The Emperor's Ice Cream - Chado Tea House Newsletter June 2025
Iced Tea and Ice Cream
Hello from chilly Vancouver. We know it's very hot in other parts of North America, but here, it feels like autumn, which is fine with us.
Back in 1996, something big happened in Japan.
We are sure many big things happened, but in tea terms, we are talking about the great ‘Häagen-Dazs Shock’.
Häagen-Dazs introduced Matcha-flavored ice cream in Japan.
In 1996, Matcha in Japan was not cool or trendy. It was an ‘old person's thing’. Matcha was considered only in terms of the tea ceremony and was mostly confined to older generations.
The arrival of Matcha ice cream was a hit. Young people, old people, and people in the middle liked it. The flavor and color were like real Matcha, and it sold very well, so much so that there was a bit of a rush on Matcha and a shortage.
The Häagen-Dazs team resident in Japan developed the Matcha version, and they understood the significance of the tea in the country.
Buoyed by the success in Japan, the company released Matcha ice cream in the rest of the world. People familiar with the original Japanese and international versions were a bit underwhelmed by the latest version. It sold and still sells well, trailing Vanilla and Chocolate, which are way out in front, but many people see that old first version as the 'Gold Standard' for Matcha ice cream.
Well, Häagen-Dazs is at it again, and they have announced that a new flavor is due next month—Gyokuro. We must admit we are looking forward to trying this, but are a bit apprehensive. We are apprehensive because we hope Gyokuro doesn’t take a hit regarding availability.
This Gyokuro flavor is part of a Häagen-Dazs ‘Japan Mind’ set of four new flavors; another of the bunch is Hojicha gelato. We couldn’t find information on where the products will be available, but if we can get our hands on some in Canada, we will let you know how they are.
Japan Mind Ice Creams Coming July from Häagen-Dazs (may need to use 'translate')
The ‘Great Matcha Shortage Shock’ 2025 version is getting worse, and we hate to tell you that prices are on their way up; our suppliers cannot keep up with the demand. The demand for Matcha may affect other teas; shortages are possible as producers switch production to Matcha from Sencha and other teas.
We are working to not only keep the Matcha available but our other teas as well.
Two Quality Gyokuro Teas from Yame
What is so special about Gyokuro?
As you most likely know, Gyokuro is a shaded tea. It is grown in the usual way until about four weeks before harvest, when it is covered to limit the amount of sunlight that gets to the plants.
This lack of sun does the following.
- Less photosynthesis means fewer bitter catechins are produced.
L-theanine, which is usually converted to catechins, remains in the leaves, adding to the umami and general sweetness. - More chlorophyll is produced, giving the tea a deep green color and distinctive vegetal aroma.
- We drink lots of tea here at Chado Tea House. We have recently been tasting a lot of Hojicha, and we continue to like a morning Matcha. However, if we had to choose, most of us would opt for Gyokuro as our long-time favorite.
Here are a few Gyokuro to tempt you.
For those familiar with Sencha tea who want to give Gyokuro a try, this is a perfect place to start. Gyokuro Classic provides a good introduction to the exploration of Gyokuro tea
We sell several types of Gyokuro, and the type of coverings, the shading period and the harvesting method all affect the quality of the finished product. This Gyokuro Yama Classic is an economical, high-quality tea. This tea is produced efficiently with:
- Synthetic fabric covering rather than the more traditional materials.
- The covering is layered directly on the tea plants rather than being a separate roof.
- The leaves are machine-picked instead of picked by hand.
- The result of these growing options is a delicious tasting Gyokuro at a very economical price.
4g (1 1/2tsp) / One cup / 75-65°C (167-149°F) /60-90 sec / brew up to 3 times
