hojicha
Hojicha is the underdog of Japanese teas. It will never be as beloved as sencha, matcha – or as rare as gyokuro. But, in time, it could take genmaicha.
It’s not top shelf, but I have fallen in love with hojicha all the same. It wasn’t always like this, there were years when I turned my nose. What roasted tea twigs? Yuck! I mean, wasn’t there a reason for it being the cheapest price per lb tea exported from Japan?
Sometimes it takes something big for me to change my mind about something. For hojicha, it was tasting it in Kyoto at the Ippodo Tea House. This picture was taken there, as I leaned back in my seat. It was served in a rustic clay Kyushu teapot, with very hot water and paired with a red bean mochi. The feeling of the tea moved to all my limbs and I sighed with content. This was Kyoto, this was roasted tea as it was meant to be.
As for it being cheaper than other teas? It has to do with less value placed on the stems of the tea plant – where there is less flavor. The roasting helps bring the flavor forward and prolongs its shelf life. It’s a perfect tea to chose on a restaurant menu – it’s so sturdy – and will taste great no matter the care in brewing.
Oh, and the secret to Ippodo’s hojicha? A delicous second roast. And if you are in Kyoto, they roast it on Tuesdays – and for a 4 block radius – you can breathe in the sweet aroma of roasted tea.
