Re: green tea with barley

[Guest guest]

Also I have read that some types of green teas at Japanese restaurants

have barley in them, so when they bring you tea at the restaurant it

may not be safe.

On Sun, Sep 28, 2008 at 1:13 PM, <TrVerb@...> wrote:

> The problem with miso soup isn't soy sauce; that isn't a usual ingredient

> (though of course always ask) - it's that some miso is made from barley. A

> good restaurant should be able to tell you what the miso is made from (soy

> or rice being the safe options, of course).

>

>

>

> In a message dated 9/28/08 1:09:42 PM, flatcat9@... writes:

>

>

> any miso that contains soy sauce. That can be difficult, but not impossible.

> Most miso (I think most) is GF, but not all.

>

>

>

>

>

> **************

> Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check

> out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators.

> (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001)

>

>

[Guest guest]

, thank you very much for your informative reply. I'm saving it; your post contains so much good information.

I'd never considered the possibility that green tea with roasted rice could pose a risk. I assume you mean that it might have processing additives. Therefore, in happy ignorance, I've drunk a lot of it, from various sources. (To me, the flavor is not particularly interesting, but it's surprisingly comforting, soothing, on cold days.)

H.

In a message dated 9/29/08 10:46:48 AM, seamaiden399@...:

I've never been sure about the

green tea combined with roasted rice- I don't know if the processing

would contain anything bad.

**************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators. (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001)

[Guest guest]

Two things: With miso the dashi stock can also have wheat in it, many

of the instant stocks are bullion like and contain wheat. I only eat

miso at home. I have also seen a bunch of places that put small

noodles in their miso. (weird)

As for the tea, many of them can have barley in them and I also avoid

them while out. I only drink tea out if I've seen the box or bag the

tea was made from.

[Guest guest]

Again, thanks, .

Harper**************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators. (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001)

[Guest guest]

This information is very helpful. It would seem green tea is naturally gf; only barley tea (mugicha) contains gluten. It's great to have the name, so we can ask about it -- mugicha -- specifically.

Thanks,

Tristan

In a message dated 9/29/08 12:27:27 PM, seamaiden399@... writes:

I hadn't spent a lot of time looking into green tea with roasted rice

(gen-mai-cha) but was vaguely concerned that the rice might be coated

with something before or after toasting. Today I decided to look into

it a bit- and I am a bit reassured. Brown rice (gen mai) is toasted

until it browns, puffs, or pops, and is then combined with green tea.

It is possible something might be added, but I don't have strong

evidence either way, so it may very well be safe.

One of the problems with tea is that if anything, it is called

generically "O-cha" which just means tea- usually referring to

Japanese tea/green tea. There are a variety of teas, though... I found

these on Wikipedia (complete with Japanese kanji- will look like

gibberish if you don't have Japanese or Chinese fonts installed):

& #30058; & #33590; Bancha (common tea)

Sencha harvested as a third or fourth flush tea between summer and

autumn. Aki-Bancha (autumn Bancha) is not made from entire leaves, but

from the trimmed unnecessary twigs of the tea plant.

& #29572; & #31859; & #33590; Genmaicha (brown-rice tea)

Bancha (sometimes Sencha) and roasted genmai (brown rice) blend.

It is often mixed with a small amount of Matcha to make the color better.

& #29577; & #38706; Gyokuro (Jade Dew)

The highest grade Japanese green tea cultivated in special way.

Gyokuro's name refers to the pale green color of the infusion. The

leaves are grown in the shade before harvest, which alters their

flavor. Gyokuro has a high caffeine content (Generally 0.16% in

infusion [2]), but the significant L-Theanine content of Gyokuro slows

down and counteracts the caffeine assimilation, and also the amount

ingested is very small (Generally 10ml - 60ml).

& #28953; & #12376; & #33590; H & #333;jicha (roasted tea)

A green tea roasted over charcoal.

& #20896; & #33590; Kabusecha (covered tea)

Kabusecha is sencha tea, the leaves of which have grown in the

shade prior to harvest, although not for as long as Gyokuro. It has a

more delicate flavor than Sencha.

& #31407; & #29006; & #33590; Kamairicha tea (pan-fried tea)

Kamairicha is a pan fried green tea that does not undergo the

usual steam treatments of Japanese tea and does not have the

characteristic bitter taste of most Japanese tea.

& #33550; & #33590; Kukicha (stalk tea)

A tea made from stalks produced by harvesting one bud and three

leaves.

