Genmaicha | Green

The Basics
Genmaicha translates to "Brown Rice Tea". It offers a very distinct taste unlike any other, due to the addition of rice and popped rice (imagine taking a rice cake and crumpling it up in your tea, cool, eh?).

Many people think this is popcorn. However this is actually the some pieces of rice that popped when the tea was going through its drying/roasting process.

The tea offers a light yellow hue and has less of a"fresh cut grass" taste than sencha and other greens. Usually green teas do not go as well with food than say Black or Oolongs. But due to its natural roasted flavor, Genmaicha is an excellent compliment to any dish, especially fish, and vegetables.

The Good Stuff (Impress Your Friends.)
Genmaicha was created out of necessity. Originally it was only drunk by peasants (and has been referred to as "peasants tea"). This was because rice was way less expensive than tea. In other words, the stretched out their tea supply by adding rice (and sometimes barley). Kind of like if you have a small portion of meat, you might perhaps make a soup out of it to feed multiple people (If your a vegan, substitute meat in the last sentence to a banana... wow banana soup sound awesome).

Anyway, fast forward a few centuries and now this peasant tea is enjoyed by everyone, poor, rich, young, old. Just goes to show that sometimes less expensive does not mean cheaper. Like my shirt from Target!