As a guilo trying to figure out how to plug into world tea culture, Ito En is a great place to start. As Ryan notes, their NYC store is off the hook. Makinohara Sencha is a great baseline to acculturating this Texan’s taste buds to the finer things in life. I have no doubt there are better teas out there, but as the first step in a lifelong journey, this is a good place to start.
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I forced myself to drink iced tea at a Texas barbecue in 1986, recognizing that my maternal British heritage had to find personal expression if even in the most abject of forms. Luckily, that iced tea was unsweet.
Since 2002, I’ve been trying to sensitize my American taste buds to the complexity and subtlety of a properly brewed cup of tea. At the same time, I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around the expanse and enormity of the industry.
Though I still self-identify as an uncultured clod, I aspire to the alternative. My heart aches that Snapple associates itself with tea. I steer away from anyone who offers me anything steeped with berries, spices and herbs. Always, always, always…unsweet.
Location
Austin, TX
