Taste of Tea

On Sunday I watched the Japanese movie Taste of Tea.  As I watched the lengthy two hours and twenty minute film, I was so grateful that I had made Matcha Iri Genmaicha tea and green tea ice cream to go along with it.  Those were the only things that kept me from turning off the movie.  Don't get me wrong, there were parts of the movie I liked, but it was a little too slow, like is anything going to happen here?  Do people really lie around this much?  Anyways, below is the Green Tea Ice Cream recipe I made from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop.  If you have never had green tea ice cream, you must try it.  It has such an unusual earthy, creamy flavor.  This particular recipe has a surprisingly strong taste the first few bites, but once you got past those, the flavored mellowed and you could really enjoy the incredibly creamy texture.  I really couldn't get enough.

Ingredients for Green Tea Ice Cream from The Perfect Scoop, makes about 1 quart:

-1 cup whole milk
-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-Pinch of salt
-2 cups heavy cream
-4 teaspoons matcha (green tea powder)
-6 large egg yolks

Matcha (green tea powder).  You can find it at your Asian grocery store, or at House of Cha.

To begin, warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan.  Pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk the green tea powder in.  This was much more challenging than I expected.  The powder likes to stay clumpy, so I used a spoon to break the clumps around the side of the bowl.  Don't worry if you still have some clumps, the warm custard will help dissolve the rest.  Place bowl over an ice bath, and place a mesh strainer on top of mixture.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks.  Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape everything back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.  Pour the custard through the strainer and stir into the cream, then whisk it vigorously until the custard is frothy to dissolve the green tea powder.  Stir until cool over the ice bath.

Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight, and then freeze in your ice cream maker according to your manufacturer's instructions.

Matcha Iri Genmaicha is my favorite tea - tastes like popcorn!

Since the Takashimaya sadly closed in NYC (where the Tea Box was located), I would recommend checking out House of Cha in Lawrence, Kansas for your tea needs.  You can order a variety of Chinese and Japanese teas online and they are so sweet when you stop by their shop.

For other drinks, check out my Prometheus Springs review here.

Tea Box

If you ever want to experience a quiet, relaxing place to shop where you can't afford anything but everything is beautiful - try Takashimaya. If you ever want to experience a quiet, relaxing place where you can afford to buy something - try Tea Box, located in the basement of Takashimaya.

Takashimaya is a luxurious Japanese department store located on 5th Avenue between 54th and 55th Street. Takashimaya consists of 5 floors, each one with their own mood depending on the merchandise. My favorites are the travel floor and the home and garden floor. On the basement level you can find Tea Box. The front section has teas, teapots, and accessories for purchase. Dried tea leaves are on display, along with cookies and candy. The back section is a cozy place for a hot pot of tea or a well executed bento box.
Tea Box is opened Monday through Saturday, and lunch is served from 11:45-2:45 p, and afternoon tea service is between 3:00-5:30 p. The atmosphere is lovely, decorated with metallic fabric covered walls and modern lighting. The servers are always sweet and accommodating, but sometimes the guests are a little obnoxious. Be prepared to be surrounded by fur coats, heavy perfume, and bags from Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffany. Aside from the lousy company, the menu is concise and appetizing - bento boxes, sandwiches, salads, and an assortment of over 30 teas.
I love to get genmaicha tea. It is a sweet, nutty green tea that has toasted rice and popcorn. To read more about genmaicha click here. All tea is served in special pots and cups, depending on the variety you ordered. Some teas are accompanied by a small rock candy to use as a sweetener. I find it very charming and clever.
I always get the vegetarian bento box (there is also a meat bento box option - see menu picture below), and I am never disappointed. The boxes come out covered with a lid and server lifts the lid off for you - giving the "ta-da" effect. The vegetarian bento box comes with the following:

-Green Tea Noodles with Seaweed
-Tempura Vegetables with Seaweed Dipping Sauce
-Grilled Seasonal Vegetables
-Seasame Crusted Tofu with Sesame Sauce
-Petit Salad
-Chestnut and Mushroom with Rice
-Warabi Mochi
The box almost feels like a gift, each small compartment has a small treasure for your mouth. The vegetable tempura is delicious. The tempura is light, flaky, and not greasy at all. The rice is well seasoned, I definitely could have eaten a larger portion. And the the noodles and seaweed are cold and refreshing. Overall, I feel full (not in a stuffed way) and satisfied.
If you are ever strolling along 5th Avenue, I definitely recommend stopping by Takashimaya to rest your feet and relax with a hot cup of tea.