HOROKU

(Free shipping within Canada & the US)

A horoku, also called hojiki is one of the coolest off-the beaten track gadgets you may have in a tea ware collection.  It is a clay pot designed to roast tea.

Hojicha (ほうじちゃ) is roast tea; in most cases, it is a humble yet very popular tea in Japan.  A naturally sweet flavour, low astringency and (oftentimes) low caffeine content make it a delicious and relaxing treat.  Some popular variations are:

- Hoji Bancha:  late harvest, 'rough' green tea leaves, roasted.

- Karigane Hojicha: twigs (called both 'kuki' and 'bo') from early harvest tea, roasted.

- Sencha Bancha:  some older sencha (with diminished aroma) may be brought back to life through a light roasting process.  It will NOT taste like fresh sencha; but it can become a delicious, sweet and fragrant tea.

--------------------------------------------------

MAKE HOJICHA AND MORE!  These are other recommended uses for your horoku:

1) Pu Er Kao Cha (烤茶):  many of Yunnan's minorities roast raw Pu Er leaves lightly before boiling them for a few minutes in spring water.  This process enables you to achieve a very pleasant, sweet infusion despite 'overstepping' the tea.

2) Roasting Rice for Ryukyu Buku-Buku Cha:  roast rice will create the rich, creamy froth required for Okinawa's tea delicacy.

3) Roasting Old Sencha:  if you find some long lost tea that may have seen better days... try roasting it.  Start with a very light roast, just to bring back the aroma.  Then, try roasting it longer, perhaps taking it to a golden hue with notes of caramel.

4) Roast Green Coffee:  one of our favourite coffee bars in Kyoto roasted green beans to order with one of the cool pots.  To be clear:  the results will NOT achieve the consistency and complexity that professional coffee roasters get; however, there is a different kind of enjoyment in smelling the aroma of coffee beans while they 'pop' and become golden in front of your eyes.  

5) Matcha Hojicha:  it is with deep sorrow that we've sometimes found little packs of matcha that may be too olde to enjoy; these can be lightly, carefully roasted... and taste delicious in an oat milk latte.