THE EXPERIENCE.
Water.
Water is the Origin of all things.
In ancient times, the tea scholar Lu Yu said the best water for brewing tea came from the center of a swiftly moving mountain stream. Given that few of us have access to clean, fresh mountain water for tea today, you may want to try other options.
If you have bad tap water you may want to consider using bottled water to brew tea. Mineral water is too hard (mineral-rich) and may leave your tea tasting metallic or harsh. Quality spring water is the optimal bottled water for tea.
Aside from fresh mountain stream water and good-quality bottled spring water, filtered tap water - Brita type - is generally the best option for brewing tea. Another good filtration option is Japanese bamboo charcoal, which is basically a simplified carbon filter. If you are using a filter, it's best to brew with freshly filtered water, because water can absorb odours over time.
The Earth and The Leaf.
Do you know, when and how tea leaves are washed? In your cup, when you pour hot water, right before drinking. Never before. This is why it is essential to choose tea from 100% natural or organic origin.
Everywhere but in Japan, we source altitude teas. High in the mountains, there are fewer insects therefore less pesticides. We benefit from pure, mountain streams - plus the mist allows the plant to draw less water from the soil. It is naturally protected from pollution, and the relief of the soil prohibits any intensive production.
We donate from all our sales to 1% For The Planet for their extraordinary contribution to the protection of our garden of Eedn.
The Cup.
The best tea leaves in the world will only give their best if brewed with love and method.
Each type of tea has its way of brewing, but for most of them we recommend the traditional Chinese brewing - or Gongfu Tea. Everything matters - the temperature and quality of the water, the leaf-to-water ratio, the steeping time - but also the quality of the teapot, it's shape, the kind of clay it's made of. We like to brew our Chinese teas in a small teapot made of Yixing clay, and our Japanese teas in a Kyusu from Tokoname. We drink our matcha in our vintage French Ceramics or our traditional Japanese chawan bowls.
What matters here is to find what really is your favorite vessel - rough stoneware, raku, thin clay or the finest chinese porcelain - we even serve our Gongfu Tea in small shot glasses.
The Senses.
Different teas bring different effects to the senses and the mind.
Caffeine is probably the best known brain-booster found in tea. It's effects are immediate: increased alertness, wakefulness, and attention. However, caffeine is a stimulant whose effects subside fairly quickly. Uniquely, tea contains the amino acid L-Theanine which is more calming - it relaxes without inducing drowsiness. Caffeine and L-Theanine are a naturally-occurring pair found only in tea, which is why tea has been the drink of choice for monks needing concentration and focus when settling into a long meditation.
The balance between caffeine and theanine is very different depending on the type of tea, his origin, and its processing - a bright Japanese green and a mellow Oolong are a world apart.
For each of our teas, we always indicate its effect on the senses.
The Body.
Green tea boosts the number of regulatory T-cells in the body, which are important for the immune system.
Drinking tea is also linked with a lower risk of coronary heart disease, potentially because of the amount of antioxidantsin the leaves.
Green tea consumption is significantly associated with a lower risk of incident functional disability in old age, while drinking black tea slightly lowers blood pressure.
Tea is also rich in polyphenols that have effects like reducing inflammation and helping to fight cancer.
Multiple studies show that the catechin compounds in green tea can have various protective effects on neurons in test tubes and animal models, potentially lowering the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
The catechins in green tea can also kill bacteria and inhibit viruses like the influenza virus, potentially lowering the risk of infections.
Green tea can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood-sugar levels.
