contents• Introduction• 1 Say sayonara to teabags• 2 Keep it simple• 3 Keep a lid on it!• 4 Painting the scene• 5 Relax into the ritual• Green is the New Black

introductionLittle ole Japanese green tea, filling your cup with peace, love and harmony, should be the sweetest sip on the planet…

But NO, it’s usually not because, as with so many things in life, there is a tiny learning curve required in order to hit that sweet spot.

These are my five winning tips to help you keep it simple and get you sipping glorious green tea in a jiffy.

When you discover that delicate, melodic note only Japanese green tea delivers, you will discover an entirely new perspective on life.

HOORAY!

With love and laughter,

If there was just one tip I could impart with this little book it would be this one!

Please, please, please, choose loose leaves over tea bags. Here are my four main reasons why:

1. No matter how you slice it, green tea tied up in a teabag just isn’t the best quality. You’ve probably heard of tea dust (not exactly dirt but still it’s swept off the floor in processing rooms), which is that stuff blown off during the making of good wholesome loose leaves. This dust isn’t bad for you

but if you are drinking green tea for a great taste and juicy health benefits, I wouldn’t bag it and tag it. On the taste front, it’s the equivalent of drinking Néscafe instant for your cup of coffee. Sometimes it works... as a last resort... on a boat with nothing else around but you and the high seas.

2. The green tea found in that little box of teabags from your grocery store is often from China or India. What’s the difference? These areas pan-fire the leaves after plucking them, making the tea tougher so you need

say sayonara to teabags

hotter water which yields a higher caffeine kick ensuring a big, bitter bite on your taste buds. In contrast, Japanese tea is steamed after plucking, so the freshness and goodness are locked in tight. Sweet!

3. And what about the bags themselves? Most are made from man-made materials loaded with bleaches and chemicals. Enter hot water and now we’re talking a chemical soup in your cup. Yuck!

4. And here’s my biggie: tea leaves need to dance in your teapot so they can give you all they’ve got! When your precious leaves are trapped in a pokey little space, they can’t stretch out and get comfortable to express all of their vibrant flavors, alluring aromas and yes, multiple health benefits.

OK, so now what do you do?

say sayonara to teabags

WaterAmountTemperatureTime

Water Decide how much water you need based on how many cups you will be serving. Almost 99% of the time, I make a pot that yields 4 cups. I can share with three others or hog it all for myself! As a general rule, I use 400ml of water.

What’s WATT?!When I was showing my friends how to make Japanese green tea, they would get it right on the day, but then forget when they got home. That’s when it hit me! I needed a simple acronym that encapsulates the process and sticks in the brain. Watt??

say sayonara to teabagsYes, W~A~T~T!

Amount The amount of leaves is dictated by the quantity of water you will be using and how strong you want the tea. As a general rule, I use two scoops (tablespoons) in 400ml.

Temperature Boiled water needs to be cooled and each tea will tell you how they like it. Even teas that take “boiling” water need to have the kettle lid removed to let off some steam! When in doubt, use 80°C. A handy thermometer is the best way to get it right but if you don’t have one, wait until you can quickly dip your pinky finger in without burning it!

Time Delicate Japanese teas needs your undivided attention. Forget about tweeting while you steep! So when you pour the water onto the leaves, stay there and watch them dance, counting the seconds before your standing ovation. Each tea needs to be steeped for a particular time but if you’re unsure, go for a minute.

OK it’s time to get Chiki! Put on your kettle and get ready to relax into your first cup of Japanese green tea made the Chiki Steep way.

say sayonara to teabags

Ideal equipment:

The three musketeers:1. Jug for cooling water2. Preparation pot (for

steeping) 3. Teapot (for serving)

4. The best tea on the planet!

The help:5. Thermometer6. Tea scoop or one tbsp7. Timer8. Strainer

You will also need a kettle to boil the water and some cups for serving!

say sayonara to teabags

1. 2. 3.

4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

1 4

2 5

3 6Using scoop, put tea into Preparation pot (two heaping scoops for me).

Serve and sip to your heart’s content!

When you have finished your first pot, make a second one using the same leaves, and just repeat everything above except steep it for 30 seconds or less.

Cool boiled water in the jug to reach desired temperature. Temperature varies from tea to tea (see Tip 2).

Using strainer, decant every last drop of tea by pouring from Preparation pot into Teapot.

Fill kettle with 400ml (14oz) filtered water and bring to the boil.

Pour cooled down water onto leaves in Preparation pot and start timing the steep. Time varies from tea to tea (see Tip 2).

say sayonara to teabags

In my book Green is the New Black – the Glorious Rise of Japanese Green Tea I cover 28 of my favorite Japanese teas.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg folks! There are so many other kinds, so many variants, so many nuances to consider as you get deeper and deeper into this magical world.

