Superior
Japanese Green Tea
MAIKO TEA SHOP
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What is the
proper way to store tea?
Even premium tea deteriorates in flavor and fragrance
if not stored properly. Here, we introduce the best methods of tea storage. |
| Tea
is very sensitive to light and temperature change and absorbs the odor in its
surroundings easily. Therefore, we recommend you to store your tea in locations
with constant temperature and away from strong odors, such as a cupboard or other
places that are known to be cool and dark. You should consume tea stored in this
manner within two weeks to one month. |
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Storing Large Quantities of Tea |
If you have
many packages of tea at home, it is best to store them in the freezer without
breaking the seals. This is to preserve the original tea flavor and to prevent
it from absorbing unwanted odors.
However, before opening the package for
consumption, defrost in normal temperature first, without breaking the seal. In
this manner you avoid condensation,
which would damage the tea,
within the package. | | |
| ▼ Storage
inside the Refrigerator |
| We do not
recommend storing opened packages of tea for daily use inside refrigerators. The
odor in the refrigerator would permeate the tea. Also, when moving the tea in
and out of the refrigerator repeatedly, rapid temperature changes would cause
condensation inside the package, moistening the tea. |
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Storage at Maiko Tea |
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| At MaikoTea,
we store tea in refrigerators used specifically for this purpose. Please be assured
that we provide you with the finest tea throughout the year by preserving its
superior quality. In addition to refrigerators at MaikoTea, we also store tea
in refrigerators at JA Kyoto Tea Market (Chaichiba) and Kyoto Prefecture Tea Producers'
Cooperative (Kyoto Cha Kyoudoukumiai). | |
| MaikoTea's
storage room with 5 ℃ temperature | |
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| We have familiarized
you with methods of tea storage, but we recommend you to purchase tea in smaller
quantities (100 g) if possible. If purchasing larger quantities, we advise you
to buy several small packages. (For example: purchasing ten 100 g packages rather
than a 1 kg package will help to preserve the original flavor instead of the 1
kg package possibly growing stale, depending on its treatment) At
some stores, buying in bulk (500 g package/ 1 kg package) is more economical,
but considering the difficulty of tea storage at home, the consistent tea quality
can not be guaranteed at such bargains. | |
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Tea is very
sensitive. It is vulnerable to the following five things: |
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example, tea stored near a heater, or in high humidity, will lose its color, flavor,
and aroma. Avoid storing tea near spices or aromatic foods, as the odor will affect
the tea, stripping it of its refined flavor |
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| Although
you are left with stale tea, you do not want it to go to waste. In such situations,
try one of these simple recipes for homemade houjicha (roasted tea). |
Houjicha |
Houjicha
is an excellent beverage for children and the elderly because of its low caffeine
and catechin content. It can be easily made by using either of the following methods: |
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First Method (Using a frying pan) |
| 1. | Line
frying pan with baking sheet. (This is to keep the tea from absorbing any unwanted
grease or odor left on the pan.) | | 2. | Place
tea leaves on baking sheet. | | 3. | Stir
and dry roast over low heat until tea becomes fragrant. |
| ・ | Be
careful not to scorch the tea leaves. | |
・ | Dry
roast until tea leaves achieve a golden brown color. |
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Second Method (Using a toaster oven) |
| 1. | Spread
tea leaves evenly on aluminum foil. Bake for approximately 60-90 seconds. |
| 2. | Tea
is done roasting when the "kuki" (stalks) have slightly expanded, and easily powders
when pressed between the fingers. | | ・ | When
done, the color should be similar to that of sencha. It is commonly called "aohoujicha"
in Japanese. | | ・ | Cool
tea leaves on the aluminum foil after roasting. | |
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| Preparation
of various |
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Gyokuro
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Maccha
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Sencha
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Shiawasecha
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