Tea made from tree twigs

Surprisingly these stems...

...make a very satisfying cup of tea!

Japanese Kukicha, or ‘twig’, tea is literally made from the stems and twigs of the Camellia Sinensis bush. This is of course the exact same plant whose leaves are responsible for the thousands of tea varieties in countries around the globe.

Much lower in caffeine than ‘leaf’ tea – and unfortunately also lacking in the flavor department - there is something strangely soothing about Kukicha that entices you to come back for more. Good thing you get a few steepings out of a couple of tablespoons full!

Although you’re supposed to treat this like a green tea, steeping it around 80C, I’d recommend a much higher steeping at 95C until it gets a nice, dark colour – it will have a much stronger, nuttier flavour.

A teacup grows in Brooklyn

I had this terrarium custom made for me by Twig Terrariums a couple of years ago. If you look closely, you'll even see a woman enjoying a cup of tea on the bench...