I was grumpy this morning as I rooted through my kitchen cabinets, irritated with myself for running out of green tea, when I located a small bag of Kukicha twigs I’d relegated to secondary tea status. I fixed a cup and yum–this is a tea no one should neglect! It’s nuttier than a green or white tea, and much less astringent. Whereas you might imagine a green tea whispering “Eeek” in your ear, Kukicha twig utters a far more relaxed “Ahhh.”

This site says that Kukicha twig tea “was popularized in the U.S. and Europe in the 1960s by George Ohsawa, the founder of modern macrobiotics. Mr. Ohsawa considered Kukicha to be the perfect complementary beverage for a grain-based or mostly vegetarian diet, due to its alkaline qualities.” It apparently has the ability to neutralize both acids and alkalines in food. Look for it in your health food store. Here it is in tea bag form.