What do you know about Kelp 'Tea'?
On my recent trip to Japan, I purchased a grab bag of tea from this store http://uji-en.co.jp/ in the Shinsaibashi shopping district. One of the teas turned out to be a powdered, kelp and plum ‘tea’ (with gold flakes). Does anyone know anything about this? Health benefits? How to best prepare it? History? I was very surprised to find this in my grab bag.
I loooove these. I don’t know too much about them,and have never had ones with gold flakes. I do know it is a traditional Japanese tonic, and can be used in most traditional cooking.
does the site you posted have an English language version?
Where have you tried it before?
As far as an English version of the site, I haven’t been able to find one. I usually just google the site url and have google translate the page.
ok. I’ll keep on that. my aunt and uncle sent some powdered versions from Hawaii. I have been clinging to the last few packets, only in last few months have I found where to order more.
are the ones you have powdered/“instant”? I can recommend water amounts for that type.
Yeah, they are all powdered/‘instant’. Would greatly appreciate water amount recommendations. The amount in these small packages seems to be around a teaspoon. I have another full bag with the same color and characters that I am assuming is just kelp tea powder… haven’t opened it yet.. Not even really sure how to store it.
Start with small amounts. hmm. my packets I think were around 1 teaspoon of powder each…I’d start with about half a cup of hot water per 1 to 1 and half teaspoon. If that is too brothy, rich, salty for you, keep diluting, till it gets lighter/to taste. They will be more salty, savory then true teas.
If it is not to your liking at all, I will gladly trade with you. I keep greens and whites around most of the time.
So far I’m liking it, so I don’t know if I want to trade. But I will let you know if I change my mind.
No problem, the more folks who like it, maybe word will spread. just sayin it can be a bit of an acquired taste too (and I could drink buckets of it, and am painfully low :P)
Aww I found out that bag I thought was more was actually a very fine Sencha (at least it looks and smells like Sencha).. Now I just have those two little packets left :(
well the link I posted below, you can get both the plain and ume kombu-cha in bulk from them, it is how I will be restocking next :) I have found a couple other ways and brands to get the tea too now.
Here are some pics if anyone is interested:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andiedodd/8430999338/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andiedodd/8430999956/in/photostream/
definitely looks like the new years/celebration edition of plain and Ume (pickled salted plum flavored) Kombu-cha (seaweed/kelp tea)…these are tisanes.
ah. Found one of the sites that sells it, suggests uses for it in English :)
https://wawaza.com/products/Kelp-Root-%26-Sea-Salt-Japanese-%22Kombucha%22-Seaweed-Tea,-50g.html
The history? Well, it was first introduced to sea fairing men by merfolk who consider it a drink of warriors and the brave. You see, they must come onto land to brew and drink it exposing themselves to human predators. (You can imagine how difficult it must be to keep tea in a cup while underwater back in the day before modern sippy cups.) Over the course of several encounters the merfolk noticed that it acted as a hallucinogen on humans which they used to their advantage. When sailors did happen upon them, they were lured in for a nice cup of tea and doped up so much that the men could never be sure if the merfolk they saw were real. The effect lasted for days so even if the men did tell of what they saw, everyone just chalked it up to them having been on a big bender. Eventually some sailors figured out what the tea was and tried to reproduce it, but they were missing some key points. The kelp that is harvested is grown in farm beds of ancient volcanic soil now inhabited and fertilized by deep seahorses and picked only under the light of a blue moon by the delicate hands of young virgin mermaids who bless each leaf with a kiss. The kelp tea you get now in the stores had not undergone any of that processing and has no hallucinogenic properties whatsoever.
Hope that helps!
Found info on the history. here: http://www.gyokuroen.co.jp/english/premium/premium.html
well not to be rude but because its seaweed isn’t it affected by the awfull amount off radiation in the seawater near japan because off fukushima nuclear disaster? Did read a few weeks ago that loads and loads off fish from there are highly radioactive…
a bit concerned is a bit weak, by far this nuclear disaster is bigger then what happend in chernobyl here in europe (sovjet union) years ago. only by far i’m sure they keeping it under lit and cover to make sure there is no or, not mutch panic about it
I purchased last year some plum green tea at a Korean grocery store and tea is very sweetly on its own; I don’t know of Kelp tea. Most Japanese teas I have tried have all been lovely teas. Not sure I should have answered. Sorry, best of luck then!
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