Kelp tea and Green tea by Gyokuroen
ORIGINATOR OF KELP TEA, GYOKUROEN. SECRET INGREDIENT OF JAPANESE CUISINE.
"Umami" is a fifth element of flavor in cooking. The umami flavor is basically amino acids such as glutamic acid, aspartic acid, which is mainly amino acids, inosinic acid, guanylic acid, xanthylic acid, etc. There are many foodstuff contain umami flavor. Kelp is one of the representative of such.
Although the history of kelp tea (konbucha) is yet to be studied, it is said origin of kelp tea existed sometime in Edo period (17th century). Back then, people used sliced kelp with hot water. After drinking the extracted tea, ate the used kelp. In a way, it was enjoyed as flavor tea.
Back to "Gyokuroen" (玉露園), the company that invented powdered kelp tea in the first place and their products are what I'd like to talk about in this post.
Private use of kelp tea is decreasing each year but sales of kelp tea is increasing. What's happening is - increase of business use. Restaurants industry use powdered kelp tea as secret ingredient for variety of cuisines. Personally, I use kelp tea for many cooking, chicken grill, spaghetti, stews, etc. (Gyokuroen holds 60% market share of kelp tea.)
You should try kelp tea when you've got a chance.
Kelp tea with sliced kelp, (こんぶ茶 きざみ昆布入り).
Price: ¥540
There are two types of packages are available. (English and Chinese package.)
2g x 10 packs.
Ingredients: Salt, sugar, kelp, dextrin, amino acid, coral calcium
As it says on the package, this may be more enjoyable if you think it as soup.
Green tea, (グリーンティー).
Price: ¥324
Ingredients: Sugar, matcha
120g. Powdered matcha tea with sugar.
Nice to enjoy matcha with ice.
Make hot matcha to warm up. The taste is sweet.
Dark green tea, (濃いグリーンティー).
Price: ¥378
Ingredients: Sugar, matcha
90g. Much darker flavor.
This is more suitable sweet matcha to me. Slightly bitter matcha flavor match perfectly with sugar. If you are new to matcha, start with green tea and try darker green tea if you want more.
Where to buy: "Gyokuroen"
There are dealers throughout Japan that sales Gyokuron's products but availability varies. So I suggest as below:
Gyokuroen.
Address: 2F, 1-13-19, Sekiguchi, Bunkyo ward, Tokyo
Open hours: 9:00 to 17:00
Closed on: Weekends
Gyokuroen's tea shop.
Address: 1-14-1, Sekiguchi, Bunkyo ward, Tokyo
Open hours: 10:00 to 17:00
Closed on: Weekends
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