Happy New Year tea lovers! Since resolutions are hard to keep, 2017 is officially the year I don’t have any. Instead, I believe in having a plan and finding the necessary motivation. So, I want to share with you an inspirational quote. Inspiration comes in all forms and shapes and often in the most unexpected of places.
In my case, it was on a rainy November night, on my way to my small business management class. A lady who was jogging on the street passed me. On the back of her T-shirt, there it was, a message for me. “MISSION POSSIBLE”. All caps. Both of us could have been lounging comfortably on our couches in our pajamas, but neither of us was. So, for 2017 I want you to know (and I am reminding myself as well) that you don’t need anybody’s permission to pursue your dreams. Don’t underestimate yourself. Your mission is possible, whatever it might be. 

Mine is tea. To my delight, Santa brought a lot of tea-centric gifts, including this beautiful kyusu teapot. I had to try it for the first time with an appropriate tea. I had tasted this sencha at the San Francisco International Tea Festival last November and bought some. Asatsuyu (which means “morning dew”) is an old cultivar, also known as “natural gyokuro”. When I smelled the dry leaves that was exactly my first thought! This is a limited crop from an organic tea farm, Kirishima Seicha. They don’t use pesticides but goats and ducks, which I found not only clever but also really cute! Their teas are available at Blue Willow Tea, a small company based in Berkeley.

Asatsuyu, Kirishimaseicha, Japan

Tea Name: Asatsuyu sencha
Origin: Kirishima, Kagoshima, Japan
Ingredients: green tea
Harvest: 2016
Water Temperature: 162 F / 72 C – 172 F / 77 C
Steep Time: 45 seconds / 1 minute
Preparation Method: Japanese ceramic teapot
Leaves/Water Ratio: 6 grams, 10 oz / 300 ml filtered water (Brita)

EYE
dry leaves: very fine shiny dark green needles with lighter green hues mixed with shorter smaller leaves
wet leaves: forest green
liquor: bright yellow with bright green hues

NOSE
dry leaves: intense and fragrant, sweet and slightly floral
wet leaves: sweet, spinach
liquor: savory, slightly toasty notes

PALATE
liquor: umami, savory, slightly toasty, mineral

MOUTHFEEL: mouthwatering, long finish lingers

FOOD PAIRING: fish, oysters on the half shell

OVERALL IMPRESSION: 2 full flavored steeps, not so heavy on the grassy, vegetal notes like other senchas.

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion. I was not asked nor paid to mention or review products, services or businesses that appear in this blog post.