You don't have to be a tea expert to host a Japanese tea tasting! Here's how:
The kind of tea that's made in tea bowls like the one in the book is called matcha, and it's stirred, not steeped. It's ground to a fine powder and whipped into hot water to make an intensely flavored drink. Matcha compares to regular tea the way espresso compares to regular coffee, and it tastes like nothing else on the planet.
The best way to get a fabulous tea tasting experience is to head over to the Breakaway Matcha website—Eric Gower is not only a top-notch tea maven and chef, he also lived in Japan for so long that his Japanese is good enough to get him a side hustle translating official documents for the Prime Minister's office.
On the Breakaway Matcha site you'll find:
How to make matcha (even if you don't have any special equipment)
The many ways to appreciate matcha (even if you're not an expert)
How to buy matcha and recommendations for tea tasting flights so you can compare and contrast
How to make matcha (even if you don't have any special equipment)
The many ways to appreciate matcha (even if you're not an expert)
How to buy matcha and recommendations for tea tasting flights so you can compare and contrast
Happy sipping!