Filter Magazine by Siena Tan

NOT JUST MILK AND SUGAR

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FILTER is the one and only go-to publication on anything and everything related to tea. 04 The Japan Issue

DEAR READERS, I can't believe it — the day is finally here. After long, grueling months of living on caffeine and sleeping in office chairs, what used to be an idea, is now a full-print publication hot off the press! But let me tell you, it wasn't all rainbows and unicorns. I quit my day job. To those of you who are unaware, FILTER as a business was not what I did by day, but it is now. My decision to quit my day job was more about rocking my own boat than anything else. You've heard the saying "a change is as good as a holiday"... well I decided to combine them both. That's where New York comes into play. A little while ago, I moved to my second home, New York City (my first home being Vancouver, Canada — my hometown). Now, I'm not here to tell you how great New York City is, because we all know it. We've all read about it, we've watched it on the big and small screens. I'm an outsider, discovering the city as if it was my first time seeing it. For over five months I researched, documented and met up with some of the most talented people I knew — my friends. We didn't have much, but that didn't matter because we had a vision, and if that doesn't count for anything, then I don't know what does. Anyone can Google information on tea, but what I craved was something original and visually pleasing, yet still resourceful. The last few years have been tough for New York. The recession has hit hard, and more individuals are turning

towards ungodly ways to get their quick fix for lack of twenty winks. Basically, the idea of purchasing an energy drink is the most, well, efficiant solution for drowsy eyelids and consistent allnighters for the college years, and you can sense the change that's happening. For me, sensing that there is about to be a major shift in the industry meant it became more important than ever to provide the journal with a facelift, to evolve and continue documenting the past, present and future state of the tea industry. Also, I have long wanted to explore an entire city in regard to just tea. Call me crazy, call me obsessive, but it's what I know and love. It's what drives me and keeps me going day after day. I chose New York for several reasons. As far as I'm concerned, New York in all its weather extremities is a city where ambition is strong, energy is vibrant, and competition is fierce. New York is the epicentre of the world. To my friends, my family, the staff and to all the incredible indivisuals I met on my travels — thank you. This issue represents my journey and it shows, most importantly, that inspiration comes from listening to experience. Make your own individual path. WITH LOVE AND BIRTHDAY WISHES, SIGNATURE

* EDItor in chief & chairman siena tan * editor paul willoughby / * creative director chun li / * photography director mia knight * production director gary mason * chief sub editor louise banbary * managing editor jonah hill * senior directors jeff glendenning / andrea fella * corresponents liam aldous / justin bergman / joachim bessing / aarti betigeri / severin furneaux / angus macpherson / masaharu morimoto / haruki murakami / ramona flowers / david jenkins / adam woodword

* publishing as-

sistant hannah el-boghdady * design assistants SIMON CROOK / fabrizio festa / eve lloyd knigHT / FRANCO NERO

H 06 The Japan Issue

LLO

LOT

* EDITORIAL SOPHIA AMORUSO / RICHARD ASLAN / LILLIE AULD / JEE CHOE / KEVIN CIRILLI / JONATHAN CROCKER / HEATHER CROSS / MAX FALKOWITZ / KRISTINA FELICIANO / Ellen Freudenheim / NAOKO HARA / DAVID JENKINS / JENNY MILLER / SHENSHITSU SEN / SIENA TAN / GLORIA TSANG * PHOTOGRAPHY LILLIE AULD / JEE CHOE / NICOLE FRANZEN / SARCOPTIFOAM / CRAIG CUTLER * ILLUSTRATION ELLIE EDWARDS / EVE LLOYD KNIGHT / CELINDA LEE / SIENA TAN /

PAUL WILLOUGHBY * COVER Tata christiene

/ RAKI FERNANDEZ / VAIVA HAWKINS /

KIM

KEUSEN / STEVEN LEE / ELLA PLAVIN / * SPECIAL THANKS charles tan / jeff glendenning / andrea fella / charles tan 07

