Kukicha
Kukicha (茎茶) is a Japanese blend of
green tea made of stems, stalks, and twigs.
Kukicha has a nutty, slightly creamy flavour. It is made of four sorts of stems, stalks and twigs of
Camellia sinensi. The name means "sword energy" tea due to its inclusion of small twigs that resemble swords. For best results, kukicha is steeped in water between 70 to 80 C (155 - 180 degrees Fahrenheit) during three minutes (otherwise, like all green teas, the result will be a bitter, unsavoury brew).
Uniquely flavourful, kukicha is also one of the preferred teas of the
macrobiotic diet. Kukicha can also be added to juice to make an excellent children's drink. Kukicha is a powerful
anti-oxidant and is very low in
caffeine, in fact the lowest in caffeine of all traditional teas.
