We've sourced our high-quality sencha from China, where the technique of steaming the leaves to stop the oxidation process first originated.
A good sencha will have all the dewy freshness of a bright spring morning and a slightly savoury smoothness – far too often, green tea is over brewed, becoming tannic and bitter. The trick is to brew the teabag lightly, allowing the boiled water to cool for about 5 minutes before pouring. The result is a lush, verdant brew which beats a bowl of broccoli any day.
• Origin: China
• Tea type: Green
• Number of servings (using 1 teabag per cup): 50 teabags = 50 cups
780BC marks the approximate date that Lu Yu wrote his famous Cha Jing, the world’s first book about the art of tea. Covering everything from origin and picking technique to the tea ceremony itself, it was also the first historical record of steaming tea. We thought we’d give our quintessential Sencha the number 780, to celebrate the original tome for teatime reading…
CHINA
The origins of tea lie in China: legend has it that it was discovered when a few leaves fell into the mythical emperor Shennong's cup of hot water. Today China produces thousands of different varieties ranging from black and green tea to more unusual teas, like puerh or yellow tea.
Pour over freshly boiled water (for less processed teas like green, white or yellow, use water closer to 80°C) and leave for 15 minutes. Remove the teabag.