Genmaicha

Putting puffed rice in green tea: this is the genius of Genmaicha.

Tales and legends of the puffed rice tea

A thousand legends surround the birth of ‘genmaicha’, Japan’s famous puffed rice green tea. Some say it all began when a clumsy servant dropped the grains of rice he had hidden in his sleeve into his master’s (expensive) tea. Others say it was the idea of a tea merchant who wanted to make something special out of his leftover mochi. The truth is probably less amusing, as genmaicha is thought to have originated as a way of making tea last longer during the food shortages of the 20th century… Which doesn’t change the fact that it’s absolutely delicious.

It’s still a hit

Although it’s not considered a ‘great tea’ in the same way as Gyokuro or pure Sencha, Genmaicha shines with its puffed rice flavour (of course): it’s perfect for the morning because of its sweetness and elegance, and its roasted grain notes are still pleasant after a thousand cups (we dare say, because we drink it almost every day). The vast majority of beginners are seduced, and almost all of them will try to crush the rice grains after the infusion… In vain, the grains are softened. But who can blame them, because who doesn’t love the taste of puffed rice?

Variations on the puffed rice theme

There are many different types of Genmaicha. Firstly, they depend on the type of tea used: sencha, bencha, kukicha, houjicha, etc. Blends are also possible. The second decisive criterion is, of course, the rice itself. The type of rice and the way it is grown make all the difference to the flavour of the tea: is it tsuyahime? Is it Koshihikari? Is it toasted? Blown? As always, you’ll have to taste it to decide…