Happiness, or at least contentment, is a fragrant mug of Genmaicha (玄米茶) or brown rice tea quaffed at sunrise. My favorite blend comes from the Kowloon Market in Chinatown - it was brewed up at first light and lovingly decanted just as waves of Canada geese were passing over the little blue house in the village.
The combination of green tea and roasted brown rice is popularly called popcorn tea because a few grains of rice pop during the roasting and turn the mix into something festive. In the beginning, my favorite morning potion was imbibed by poorer Japanese, the rice serving as a filler and reducing the cost of the tea in local shops. Genmaicha was once known as the "people's tea", but today it is loved and consumed in vast quantities by all classes of society.
This morning, the great Canadas seemed as happy to be home as I was to hear them singing greetings to the still sleeping world. I raised my mug to them in a return greeting, and it seemed to me that springtime is not only possible - it is not far away.
Monday, April 01, 2013
Comfort Is Popcorn Tea and Singing Geese
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2 comments:
I mournfully saw waves and waves of Canadian Geese flying overhead a few weeks ago, heading north, as the flocks here thin out... Fortunately, they stay here all year round, so we still have flocks grazing by bodies of water and in open fields... ahhhh :) Soothes the soul...
what a lovely, peaceful and beautiful picture you paint with this post, dear unknown friend.
I don't drink green tea (don't like it) but I like the idea to have it with pop corn - as I like any idea to have with pop corn... :)
Don't even remember when I had some pc !!!! But I have my Earl Grey Tea (from the one and only right English brand - have it shipped to me) every morning of my week.
The geese top off this beautiful picture - sigh! Sounds like a dream.
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