5 Editor's Note 6 Contributers

12 Spring into Spring 16 His'tea'ry 19 Zen and Leaves 25 Excellence in Etiquette 26 The Way of Matcha 32 Tea Tooling 101

38 The 123 of Tea 42 Top 25 Most Tea Consuming Countries 44 Coffee vs. Tea: The Faceoff 48 The Yummy Pages

56 Collection Confidential 66 The Best Around the Block 70 In the Afteroom 80 Tea Blooms

FEATURES

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for things to do outside now that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finally spring, take a trip to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. It is currently the middle of cherry blossom season at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, which goes from April 1-29. The Cherry Blossom Festival is April 28-April 29. The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, known as "hanami" in Japanese, are also an historical New York treasure along with being a beautiful place to spend a spring afternoon. Words by Heather Cross

"THERE ARE EVEN COMPETITIONS FOR THE BEST SPOTS"

ounded in 1910, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is situated on 52-acres in the heart of Brooklyn. Thirteen gardens, six flower collections, and a conservatory with multiple environments to explore welcome over 725,000 visitors annually. Hanami is an important Japanese custom and is held all over Japan in spring. Hanami literally means viewing flowers, but it generally indicates cherry blossom viewing. It's said that the origin of hanami dates back to more than one thousand years ago when aristocrats enjoyed looking at beautiful cherry blossoms and wrote poems. Nowadays, people in Japan have fun viewing cherry blossoms, drinking 14

and eating. It is like a picnic under the trees. People bring homecooked meals, do BBQ, or buy take-out food for hanami. In popular hanami spots, there are even competitions for the best spots. If you do not like a crowd, you can go to neighborhood parks, gardens or other quiet places. The most popular kind of Japanese cherry (sakura) tree which can be found everywhere in Japan is somei-yoshino (Yedoensis). Sakura trees bloom at different times throughout Japan, and the blooming period of somei-yoshino is usually short he most popular

hanami. In popular hanami spots, there are even competitions for the best spots. If you do not like a crowd, you can go. .

n 1897 39 acres of an ash dump was reserved for a botanic garden in Brooklyn but the garden wasn’t officially founded until 1910. Over the next few years many beloved gardens were planted including the Children’s Garden in 1914, the Japanese Hill-andPond Garden in 1915, and the Rock Garden in 1916. The Shakespeare Garden

also opened in 1925. That same year, 32 bonsai trees were donated, starting the Botanic Garden’s now famous collection. Today the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has over 10,000 different types of flora and receives over 900,000 visitors each year. Cherry tree season sees over 200 cherry trees of 42 different varieties. The first cherry trees were planted in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden after World War I and were a gift from the Japanese government. It has become one of the foremost places outside of Japan to view cherry trees. The trees are found on the Cherry Esplanade and

Cherry Walk Japanese Hill Pond Garden and other locations at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

herry blossom festivals take place all over the country. Most of them are held between March to May, though other regions have them in January, February, and June, based on their location. Festival dates are usually determined with reference to cherry blossom forecasts and vary from year to year. Gorgeous flowers are main attractions of the festivals, but a variety of traditional Japanese performing arts presented in many festivals can't be missed. Joining tea ceremonies held under cherry trees can be a memorable experience as well. It's fun to stop by festival vendors which sell various food and souveniors, including regional crafts and speciality food in the region. It's notable that many cherry blossom festivals hold light-up events in the evening. 15

Words by Ellen Freudenheim

the japanese tea ceremony Drinking of green tea was known in China from the fourth century. Tea plants didn’t grow in Japan until the first seeds were brought from China during the Tang dynasty (China 618907), when relations and cultural exchanges between the two countries reached a peak. In the eighth century the first mention of a formal ceremony involving the drinking of tea is found. However, it probably didn’t look much like the tea ceremony we know today. During the eighth century a Chinese Buddhist priest wrote a book on the proper method of preparing tea. The book was called “Cha Ching” and taught the correct temperature of water and the use of tea vessels. Today’s style of the tea ceremony evolved largely through the influence of this book.

772

710 Growth of tea plants surges; mainly consumed by priests and noblemen as medicine.

NARA PERIOD

618 First seeds brought from China, enabling growth of tea plants.

Tea undergoes transformation of having just medicinal purposes and becoming a beverage as well.