& #25273; & #33590; Matcha (rubbed tea)

A fine ground tea ( & #30910; & #33590; Ten-cha). It has a very similar

cultivation process as Gyokuro. It is used primarily in the tea

ceremony. Matcha is also a popular flavor of ice cream and other

sweets in Japan.

& #33469; & #33590; Mecha tea (buds and tips tea)

Mecha is green tea derived from a collection of leaf buds and tips

of the early crops. Mecha is harvested in spring and made as rolled

leaf teas that are graded somewhere between Gyokuro and Sencha in quality.

* & #40614; & #33590; Mugicha (roasted barley tea)

Mugicha is a roasted barley tea. It is generally regarded as a

cooling summer beverage in Japan.

& #29006; & #33590; Sencha (broiled tea)

The first and second flush of green tea, which is the most common

green tea in Japan made from leaves that are exposed directly to

sunlight. The first flush is also called shincha ( & #26032; & #33590;#33590;<wbr>:

& #29577; & #32209; & #33590; Tamaryokucha

A tea that has a tangy, berry-like taste, with a long almondy

aftertaste and a deep aroma with tones of citrus, grass, and berries.

------

Me again:

*Mugi-cha is often served cold in summer, but I believe it can also be

served warm in winter. As mentioned previously, it is the one tea that

we definitely can't drink. If you are served a chilled, brownish tea

in summer at a Japanese restaurant in Japan or in the States, it is

undoubtedly mugi-cha and should be avoided. Oolong (a black tea) is

also served cold in Japan, but usually only at Chinese restaurants or

as an unsweeetened "soft drink." You can buy green tea as a prepared

soft drink as well, but I don't think I've ever been served it cold

and freshly made in a restaurant.

Gen-mai cha may very well be ok- I just don't know either way and have

been (perhaps unnecessarily) cautious.

Happy tea drinking!

-

**************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators. (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001)

[Guest guest]

I lived in Japan for two years and often prepare Japanese food, so I

thought I'd chime in. The problem with Japanese soups is not always

the dashi stock. Dashi made from scratch is made from

bonito/katsuobushi flakes (dried fish) and konbu seaweed, so is safe.

The major brand of prepared dashi starts from little fishy pellets

that (last time I read the label) do not contain wheat. Japan has very

strict labeling laws and wheat as one of the top allergens must be

declared. This prepared dashi does contain MSG, which on last report

did not contain wheat (although it originally did and often does in

China). The miso itself is far more likely to contain gluten as the

starter enzymes may originally have contained a gluten (although it is

not entirely clear that this gluten remains in the product) and most

importantly, the only gluten-free base would be a simple rice and soy

miso, or white miso. Red miso is made from Barley. there are health

food exceptions, but the traditional Japanese varieties would always

be based in barley. Most waitresses in restaurants don't know enough

about the miso to answer questions about it- and I haven't had great

luck getting them to check, so I usually skip it. Other soups are

highly likely to contain soy sauce (made from wheat).

The green tea question is something that has always been up in the air

for me. Plain green tea is fine, but I've never been sure about the

green tea combined with roasted rice- I don't know if the processing

would contain anything bad. However, plain barley tea, known as Mugi

Cha, is very popular in Japan and often served in restaurants,

especially during the summer.

Soy sauce with wheat is a very common ingredient in many Japanese

dishes, so you really have to be careful about this. I have good luck

with pure sashimi (raw fish), avocado rolls, salt grilled fish, and

plain rice. Unfortunately Japanese salad dressings almost always

contain soy sauce or wheat, so it's generally best to avoid them.'

Hope this helps!

-

>

> Two things: With miso the dashi stock can also have wheat in it, many

> of the instant stocks are bullion like and contain wheat. I only eat

> miso at home. I have also seen a bunch of places that put small

> noodles in their miso. (weird)

> As for the tea, many of them can have barley in them and I also avoid

> them while out. I only drink tea out if I've seen the box or bag the

> tea was made from.

>

[Guest guest]

I hadn't spent a lot of time looking into green tea with roasted rice

(gen-mai-cha) but was vaguely concerned that the rice might be coated

with something before or after toasting. Today I decided to look into

it a bit- and I am a bit reassured. Brown rice (gen mai) is toasted

until it browns, puffs, or pops, and is then combined with green tea.

It is possible something might be added, but I don't have strong

evidence either way, so it may very well be safe.

