Posted: April 1st, 2011 | Author: Tomomi | Filed under: Event | No Comments »
Fundraising Charity Concert details is set!
If you have facebook page, please invite your friends and spread the word!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=197603086927064
In collaboration with the Syracuse Japanese Language and Culture Meetup Group, ASIA (Le Moyne College), ESF, Syracuse University, and concerned citizens in Syracuse and Rochester, we present the Charity Concert for Earthquake and Tsunami Victims in Japan!
In the wake of the devastating 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami that hit the North-Eastern coast of Japan on March 11th, we have put together this charity concert to raise money for the aid of the people of Japan. All donations will be given to the Japanese Red Cross Society, who will use your money to help displaced citizens and rescue workers. Your donation will be used to provide food, water, medicine, blankets and support to those in need.
12,000 are dead.
16,500 are still reported as missing.
166,000 have been displaced from their homes.
*Tickets are not required for admission. Instead, we are asking for a suggested donation of $5, or any other amount you would like to donate to the cause.*
Doors will open at 6:30 PM.
ALL AGES ARE WELCOME!
Music will be performed by Syracuse Symphony Orchestra’s very own violinist Mao Omura, and accompanying pianist Mayumi Matzen. Selections will include scores from the popular Miyazaki films, traditional Japanese folk music, etc.
After the concert, there will be a small reception with food and drink provided by the generous donations of Roji Tea Lounge and Kyoko’s Restaurant. Other supporters include: Pacific Restaurant, New Century Vietnamese Restaurant, Unique Tea House, and Shioyoshiken of Kyoto, Japan.
Please RVSP to receive updates on this event. Thank you for your support!
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All donations will go to the Japanese Red Cross Society, via the local Syracuse-Oswego Chapter of the American Red Cross. If you are unable to attend, but wish to donate online, please follow this link to the American Red Cross website, where you can have your donation sent directly overseas:
https://american.redcross.org/site/Donation
If you live in Rochester, NY and are interested in attending/getting involved with other fundraiser events for earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan, please follow this link:
http://www.rocforjapan.com/index.php/english-information
Posted: March 15th, 2011 | Author: Tomomi | Filed under: Event | No Comments »
Hope everyone was safe after the earthquake. Thank you for your concerns. Our staff’s families and friends are safe. We pray that everyone will be rescued safely and sending condolences to people who has lost their families and sympathy to people who are still going though tough times there.
We are planning on fundraising concert at roji soon with all effort combined with SU students, LeMoyne college students, teachers and Japanese violinist from Rochester area who currently plays for Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. We will be sure to let you know once the details are set. Thank you.
Posted: March 1st, 2011 | Author: Tomomi | Filed under: Event | No Comments »
Ring in the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit at a Kimono Fashion Show. Lovely models will present different types of kimono, from a wedding Kakeshita to the understated Iromuji. A comprehensive presentation will accompany. What a great introduction to the interesting world of traditional Japanese garments! Kimono are considered ‘wearable works of art’, and many are unique and original paintings done on silk.
Where: roji tea lounge
When: 11am to 1pm
Posted: February 15th, 2011 | Author: Tomomi | Filed under: Teas | No Comments »
I was asked several times from customers where to go for tea in Kyoto, so here are my favorite tea places if you ever go.
Suetomi 末富: http://kyotofoodie.com/wagashi-suetomi-kyoto-tea-ceremony-namagashi/ (you can view Japanese English map at the end of the page) confectionery store. (ok, it’s not tea… but ‘m sure it’ll enhance your tea experience… ok?) Tradition is kept here too. Seeing everything professionally done, which you feel it was not created in just one day… is just cool.
Fukujuen (Kyoto City – tasting on ground floor)
Fukujuen Kobo (Uji – Experience to make tea from leaves) Facility has so much to experience everything about tea.
Tsuen (Uji)
It has great history so nice to look at sculpture and where they make tea sample by the charcoal, you feel the history.
Have a great trip! : )
Posted: February 4th, 2011 | Author: Tomomi | Filed under: Teas | No Comments »
DESCRIPTION
It is a skillful technique to blend teas from different gardens of blending master’s pick of each year to keep the quality of the same brand teas.
Blending:
Merit: Be able to maintain the same quality with blending master’s skill and who/which store has blended.
They are like chef choosing the fresh teas from all over the country at tea merchants market and their skill is to identify each teas’ characteristics to bring out the best of all those teas and cancel negative part of the teas by blending. Firing skill is also important and to know when to stop, to be able to transform the teas to change in aroma and taste they look for before blending. (It’s amazing that blending masters calculate that when they are purchasing teas at the harvest market by just touching and sniffing the leaves to determine the possibility of transformation)
In order for the tea merchants to carry the same quality teas under same label, each year’s tea come out differently (just like wines) so in order to balance it out, they change the balance of blending to adjust it so that consumers will be able to trust the merchant when they buy certain brand name, they know what they are getting.
Non blend:
Merit: Be able to identify which garden it is coming from and who is responsible for the garden.
This is also like wines, that every year, the finish product is not exactly the same as last year. Of cause they use the same varietal of plant (ex. chardonnay, Pinot noir for wines) (ex.Yabukita, Benihuki for Japanese teas), so base tea taste will not change. It is natural due to the weather of that year, who has made it and their skills, etc.
Consumer will taste the bounty of that year from one garden and feel the connection to the garden and farmers. And each garden has unique own characteristics.
History:
Uji Kyoto has developed the one of the best skill in Blending techniques along with the tea culture. It has began not to waste unsold teas and giving birth to fine teas by uniting them.
Conclusion
*It’s not the argument of which is good or bad. This is to know where your tea is coming from and to find the trusted sources that are skilled in both methods.