So, if you’re a noobie or close to it, my advice is to look out for these five teas to get you going:

2. keep it simple1. Sencha2. Houjicha3. Genmaicha4. Kukicha5. Matcha Let’s take a look at each one...

2. keep it simple1. Sencha is probably the most well-known and widely acknowledged tea in Japan. It’s a high-class green tea category. You can ask for Sencha or for a specific kind of Sencha, or a Sencha from a certain place, or a Sencha that’s been steamed a certain way… “HOLY COW” I hear you say! Just remember “Sencha” to keep it simple.

Chiki Steep! Water: 400ml Amount: 2 scoops Temp: 75°CTime: 1 minute

2. keep it simple2. Houjicha is a roasted green tea delight! If I had to compare it to anything, I’d lovingly say it’s the “builder’s”* tea of Japan. Houjicha has a gorgeous caramel ring to it and is perhaps the easiest of the Japanese green teas to start sipping, because it’s reminiscent of some of the black teas we’re more accustomed to in the West. But do me a favor and never put milk or sugar in your Houjicha! This is also a low-caffeine tea, so go ahead and drink it day and night.

*Think PG Tips or Lipton’s!

Chiki Steep! Water: 400ml Amount: 2 scoops Temp: 90°CTime: 30-60 seconds

2. keep it simple3. Genmaicha is a loveable nutty tea you can spot in an instant! It’s the one with cute popped rice blended into the green tea. Most Genmaicha uses mature tea leaves as the green tea base so it’s hardy and a bit robust. There are certainly higher grades using premium Sencha that require different water temps and timing, but I’m trying to keep it simple here. Right now, I’m just talking about your average Genmaicha. This winner is perfect any time of day, especially after lunch or on a rainy day.

Chiki Steep! Water: 400ml Amount: 2 scoops Temp: 90°CTime: 40 seconds

2. keep it simple4. Kukicha (pronounced kooky-cha) is a crazy mixed up tea because it contains stems and twigs with a tiny amount of leaves. Those adorable pinky-width, light yellow, flat sticks blended into dark leaves remind me of confetti ready to celebrate this delightful sip. There are of course multiple grades but that’s another conversation. Kukicha is a very alkalizing tea so a lot of macrobiotic followers like this one. If you are going for a premium grade, you’ll hear the words Karigane and Shiraore.

Chiki Steep! Water: 400ml Amount: 2 scoops Temp: 75°CTime: 1 minute

2. keep it simple5. Matcha, is a bright green, micro-milled powdered tea, sitting firmly in the special treat spot! Gaining fame in the Japanese tea ceremony, Matcha has a million uses and the West has grabbed onto it for being a health booster. Taking it in pill form doesn’t cut it! If you are a tea noobie, Matcha on its own is probably a little too strong as it’s an acquired but delicious taste. That’s why I recommend dusting Matcha on vanilla ice cream for your first taste of this iconic tea. Who says you have to drink tea to get the goodness?! This winner is fantastic in smoothies, topped on oatmeal,

Chiki Steep! Matcha shot: Water: 150ml Amount: half a tsp Temp: 80°C

2. keep it simpleand stirred into yogurt. When you start eating it like this, it’s easy to train your palette for a shot of this frothy delicacy waiting for your sip! Green is the New Black, has an entire section on how to shop for Matcha in the sea of ones available in the West. It shows you how on earth to know if you are getting what you pay for and why it’s the powerhouse it claims to be.

Here’s how to make a Matcha LatteUsing a scoop of Matcha the size of a big almond, sift it through a strainer and into a bowl. Add two or three ounces (size of a shot glass or tad more) of boiled water cooled

to 70°C. Whisk vigorously like you are scrubbing a potato, not beating an egg, so it develops a foamy cap. Now add a generous amount of milk of your choice (I like rice milk), a little sweetener (Agave for me please), a dash of vanilla, et voila! A stunning dreamy delight served hot or on the rocks! You can drink it straight from the bowl or pour it into a cup or glass.

3. put a lid on it!The art of perfect Japanese tea boils down to the freshness factor.

Even with the ideal water temperature and timing, if the leaves aren’t fresh, your tea will taste flat and maybe even fishy! That’s why you need to focus on storage: first from your retailer and next, at home.

Tea merchants and cafés that offer a variety of teas from all over the world are usually the worst culprits when it comes to storing Japanese

tea. Bless them, they just don’t know any better! These retailers generally treat all tea equally, putting herbal teas and oolongs in the same containers as delicate and fresh Japanese Sencha.

Here is what to AVOID:

1. A glass container where the leaves are exposed to light (sunlight is the worst).

2. Packages where you can see the tea, for the same reason as above. These are typically your cheap grocery store packages.

3. put a lid on it!3. A large canister with lots of air

circulating inside. Too much aeration damages the leaves, leading to deterioration, giving you a weaker, less satisfying taste. Ugh.

4. Storing tea in the fridge*, where moisture levels are too high and other food smells will creep in to kill the taste. And whatever you do, avoid storing it next to your curry spices!

* Matcha powder needs the fridge but your container should warm to room temperature before you use it. Unopened packages of leaves can also be stored in the fridge, but once opened promote your tea to airtight containers.

Here’s how to SCORE!

1. Proper shops will have temperature-controlled units that keep a tab on humidity levels and where teas are stored in airtight containers or sealed in individual packages. This protects delicate tea for optimum freshness.

2. At home, I recommend using a Japanese “chazutsu” perfectly designed for Japanese tea. This is a decorative container, usually tin, metal or sometimes wood, which has a tight internal lid to seal in the freshness. If you don’t

3. put a lid on it!have one, put your tea in any kind of airtight container and store it in a cool, dark place.

But my ULTIMATE tip on storage? Buy small and buy often! Please do not, under any circumstances, hoard your Japanese tea. CALL ME if you start going down this grizzly path of destruction! Left open for too long, your tea will die like a flower without water. As a self-confessed recovered hoarder, I should know. A long, long time ago, pre-Internet you could say, when my trips to Japan were few and far between, I’d bring full suitcases

of the precious leaves back to the States. Try as I might to drink all of it, I ended up with way too many expired leaves... thankfully I saw the light and created Chiki Tea!

4. painting the sceneWould you drink Dom Pérignon from a styrofoam cup?

Let’s face it, we’ve put a fair amount of love into making this little cup of tea. So when the time comes to start sipping, we need to do it justice by selecting the right cup. For delicious Japanese green tea, a clunky mug with the Queen’s face just doesn’t seem right, does it? You want something you can lovingly take in both hands in order to enjoy the fragrance, colors and flavors and yes, give it some respect!

It’s rare to serve Japanese tea in cups with handles and, speaking very broadly, there are two main styles: shallow, round cups (left) and tall, cylindrical cups (right).

4. painting the sceneWhich one do you choose and when? Here’s the golden rule: hotter teas like Houjicha and Genmaicha go in the tall cylindrical cup to retain the heat while delicate teas, like Sencha and Kukicha, feel more at home in larger rimmed, shallow cups to allow the full bouquet of tastes, aromas and vivid colors to come alive.

Are you getting a feel for this? It’s a vast and wide subject but so much fun to dive into! I’m constantly scouring the tiny kilns and pottery villages up and down rural Japan looking for the best gems.

Click Goo below to check out some of the treasures we’ve found, or visit www.chikitea.com

Woohoo!

5. relax into the ritualWOW, we are nearly there but one thing is missing…

When you enter culinary Japan, the first thing that delights you is the sheer beauty of the food so graciously placed in front of you. It’s edible art! You’re expected to eat it first with your mind and then slip it into your mouth. This isn’t hard to do because the food is so exquisitely presented you’re left breathless, wondering how on earth they created it.

So when it comes to your very own tea time, the moment needs

to be crowned with a delicious and thoughtfully presented snack. After all, you’re about to nourish your body and feed your soul with the best tea on the planet! Harness this golden opportunity to paint some magic into your day.

Sweet and savory both fit the bill, so open a pack of lightly seasoned nuts or go über healthy with a raw chocolate brownie dusted with Matcha. Giant black sesame o-sembei rice crackers are always fun, crunchy and loud – a real crowd-pleaser with tea or without. Maybe you’re in the mood for a sultana scone topped with clotted

5. relax into the ritualcream and home-made wild berry jam...

But nothing beats the celebratory treat of the lightest of light Matcha roll cakes! It is soft, spongy green tea cake filled with feather light whipped cream, just a tiny bit sweet, and nothing like the sugar bomb blowouts you find in the West! Add to it the bionic Matcha powder, which makes the cake green, and now you have a heavenly cake sporting a halo! Hang on folks, our recipe book is coming!!!

But here’s the deal… whatever your snack, prepare it with love, and always share it on Instagram! This might be a “me” moment or time for a crowd. However you spend it, the conversation or the solitude is as much a part of Japanese tea as the tea itself. So find the best seat, get out your linen coasters, light a green tea scented soy candle and relax into your green tea moment.

Thanks so much for reading this little ebook! It was a delight to serve you a virtual cup of Japanese green tea!

If you want to learn more, way more, check out Green is the New Black – The Glorious Rise of Japanese Green Tea!

Click on Goo!

Let’s Go!

THE BOOK