Green teas for the beginner? What is your favorite?

I'm prejudiced towards Japanese, so my recommendation is if you don't want to buy online, visit a Japanese grocery in your area and buy a bag of sencha. Figure about $7-10 for a 100g bag to get something reasonably decent.

--crymad

I tend to favor Chinese. You might start with a good Lung Ching or Pi Lo Chun.

In spite of my preference for Chinese, the green tea I always try to have on hand is Japanese - green kukicha. This tea has a nice sweet flavor and is very low in caffeine so I can even drink it in the evening. Don't confuse it with the roasted version of kukicha. That's also good, but with a completely different flavor - toasty or even resembling chocolate.

Agalena

HeatherInSwampscottIZmSa.17261$ snipped-for-privacy@nwrdny01.gnilink.net7/19/03

22:18 snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com

Heather,

When it comes to greens, I've decided that of all variables (to which Jim alluded in another thread) *freshness* is number one. Regardless of which green tea you choose, buy a small quanitity -- one ounce, if possible-- and use it within a short time. Freshness enhances flavors and aromas more than anything else does. A lesser green at its freshest will be better than a great one that's stale.

Having said that, try a Sencha (Japan) and a Long Jing (AKA Dragon Well) (China). Both are widely available in a range of prices. And, although it's not strictly a "green," a Bao Zhong (Taiwan) might be just the ticket, especially if you like some floweriness. And those big leaves are as green as green and beautiful as can be.

Boileth not.

Hey, I forgot to answer your question: My favorite is Tai Cha from Silk Roads. (That's only because I'm drinking it right this minute.) Wait. Tongyu Mountain Green from Silk Roads is great, happily and generously yields multiple steeps, and the price is very right. Read Lew's review:

If that doesn't get you there, try this route to the review:

Best, Michael

Definitely, sencha is the best green tea, not only for the beginner. Chinese green teas can be quite bitter, unless prepared carefully, which takes time to master. Some expensive Chinese are very delicate, and only a palate that has experienced enough green teas can appreciate it. Vietnamese and Korean green teas are excellent, but harder to find.

Good luck, GS.

Standard single estate organic chun mee, from Whittards. Easy to make - simply steep for 5 minutes in water that's been boiled and then left to cool for a few minutess, about half a teaspoon of leaves per cup.

"crymad" wrote

Unfortunately there are no Japanese grocers or even Asian grocers in my area, but I will visit Boston and try the Super 88, perhaps they have something. Thanks for the price reference, I have put sencha on my list!

Regards,

Heather

Thank you all for your welcome advice!

I will hold off on trying many expensive Chinese greens for now (but I will try one just for the heck of it). I have put Japanese sencha on my to buy list, and will keep my eye out for Vietmamese and Korean greens.

I will buy fresh tea, if I can find it! I have found that Upton tea is in Hopkinton MA, which is at least in the same state as I am in, so if they have a retail front I might take a road trip there.

Thanks to this group I know not to pour boiling water on my green ;-)

Again, thank you all for your advice!

Warm regards,

Heather

"HeatherInSwampscott" wrote in news:esTSa.12544 $ snipped-for-privacy@nwrdny02.gnilink.net:

If you come to Boston, the Super88 does have a few Japanese teas, plus a great many more from China. For a greater selection of Japanese teas (but still not scads), you might try Yoshinoya (sp?) a Japanese grocery store in Cambridge. It's on Prospect Street, one block outside of Central Square.

Debbie

"HeatherInSwampscott" wrote in news:0yTSa.12565$ snipped-for-privacy@nwrdny02.gnilink.net:

No, Upton doesn't have a retail front. According to a recent newsletter (after their move some months ago) the zoning doesn't permit it. But maybe if you called they could give you a tour! That would be fun and informative, for sure.

Debbie

"Debbie Deutsch" wrote

Oooh, great, I work in Boston, on the Red Line so I can hop over on a lunch break! Thanks!!!

Heather

"HeatherInSwampscott" wrote in news:9dXSa.13267$ snipped-for-privacy@nwrdny02.gnilink.net:

Taking the T to Yoshinoya is probably the best way to get there at any rate, given the local parking situation. There's a T exit that is about

2/3 block from Yoshinoya's entrance! You will not find a great many teas there, but its definitely more than you'd find at Super 88. Yoshinoya does carry several different grades of all the major types of Japanese tea (bancha, sencha, gyokuro, kukicha, hojicha, genmai cha). Plus, they carry a couple of brands of roasted barley tea (sold in boxes of sort of supersized tea bags). If you haven't tried it, roasted barley tea is a summer treat when it's iced, and also is consumed hot. If you enjoy Japanese cooking there is a nice variety of all the necessities, including a large array of miso, an even larger array of dried noodles (soba, somen, udon), a modest variety of Japanese veggies, various packaged refrigerated and frozen ingredients, sushi-grade fish, and all the usual bottled, bagged, and boxed goods.

Debbie

For me, it is Pouchong. This tea has long leaves which are twisted rather than curled, so the entire leaf unfurls. The taste is so sweet and pleasant, it can't help but lift my spirits whenever I am drinking it.