HEIAN PERIOD

794 The Japanese were forced to mold and cultivate their own traditions and culture around the tea. Tea was a rare and valuable commodity so rules and formalities were based on this concept.

1488 Tea culture reaches its peak, and tea devotees given different titles to distinguish their relation to the art: Chanoyusha, Wabi-suki, and Meijin.

1187 Myoan Eisai, a Japanese priest, travels to China to study philosophy and religion.

1333 The samurai class, who loved everything about the Sung dynasty including the Tea ceremony, embraced it wholly and caused even greater popularity of the ritual preparation of green tea.

1202 Eisai returns to Japan and founded Zen Buddhism. It is said that he was the first to cultivate tea, unlike others who grew tea for medicinal purposes only.

KAMAKURA PERIOD

MUROMACHI PERIOD

1203

1409

Eisai is the first to suggest and teach the grinding of tea leaves before adding hot water.

Transformation from the formal palace style to a simplified style used by the Samurai. The next transformation was from Samurai style to the Shoin style which used elements of temple architecture, such as the Tokonoma, the Chigaidana, and the Tsuke-shoin. Taami mats were used to cover the floor in the Shoin style.

1278

Sung emporor, Hui-Tsung, referred to a bamboo whisk used to whisk the tea after hot water was poured over it in his book Ta Kuan Cha Lun, which form the basis of the tea ceremony.

Zen and Leaves when we are sitting in a meditation za-zen, we are getting rid of all things inside of us. we center ourselves and strive to make ourselves completely empty. through our own efforts we calm our heart and spirits. to sit very quietly and have your mind empty is difficult. you will get sleepy. you will think of many things

—

what you will have for dinner,

the stock market, etc. do away with all these things. thoughts on a lecture by shenshitsu sen

pirit of the heart, quietness and tranquility — this is what links together the concepts of Zen and Tea. Going into their history and background would take a long time. However, devotees of Tea are reminded that the art was founded in a troubled period of civil war in the eras of Onin and Bummei (1467-1480). One of the points of etiquette that developed was that no one should take part in the tea ceremony with a sword in his belt. When we are sitting in meditation Za-Zen, we are getting rid of all things inside of us. We center ourselves and strive to make ourselves completely empty. Through our own efforts we calm our heart and spirits.

To sit very quietly and have your mind empty is difficult. You will get sleepy. You will think of many things — what you will have for dinner, the stock market, etc. Do away with all these things. Some will strive to hear the soundless sound of one hand clapping, or of two hands clapping. Others will be more realistic and say it is the sound itself, or the meeting of the right and the left hand.

he tatami mat is source of Japanese way of life. All interior life is conducted on the tatami mat. It is important that the mats are arranged in a special way, so that everyone knows

where the guests sit and where the host sits, not on the edges of the binding. It is important that everything be done properly with proper intent. There is the concept that if one is properly trained, then it will be properly done. Tatamu means folding, and from here hence the idea of the tatami mats, always properly folded.

hen the host prepares the tea, he or she uses various procedures learned over a period of time . Everything is done for the guest’s sake; this is the spirit of hospitality. There also is in this the spirit of peacefulness wherein one demonstrates consideration for other persons. By doing this the participants show that mankind is one. The Way of Tea is expressed in four Japanese characters: Harmony, Respect, Purity and Tranquility. Fighting against

each other is very wasteful. We must calm ourselves and enter the pure space with a clear heart. The tea room has been designed with a very small entrance so that it is necessary to enter the small room on hands and knees. In this way all are put on equal status, whether they be the most powerful Shogun or a common laborer. There is a feeling of being all one. Before you drink the tea you ask the person who drank before you, “Would you like another bowl of tea?” To the person who will drink after you, you say, “Please excuse me for going before you.” And to the host you say, “Thank you for making the tea.” We put our hearts and spirits into order. Through these concepts the culture of Tea is born and established. There is born a feeling of tranquility, a purification of our human spirits. We are confronted with our common humanity. Please look very deeply into the

"Fighting against each other is very wasteful. We must calm ourselves and enter the pure space with a clear heart."

tea bowl. It represents the essence of pure Nature and becoming one with Nature. To do so involves creating an environment of peace.

Some characteristics of the tea ceremony are the beauty of imperfection. This is the

spirit in which the host invites the guests but because we’re human we’ll never be perfect. Another characteristic is simplicity. This involves the limitation of things, the opposite of luxury. Be aware of your basic limitations and do not extend yourself beyond what you’re capable

of doing. There also is the feeling wherein host and guests become one — an inclusiveness, a wholeness. There is a deep spirit of charity. Finally there is the idea of service, the idea of doing things for the other person, which is at the heart

"One time, one meeting" of the way of tea. There also is the feeling wherein host and guests become one — an inclusiveness, a wholeness.

ormally there is a garden — Roji or path of dew or place of dew. As the guests enter the garden they forgot about their earthly cares and prepare to receive host’s hospitality with an open heart. The guests slide into the tea room on hands and knees to show respect. Each guest examines the Tokonoma, an alcove featuring a hanging scroll and flower arrangement, the natural “tea flowers”, which the host has prepared for them. The orthodox way to experience a Japanese tea ceremony is sitting on one’s knees in a kimono. As the guests position themselves, they place their fans in back of them; this marks out their

space in the tea room. Bows are exchanged between the guests and the host. Chaji (tea ceremony with food) normally lasts 3½ to 4 hours. The meal part of the tea ceremony takes about two hours; sake is also served. The meal is just enough to satisfy the guests’ hunger while they wait for the tea, “like a small stone in one’s kimono” as one says in Japan. Before the guests arrive, the host must prepare a charcoal fire in the brazier to heat the water precisely.

fter all guests have appeared and partaken of the small meal, the host appears with sweets that are eaten before tea. Japanese tea is not prepared with sugar, so the sweets ensure that there is a lingering sweetness in one’s mouth

prior to tasting the tea. The guest excuses himself or herself before taking the sweets and eating them. The host appears at the entrance and says, “I will offer you a bowl of tea.” This is the time for all to calm their spirits, a time to concentrate on nothing but the point in front of us. There are three stages to the tea ceremony: the purification of utensils, serving tea, and the purification and putting away of the utensils. The host slowly and consciously cleans the tea utensils with a silk cloth which represents the spirit of the host. Two scoops of powdered tea (matcha) are added to a bowl of hot water and whisked with a tea whisk made of bamboo into a frothy drink that looks like a green milkshake. Matcha originally came from China in the Tung period, over 800 years ago.

After preparing the tea the host turns the bowl so that the most beautiful front is toward the first guest. The guest turns the bowl twice so the front is turned back, as if offering to the gods. This is a manifestation of humility. All drink from a single container. The first guest asks the host about the scroll and then the flowers. The flowers in the Tokonoma express the host’s heart, and are the only living things that are in the tea room. The second guest asks the first guest, “Would you like another bowl of tea?” The second guest turns to the third guest and says, “Excuse me for going before you.” Then the second guest thanks the host for making the tea. The tea preparation process is repeated and a new bowl of tea is prepared for the second guest. The first guest enquires about the tea bowl. In Japan, objects with great esteem are often given a poetic phrase. The

guest examines the tea bowl close to the tatami mat so that the bowl will not sustain damage should it fall. The host prepares a third bowl of tea until all guests have been served. The second guest examines the tea bowl. The first guest asks the host to stop as the polite

"Please look very deeply into the tea bowl." host will continue to serve tea until asked to finish. The third guest examines the tea bowl. The host commences purifying the tea utensils after tea making and refills the water container. The host puts the utensils back where they were when the guests first entered and the host’s

assistant comes to take away the utensils. In the process the objects are turned so the front faces the person receiving it. The first guest asks about the utensils and the host explains. There is more bowing between the guests and the host. At the end of the tea ceremony, the guests will bow and then go home. Before they leave they first go one at a time to the alcove to again examine the scroll and flowers. The tea ceremony is a one meeting, one opportunity — a very special occasion that will happen this one time only. This concept is the essence of the phrase, "Ichi-go, Ichi-e,” or “one time, one meeting.” The tea ceremony harmonizes with the Zen concept of living fully in the present. This furthers Dr. Sen’s idea and life’s work expressed as “Peacefulness through a bowl of tea.”

FILTER MAG is happy to PRESENT to you:

DRESS CODE

You can follow this etiquette of a Japanese tea ceremony depending on how authentically you want to recreate it. But if you are participating in a tea ceremony at a Japanese family’s place, you should be ideally wearing a kimono. This applies to both men and women.

cleaning all the utensils in the ritual

We’re not talking about cleaning all the tea utensils in the kitchen. This important etiquette of a Japanese tea ceremony is expected to be followed in front of the guests who have been seated. You have to carefully and slowly clean all the tea utensils such as the chasen (whisk), chawan (tea bowl), natsume (tea caddy), and chashku (tea scoop) in front of the guests in a ritualistic manner.

REMOVING SHOES

Removing shoes in many Asian cultures is considered to be a sign of cleanliness and respect. A tea ceremony is no different. Before entering the tea room, you should leave your shoes outside and slip your feet in special wooden slippers that the hosts provide.

A SPECIAL SEATING

As an invitee, you can’t walk into the tea room and sit anywhere you want. The etiquette of a Japanese tea ceremony demands that there must be a Shokyaku (guest of honor) who will pass on his tea bowl to Jikyaku (second guest) who will then pass it onto the Kyaku (the other guests) who are sitting in a particular order. When a guest passes on the tea bowl, he/she must turn the bowl a bit so that the next person’s lips don’t touch the same place.

DRINKING THE CHA

Once your host bows down, it’s a signal that no one wants more matcha or the traditional Japanese tea and the ceremony thus ends. As a guest, you are expected to appreciate the art, ritual and the finesse with which your host served you tea. Following korei or the thanking etiquette of a Japanese tea ceremony, you are expected to write a note of thanks to the host. 25

t h w a o match 26

e y f a

Words by Richard Aslan Photos by Nicole Franzen

he matcha magic starts early in April when the first new shoots appear on the undulating rows of tea bushes that hug the contours of the land beneath them. Tea is grown all over Japan, but the three powerhouse prefectures of Kagoshima on the southern tip of Kyushu, Mie in central Honshu and Shizuoka between Mount Fuji and the Pacific account for well over half the archipelago’s harvest. Three to eight weeks before picking, large overhead frameworks are constructed over the tea bushes destined to become matcha. The frames are loaded with rush screens and rice straw to block out the sunlight. By slowing down photosynthesis, the bright green leaves are higher in theanine, the amino acid responsible for matcha’s clean and mellow flavor. On the 88th day after Risshun, the first day of Spring according to the traditional calendar, the topmost leaves are hand plucked and then immediately steamed. Steaming sets the hundreds of varieties of

Whipping up the frothy green stuff is actually fairly speedy, but the effort expanded in ensuring perfect enjoyment of it is quite extraordinary. Japanese green tea apart from their Chinese and Korean counterparts. The leaves are blow dried in multichambered air machines and then, erstwhile bushbuddies gyokuro and matcha part company. While the jewel dew leaves are tightly twisted, the matcha is sattered flat and the leaves are allowed to disintegrate. Removing the veins and stems produces sencha “ground tea”,

which is then pulverized in stone mills to a bright green powder as fine as cornflour. There are three main grades of matcha; low grade for cooking; usucha, thin tea, the most commonly used variety, and joicha, ‘thick tea’, reserved for extra special use. Quality is reflected in price and a quicik online search returns premium grade joicha at a whopping 99.95USD for 40 grammes 27

here is a correct way to make matcha and straying from this path will result in a bitter brew at best and, quite possibly, eternal damnation at worst. Tea is a serious business (being English born, I understand this seriousness too) and matcha is about as serious as it gets. The full paraphernalia required to simply make matcha at home is prestigious. We’ll get onto the full blown tea ceremonials shortly, but your basic matcha making shopping list includes; chashaku ( ), chasen ( ), furui, chakin ( ), and, of course, chawan ( ). Until you’re up on your terminology, I’ll translate; a bamboo scoop, a bamboo whisk (between 50 and 120 prongs for usucha, 32 to 48 prongs for koicha), a sifter, a linen tea cloth and a tea bowl. A thermometer is optional, but you’d better be certain your water is in the Goldilocks zone between 70°C to 80°C or else. Perfect usucha has a thick froth of tiny bubbles with no breaks in it to the liquid beneath, while koicha is froth free. You can avoid a catalogue of horrors from weak froth to clumps clinging to your teeth with your very own cut-outand-keep guide to making usucha.

