Posted on 08/17/2009 8:01:51 PM PDT by WackySam
In Japan, it all boils down to Zen Buddhism. Tea initially became popular because monks realized that it could enhance their meditative practices. Later it was elevated to an art, really just an extension of the Zen philosophy’s purity of form.
Called Chanoyu (literally “the hot water for tea”), the tea ceremony consists of one simple act that is carried out through an elaborate set of procedures: making and serving a cup of tea. Every movement is prescribed, and requires great skill, poise, and charm. It takes years of dedication and training to be a true tea master and to carry out the highly formalized tradition of the tea ceremony.
Traditionally, guests at a tea ceremony take off their shoes and enter a special tearoom, where they sit on the floor to receive tea and engage in light conversation. A frothy green tea called matcha is served. It is made by mixing tea powder and hot water with a bamboo whisk. A sweet snack such as a sweetened rice cracker may also be eaten. From carrying the teapot to cleaning the dishes, the host’s graceful presentation is quietly observed – and appreciated – by each guest.
Ito En
822 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10021
(212) 570-2200
Hours: Daily, 12:00-4:00 pm
The folks at Ito En take their tea seriously. “We consider it like a vegetable,” says Rona Tison, Vice President of Retail Services. Indeed, the tea is shipped with as much care as the most fragile of perishable goods, and is stored in special lacquered tea boxes. Plus, the store employs a professional tea taster, as well as an in-house tea specialist who is always on-hand to answer questions and give pairing advice.
Perhaps this is why Ito En is so well respected. Or it could even be the design – this small teashop is lined with glass vials, each holding a different type of tea leaf (for your sniffing and viewing pleasure). With its chic minimalist interior and wall of test tube-like bottles, the shop resembles a designer laboratory. Ito En is located underneath a restaurant called Kai, which serves contemporary Japanese cuisine inspired by the food that traditionally accompanies tea ceremonies. Though partnered with Kai, Ito En does not sell exclusively Japanese products – a wide selection of loose leaf tea from around the world is available, as well as Kai’s popular almonds covered in chocolate and matcha (powdered green tea), and its Earl Grey-flavored candied grapefruit.
Kai
822 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10021
(212) 988-7277
Daily Hours: Lunch: 12:00-3:00 pm
Afternoon Tea: 12:00-4:00 pm
Dinner: 5:30-9:30 pm
Kai sits atop the stylish Ito En retail store, Japan’s largest tea purveyor, on Madison Avenue. In addition to afternoon tea service, the restaurant offers lunch and dinner, including kaiseki, a traditional Japanese meal comprised of as many as fifty small courses. They come out one after the other in an elaborate parade of treats, each as tasty as the next. Think of it as something like Japanese tapas.
Kaiseki was born in the teahouses of Kyoto, where Buddhist monks were said to have served food with tea to enhance the flavor of the beverage. Kai adds a French twist to this most traditional of pairings, reflecting the world’s recent fascination with fusion cuisine. Fresh, seasonal ingredients are the hallmark of traditional kaiseki - and of Chef Hitoshi Kagawa’s cuisine. The fish is as fresh as could be, and the tea is in an entirely different league from its distant cousin, the stale teabag. Attention to detail is the other standout feature of Kai, from the décor down to the serving dishes.
Each course is placed just so on one of Kai’s selection of elegant, handmade ceramic plates. The food at Kai conveys a feeling of balance, the kind achieved by a few choice ingredients, a skilled hand, and an eye for design. The ambience mirrors the cuisine in its elegance and chic minimalism. The eight-course meal begins with a cup of White Peony tea, thoughtfully served at the start of the meal so that its delicate flavor can be appreciated without the distraction of other flavors.
The quality of the food is consistently high for the remaining courses. An abundance of fresh seafood is served next, followed by two traditional soups (kenchin and ochazuke), toro that is fit for the gods, and grilled black cod. The dining experience comes to a close with a creamy white sesame mousse. Smooth as could be and not overly sweet, it is a fitting end to an elegant, well-executed meal.
I get mine at World Market, but they have a web site too, just google mighty leaf tea.
hope that works...let me know when you download it and get a chance to watch it.
I watched it and took notes- thanks again.
Awesome... I tried to download it myself to test it, and firefox was being prissy.
Glad it worked for you, though. And may the tea force be with you :-)
BTW, I can’t remember if I said anything about it in the video, but the temperature is vital. Once you make a few batches of your own loose leaf green tea you will be able to play around with it and see that.
do you have a good source of loose leaf green tea leaves?
Ah Wegman’s...so much of the US is missing out on this extravaganza of a store.
New branches in the Northern VA area are so welcome!
The Arizona tea is my favorite! I’ve tried several others but none compare.
One I tried was called “Peace Tea” and it was nasty.
i got some good teaware from thereÃÂ ÃÂ
I am a coffee commonsewer.
How long do you leave the jar in the sun?
Just a few hours to steep is enough, and the sun is not always shining. Good heavens I just discovered how old this thread is and also saw where I posted in 2009 about mighty leaf tea. I graduated to the sencha.
Wacky Sam has not posted since 2015.
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