As New England emerges from the icy clutches of Winter, I can’t even begin to explain the joy that comes with seeing the green of new grass. Perhaps I’ll try. Seeing the emerging green of Spring is akin to the smiling trembles of a lazy kiss. It’s lovely and needed and memorable.
Okay, let’s bring this back to tea, and quick!
It's more fun knowing green tea once lived in a place like this!
I’ve spent the icy months exploring green through teas. If you’re unfamiliar with green tea, it doesn’t taste like grass or green smoothies or any of the other green things you may have tried, broccoli included! What green tea does taste like, if I may be so bold as to paint with a truck-sized brush, is a lighter and thicker version of black tea.
By “thicker” I mean the sense of viscosity I get when drinking the stuff. It may just be that the darker taste of black tea makes it seem thinner but I’m convinced that green tea at least tastes thicker. It’s still bitter, especially if you let it brew for too long!
[box type="shadow"]Check out these tips on how to make tea so you get a perfect batch of tea every time! [/box]
I had a nice time trying different green teas, including a few brought by a friend from China for my birthday! Looking out my office window at the snow, I’d lift cup of green tea and imagine I was visiting its home. I’d typically imagine myself about a third of the way through the plane trip before I’d be interrupted and have to move on with my work. But I still found an escape into green tea.
I’ve tried a bunch of green teas but I’m only one me and you might like very different things. To that end, I suggest you hit up a nice tea shop near you or buy a quality sampler of green teas online. Make sure to read the reviews because all teas are not made alike.
Green tea leaves with some puffed rice and popcorn to add a toasty note
Of the green teas I tried, I’ll share two favorites from China and two from Japan.
- Longjing – From Hangzhou in Zhejiang province and one of the most popular Chinese green teas, it’s on the lighter side with a bright taste and is very nice to drink piping hot. I wanted
- Chun Mee - Also from China and with what looks a bit like dust on its leaves, Chun Mee is one of the green teas that I can be convinced to mix with a touch of honey or raw agave nectar. George Orwell would have my head for it but I think I can still be a tea enthusiast and add a bit of sweetener sometimes.
- Guricha – A wonderfully tangy, fruited and almost nutty aftertaste make this Japanese green tea a favorite for its depth and general niceness!
- Gyokuro – One of the more expensive teas I tried recently, Gyokuro is a lovely Japanese green tea that is given shade for the last 20 days of it’s growth which gives it a much lighter green color and what seems like a sweeter taste. It also smells a little more “leafy” than some of the deeper green teas.
Of course, green tea is always better served up in your favorite tea cup. I find that a thinner porcelain cup seems to do better justice the flavor nuances while a big mug seems to muddle things up. If you must have something sweet with your green tea, go with some honey, agave syrup, or even a bit of maple syrup if you’re more interested in mixing tones than just experiencing the magic that is, as I’ve found it to be, green tea.
Some further insights into green tea can be found on these sites: