Tea finds a new audience in kitchens and bars
According to the Wall Street Journal, tea is becoming increasingly popular with chefs and bartenders. A big educational push by tea manufacturers and sommeliers has made cooks and customers realize that gourmet tea can be used outside the cup as an ingredient in dishes and drinks. There are now many restaurants and bars across the US that are successfully experimenting with gourmet tea. For example, genmaicha, a Japanese green tea, can be ground with a pinch of salt to create a seasoning for grilled vegetables or meat. Another of Japan's most popular green teas, Sencha, is used by a New York bartender as a base for an alcohol-infused tea punch.