while simultaneously becoming smaller and smaller, the linty stuff in Lipton and other low-grade bags sold in boxes of 100 for a pittance is barely tea, in my view, and is probably swept up from the floor--these are the very bags which you lament, above... Americans think that orange pekoe is a kind of tea. In reality, Lipton tea bags contain all of the dust from all of the varieties of ceylon and less expensive black teas. I believe that all of the dust and lint on the floor from all of the different rooms is swept up and blended into a homogeneous medium-grained powder for use in filter bags.<br /><br />The anti-crème de la crème has got to be low-grade instant iced tea powder. How is it prepared? My theory: they pour water all over the floor in all of the rooms where the black tea (and probably some green as well) was picked over (there's nothing left on the leaf table), then they sweep it all into a vat and evaporate the liquid away until only dust remains! <br /><br />So there you have it my theory on mass tea production! ;-)<br /><br />On cardamom: I love it, but I believe that I have only had it in chai tea mixtures. I have never added it to a black tea myself. Perhaps I'll try that on your recommendation. A stout Assam with cream and a touch of cardamom could be very tasty... It's certainly delicious in baking! ;-)<br /><br />By the way, I made a really interesting rice pudding recently. I was out of cream and so decided to try to make chai with coconut milk. I was not pleased with the results (as a beverage), so I used it instead to make a rice pudding. It was totally delicious! Here's the recipe: about a cup or two of jasmine rice + about four cups of stoutly brewed chai (sweetened with honey) + one can of coconut milk. Bake it for about an hour. I ate it for breakfast a few days in a row. Yum!sherapophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14116821928196122529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2106815346229702986.post-54604447808468638352013-12-05T00:58:10.731-08:002013-12-05T00:58:10.731-08:00Shera, I agree with you, there are indeed some ver...Shera, I agree with you, there are indeed some very rare cases of GOOD tea-bags, the one you mentioned is a perfect example. Like you, I have my green tea (and sencha is one of my favs) without anything. No milk, no sugar. The tea-bags I had in mind are those containing "tea dust", not even leaves. Black, strong teas are the result - a mixture I don't like, because my stomach is too sensitive and the aroma is not very refined either. I'm trying to think of a perfume I could compare to the essencual Sencha you mentioned, but can't think of any at the moment... will return to this question later... Btw, do you like cardamon? I often use cardamon to enhance the flavour of certain black teas. Jalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16737630225062955740noreply@blogger.com