This is the second installment of my Taste Casting visit to the Essencha Tea House in Cincinnati, Ohio.  If you missed the intro post, you can find it here:  Cincinnati Taste Casting visits the Essencha Tea House .

Tracy Monson, owner and founder of Essencha, presented us with many teas to sample.  We tried Tulsi Apple Pear which was a botanical iced tea.  With our lunch samples we enjoyed matcha latte, an energizing tea with soy latte.  We also had Bubble Tea.  What is bubble tea???

We enjoyed Lychee Jasmine Green Bubble Tea.  It starts with pearl tapioca (which Tracy explained was formed from the casava root from South America).  It is boiled for 20 minutes and then it sits for another 20 minutes.  The tapioca is then gelatinous in nature.  It is then marinated in a simple syrup.  The freshly brewed tea is shaken with fruit syrup and then poured over the sweetened pearls.

The tapioca in sitting on the bottom of the glass,  You suck the pearls up using the monster straw and eat them.  They are just like jelly fruit snacks.  What fun!

We each got to take home a tea sample and some “make your own” tea bags – bags that are open on one end to allow you to make a loose tea bag.  Essencha sells a variety of loose tea and also sells the “make your own” tea bags if you need them (see website below).

We also received a Essencha Tea Passport – a little book that lists all of their teas so that you can keep track of the things you have tried.

Want to learn more about tea?  Be sure to visit the Essencha Tea House.  The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly.  They are happy to help you choose something you will enjoy and are trained to assist you.  They also offer “Tea 101″ classes and host group tastings.

For more information, visit them at Essencha Tea House, 3212 Madison Road in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Or on the web at http://www.essencha.com