Bancha Tea-by Aveline kushi

Place 11/2-2 tablespoons of roasted twigs in 11/2 quarts of spring water and bring to a boil. Keep unused twigs in an airtight jar until needed. When the water boils, reduce heat to low and simmer for several minutes. For a light tea, simmer 2-3 minutes. For a darker, stronger tea, simmer 10-15 minutes. To serve, place a small bamboo or metal tea strainer  in each cup and pour out tea. Twigs in the strainer may be returned to the teapot and reused several times. Bancha tea may be served hot year-round as well as cool in the summer. It is usually drunk plain, though for medicinal purposes a drop of tamari soy sauce, kuzu, or other ingredients may be mixed in.

-When it is hot outside I like to serve cold bancha with lemon or mis it with some apple juice.

-For more on tea go here .

A nice cup of  tea, hot or cold is relaxing and refreshing.

Bancha Tea

Place 11/2-2 tbsp of roasted twig tea in 1 1/2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. When water comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for several minutes (for a light tea 2-3 min) For a darker, stronger tea simmer for 10-15 min. To serve, place a small metal or bamboo strainer in each cup and pour out the tea. Twigs can be left to dry, saved and reused several times.

-Let tea cool, add lemon or lime slices , a little sweetener and serve chilled.

- Not ideal , but if in a pinch tea can be made in a coffee maker.

Other yummy teas.

-Green tea

-Kukicha tea

-Roasted barley tea

-Brown rice tea

-Mu tea

-Chamomile

-Dandylion

-Lemon balm

-Nettle