As I sit in this coffee shop, surrounded by homework, sipping a matcha latte, I am reminded of the consciousness in the act of tasting that has been brought to us in Kotomi’s tea tasting labs. Sitting around Kotomi, we all go quiet, ready for the experience coming to us that week. In our tastings, we are reminded of the pleasures we so often take for granted that we are able to find when we take the time to sit quietly and experience whatever it may be that we are consuming.
Since beginning the tasting labs, I have found my daily morning tea a pleasure worth noting, instead of just a caffeine boost to help make it through the day. Bringing awareness to consumption has helped to make me feel more in synch and part of my own body.
| Type of Tea | Appereance, Dried or Steeped | Flavor Notes | Aroma, Dried or Steeped |
| Japanese Matcha
175 f |
Dried: Jade like green powder
Steeped: Earthy brownish green, opaque |
Hay, relatively bitter, taste immediate and central on tongue, earthy and somewhat spicy flavor, remains in mouth | Mossy aroma, notes of dried fruit, subtle, earthy, vegetal |
| Pu-Erh
212 f |
Brown, like pine needle, beautiful brownish red when steeped, amber | Very woody, notes of sawdust, but pleasant regardless, not astringent | Very woody and foresty, hints of undergrowth and dirt |
| Oolong
185 f |
Dark forest green, some lighter hints of color, buttery yellow when steeped | Subtle full flavor, balanced distribution of flavor, like the stem of a flower | Very floral, Lily like, mossy and woody notes |