Posted: January 28th, 2011 | Author: Tomomi | Filed under: Teas | No Comments »
DESCRIPTION Fuka (Deep), mushi (Steam). It is steeped longer than regular Sencha and it is easier to steep than Sencha. It contains more broken leaves because of the length of the steaming that cells of leaves are more destroyed.
TASTE
Rich green tea sweetness, mild, less astringency (fresh cut leave taste) less fragrant than Sencha
APPEARANCE Darker Green.
STEEPING INSTRUCTION
2 leveled tea spoons tea leaves 12oz boiling water
Let the water stand for 1-2 minutes to cool slightly in water cooler (or mug). Place tea leaves in the teapot. Pour in cooled water to the pot and let steep for 1 minute only. Strain, then drink hot. You can re-steep the tea if you wish
History:
Fukamushi-cha was created in one part of Shizuoka region where tea leaves are thicker than other region and it was not popular among consumers because bitterness came out more than sweetness. To solve this problem, farmers have created this idea of steaming 2 to 4 times longer (1.5min to 2min instead of 30sec to 40 sec).
Tips:
*You can use it for cooking (ex. Mix in infused Sencha leaves in tempura batter) to get whole nutrients. *Dry used leaves and wrap in paper towel or in small cotton bag to deodorize shoes or fridge, Etc.
*Do not drink if tea or tea leaves are left out over night. (Word of wisdom in Japan) It is said because it is easily deteriorated over long time.
*Tea leaves are easily broken and you may see small leaves because of the typical steaming process that Sencha go through compare to other teas which do not. (Chinese green, oolong black teas)
Posted: January 21st, 2011 | Author: Tomomi | Filed under: Teas | No Comments »
ORIGIN Japan
DESCRIPTION Roasted Sencha
TASTE Roasty, Earthy
APPEARANCE Reddish Brown
STEEPING INSTRUCTION
1 Table spoons tea leaves 1 1/2 cups boiling water
Place tea leaves in a teapot. Pour boiling hot water and let steep for 30 seconds. Strain completely to avoid over steeping for the next steeping. 2nd steeping is about 30sec to a minute.
HEALTH BENEFITS Less caffeine and tannin which makes it easier to drink for kids and elderly. Mild in stomach.
HISTORY Tea famer in Kyoto decided to roast Sencha when he had left with too much stock over few years.
NOTE Tea that are pick in later 1st picking season are the highest grade hoji-cha. (as first always goes to sencha, Gyokuro and tencha) There are kuki hoji cha as well. (Kuki-twig, hoji-roast)
Posted: January 14th, 2011 | Author: Tomomi | Filed under: Teas | No Comments »
ORIGIN Japan
DESCRIPTION Sencha and popped rice classic blend.
TASTE Roasty, Mild, Earthy
APPEARANCE Light Green (depends on the base green tea)
STEEPING INSTRUCTION
1 table spoons tea leaves 1 1/4cups boiling water
Place tea leaves in a teapot. Pour boiling hot water and let steep for 30 seconds. Strain completely to avoid over steeping for the next steeping. 2nd steeping is about 30sec to a minute.
HISTORY A farmer in Kyoto wanted to use the crumbly mochi after cutting rice cakes for New Year tradition. He decided to roast them and added into the tea.
NOTE A good choice for starting your green tea adventure. There are varieties of Genmai-cha for example, with matcha blend, gyokuro blend, bancha blend, roasted brown rice, roastd mochi rice, etc.
Posted: January 11th, 2011 | Author: Tomomi | Filed under: Teas | No Comments »
DESCRIPTION From second to forth flush picking. Some exceptions of high grade Bancha from 1st pick Sencha. They use bigger leaves that could not be used to make Sencha. Bigger and rough leaves, twigs are used. It is an economical tea.
TASTE Mild, less fragrant compared to Sencha
APPEARANCE Light yellow
STEEPING INSTRUCTION 1 table spoons tea leaves 1 1/2 cups boiling water
Place tea leaves in a teapot. Add the water and let steep for 30 seconds. Strain completely, then drink hot, warm or cool.
History: The character for “Ban” is used for numbers. Early days, the character used meant “later” and changed to current character.
Notes:
*If Sencha or Gyokuro is uptown sophisticated city girl, Bancha is down to earth country girl.
*There are green and brown kinds and brown one contains less caffeine. (customer report)
*It matches with oily food as Bancha refreshes your palate.
Posted: January 10th, 2011 | Author: Tomomi | Filed under: Teas | No Comments »
You don’t hear much about Gyokuro until you learn more about Japanese green teas. I didn’t mean to go maniac selection already but I also wanted you to know that this maybe where you get to down the road…
DESCRIPTION High ranked tea of Japan. Sweetness are produced by covering the tea bushes for around 20 days to shut the direct sun light.
TASTE Rich and concentrated green tea sweetness
APPEARANCE Light Green to Dark Green
STEEPING INSTRUCTION
1 ½ Tea spoons tea leaves (10g) 4-6oz Cooled hot water (140F)
- Warm up the pot and cup by pouring hot water. Let the water stand for 4-5 minutes to cool slightly in water cooler (or mug).
- Discard the hot water in the pot and cup. Place tea leaves in the teapot. Pour in cooled water to the pot and let steep for 1 minute only. Strain. You can re-steep the tea if you wish.
History: Gyoku means “jade”, “ball” and Ro means “dewdrop”. Name came as used to be made in round shape tea leaves or another is taste like precious jade drop.
Notes: *There is also a unique aroma come from covering shield.
*Total production is 277 tons which means 2.2g per person (less than 0.1oz)/year if we divide into Japanese population. 10g is needed to steep one pot to serve 3 persons. This said, this is rare teas compare to others.
*Uji Kyoto, Yame Fukuoka, Okabe Shizuoka are the famous regions.
