For Christmas my boss Carol got me a couple of excellent green teas. One of them was a more common table tea, Bancha, and one a higher-end dessert green with a slightly airier flavor.
I’ve got to say, if you’re looking for a strong cup of green go with the Bancha. It’s a little earthy, a little more green than anything you’ll find pre-bagged. Also, it’s excellent if whisked into the cooling-from-boiling water (definately not hot enough to scald).
As a trick to avoid the actual whisking process for those of you (like me) that don’t actually have a tea whisk, you can use a strainer with a handle and simply whip it through the water rapidly. Which is whisking, I suppose, but not in a traditional manner.
Absenting the tea from being directly in the water while swishing it probably violates some long held concept of tea-ery, but seems to get the job done equally well.
