It’s Green Tea Time In Honolulu
As the rest of the world discovers the benefits of green, ITO EN introduces a variety of new teas
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Del.icio.usThe Master Tea Taster Of Honolulu
Hiroyuki Kodama samples aroma
and taste
Hiroyuki Kodama, ITO EN USA general manger of sales, is a certified tea taster. This coveted title, like a wine sommelier, is accorded select individuals who acquire a professional level knowledge about teas.
ITO EN administers the Tea Taster Achievement System, an in-house qualification program. Like a Harvard MBA, it’s a course tough with challenging written and taste tests.
Tea tasters are indeed rare in Hawaii. Kodama is often called upon by buyers and food service management to do presentations and tastings. He has been employed at ITO EN for 12 years, four of those in Hawaii.
Kodama has the rank of tea taster, second class, meaning he not only knows green tea inside-out, but also has an impressive insight to black teas and oolong teas.
When he tears apart a tea bag and analyzes the contents, dramatic things can happen. For instance, several hotel chains in
Waikiki have changed tea brands after close-up comparisons of tea leaves and taste.
One buyer admits, “Many teas have a lot of junk in them.”
When examining tea leaves, Kodama judges five factors: shape, aroma (dry), aroma in hot water, color and taste.
High grade tea leaf is flexible (“can twist.”) Low-grade leaf is dry and brittle.
ITO EN prints an expiration date on all packaged teas. Other tea manufactures don’t, compromising shelf life and credibility about product freshness.
When brewing hot tea, don’t seep it too long. Kodama says this is a common mistake of individual servers. He advises storing opened packages of loose tea in dry, cool places; refrigerate or freeze.
Green tea, according to Kodama, pairs well with sushi, seafood, and spices like wasabi.
“But I am not so strict,” he says. “Each person has favorite taste, and any tea choice that they like is fine with me.
“But if they haven’t tasted ITO EN brand, I tell them softly, please try our tea. This is more fresh.”
-Susan Sunderland
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