One of the problems with tea is that if anything, it is called

generically " O-cha " which just means tea- usually referring to

Japanese tea/green tea. There are a variety of teas, though... I found

these on Wikipedia (complete with Japanese kanji- will look like

gibberish if you don't have Japanese or Chinese fonts installed):

& #30058; & #33590; Bancha (common tea)

Sencha harvested as a third or fourth flush tea between summer and

autumn. Aki-Bancha (autumn Bancha) is not made from entire leaves, but

from the trimmed unnecessary twigs of the tea plant.

& #29572; & #31859; & #33590; Genmaicha (brown-rice tea)

Bancha (sometimes Sencha) and roasted genmai (brown rice) blend.

It is often mixed with a small amount of Matcha to make the color better.

& #29577; & #38706; Gyokuro (Jade Dew)

The highest grade Japanese green tea cultivated in special way.

Gyokuro's name refers to the pale green color of the infusion. The

leaves are grown in the shade before harvest, which alters their

flavor. Gyokuro has a high caffeine content (Generally 0.16% in

infusion [2]), but the significant L-Theanine content of Gyokuro slows

down and counteracts the caffeine assimilation, and also the amount

ingested is very small (Generally 10ml - 60ml).

& #28953; & #12376; & #33590; H & #333;jicha (roasted tea)

A green tea roasted over charcoal.

& #20896; & #33590; Kabusecha (covered tea)

Kabusecha is sencha tea, the leaves of which have grown in the

shade prior to harvest, although not for as long as Gyokuro. It has a

more delicate flavor than Sencha.

& #31407; & #29006; & #33590; Kamairicha tea (pan-fried tea)

Kamairicha is a pan fried green tea that does not undergo the

usual steam treatments of Japanese tea and does not have the

characteristic bitter taste of most Japanese tea.

& #33550; & #33590; Kukicha (stalk tea)

A tea made from stalks produced by harvesting one bud and three

leaves.

& #25273; & #33590; Matcha (rubbed tea)

A fine ground tea ( & #30910; & #33590; Ten-cha). It has a very similar

cultivation process as Gyokuro. It is used primarily in the tea

ceremony. Matcha is also a popular flavor of ice cream and other

sweets in Japan.

& #33469; & #33590; Mecha tea (buds and tips tea)

Mecha is green tea derived from a collection of leaf buds and tips

of the early crops. Mecha is harvested in spring and made as rolled

leaf teas that are graded somewhere between Gyokuro and Sencha in quality.

* & #40614; & #33590; Mugicha (roasted barley tea)

Mugicha is a roasted barley tea. It is generally regarded as a

cooling summer beverage in Japan.

& #29006; & #33590; Sencha (broiled tea)

The first and second flush of green tea, which is the most common

green tea in Japan made from leaves that are exposed directly to

sunlight. The first flush is also called shincha ( & #26032; & #33590;: a new tea).

& #29577; & #32209; & #33590; Tamaryokucha

A tea that has a tangy, berry-like taste, with a long almondy

aftertaste and a deep aroma with tones of citrus, grass, and berries.

------

Me again:

*Mugi-cha is often served cold in summer, but I believe it can also be

served warm in winter. As mentioned previously, it is the one tea that

we definitely can't drink. If you are served a chilled, brownish tea

in summer at a Japanese restaurant in Japan or in the States, it is

undoubtedly mugi-cha and should be avoided. Oolong (a black tea) is

also served cold in Japan, but usually only at Chinese restaurants or

as an unsweeetened " soft drink. " You can buy green tea as a prepared

soft drink as well, but I don't think I've ever been served it cold

and freshly made in a restaurant.

Gen-mai cha may very well be ok- I just don't know either way and have

been (perhaps unnecessarily) cautious.

Happy tea drinking!

-

-- In , flatcat9@... wrote:

>

> , thank you very much for your informative reply. I'm saving

it; your

> post contains so much good information.

>

> I'd never considered the possibility that green tea with roasted

rice could

> pose a risk. I assume you mean that it might have processing

additives.

> Therefore, in happy ignorance, I've drunk a lot of it, from various

sources. (To

> me, the flavor is not particularly interesting, but it's surprisingly

> comforting, soothing, on cold days.)

>

> H.

>

> In a message dated 9/29/08 10:46:48 AM, seamaiden399@...:

>

>

> > I've never been sure about the

> > green tea combined with roasted rice- I don't know if the processing

> > would contain anything bad.

> >

>

>

>

>

> **************

> Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial

> challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and

information, tips and

> calculators.

> (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001)

>