The Coffee Drinker's Green Tea If you find green tea too "grassy" or bitter, Houjicha will change your mind. It starts as a high-quality Japanese green tea, but instead of being steamed, the leaves and stems are roasted over high heat in porcelain pots. This transforms the tea from green to a rich reddish-brown and replaces the vegetal flavor with notes of cocoa, caramel, and toasted nuts. Why It Works The roasting process does two magical things. First, it caramelizes the natural sugars in the stem, creating a naturally sweet, nutty flavor profile. Second, the heat breaks down the caffeine and tannins. The result is a tea that is incredibly smooth, virtually non-astringent, and safe to drink late at night. The Evening Ritual The "Japanese Latte." In Kyoto, Houjicha lattes are as popular as Matcha lattes. Brew this tea very strong (using boiling water), then add steamed oat milk and a drop of maple syrup. It tastes like a roasted marshmallow in a cup.