Matcha also has something in common with Genghis Khan. Yes, really. While everyone’s favorite

Mongol warlord was ‘just’ a man of flesh and blood and matcha is ‘kist’ a preparation of plain old camellia sinesis (otherwise known as tea), both are the relics around which cultural phenomena swirl. Limiting a discussion of matcha to cultivation and preparation is about as useful as discussing Mr. Khan in terms of his height and penchant for ankle boots. Matcha’s mythos began with the introduction of tea to Japan in the early 9th century (compared to its 17th century debut on British shores) by Buddhist monks. As in the UK, this imported Chinese lead became a touchstone of national identity. In contrast to the homely British cuppa, however, matcha finds itself at the pinnacle of high culture as the focal point of the tea ceremony. Like much of traditional Japanese culture, sadou , the ‘way’ or ‘philosophy’ of tea, first took form during the Muromachi period from 1336 to 1573. Sadou aficionado Asai Hiroki tells me that the tea ceremony can be considered a kind of ‘time capsule’, preserving customs and socials practices of the era. Hiroki also makes a mean matcha carpaccio, incidentally.

Whipping up the frothy green stuff is actually fairly speedy, but the effort expended in ensuring perfect enjoyment of it is quite

extraordinary. Calligraphy, painting, architecture, ceramics, furniture making and even gardening are all conscripted into service at the altar of Teaism. The sukiya, ‘tea house’, and its surrounding gardens are deliberately designed for maximum aesthetic effect. Seasonal sweets and a special meal are served. Calligraphy and meticulously arranged flowers are placed in a niche in the sukiya to be admired, and even a particular kind of charcoal is used to complete the experience. Tea bowls are especially prized and bear names as Miyamaji, ‘Path Deep in the Mountain’ and Fuyuki, ‘Tree in Winter’ to accompany them through their centuries of use. The ‘front’ of the chawan often sports a flaw or or irregularity deemed to be exceptionally pleasing and the bowl is carefully rotated twice to present its best side to the guest.

ust as there is no apparent clash (or indeed, irony) in the kimono / Hello Kitty iPhone combination in 21st century Nippon, matcha is very much a part of (post) modern culture. You’ll find matcha in Starbucks as well as the sukiya, and in elegant fusion cuisine and the Häagen Dazs alike. Muffins and body scrubs come laces with it and marketers tout it as

MATCHA IS AS SERIOUS AS IT GETS

a panecea for everything from ageing and tooth decay to kidney stones and cardiovascular desease. Some even claim it for the fight against cancer and HIV. China and Korea, those other strongholds of Teaism, come pre-soaked in green and matcha is fast becoming a fact of life for everyone from the McQueen clad mallrats of Moscow to the beach bronzed beuties of Rio. Yoga types swear by it for vigour with inbuilt eastern mystique, besieged business types laud its ‘slow release’ caffeine kick and Harajuku girls slurp it up and wold it down as they moon over the latest idol and apply another set of fake lashes. Sadou has evolved too, with a new breed of exquisite tea houses like Yokohama’s shuhally (shuhally.jp) combining tradition with innovation, and artists such as animé inspired ceramist

Kim Ryu and self-proclaimed ‘skull artist’ Maruoka Kazumichi give matcha making equipment a fine art twist.

Matcha has the abiquity of coffee, the kudos of Shakespeare, the mystuque of saffron and the virtue of a walk in Constable country. It straddles society from top to bottom and side to side. In short, a cultural equivalence for matcha that covers all bases simply doesn’t exist. But this matters not, for it thunders west (and south, north and eastwards) as unstoppably as Genghis and will shortly be at your door. Many thanks to Asai Hiroki and Fukuba Yuko for their help and insight.

Tea equipment is called dĹ?gu ( ), which literally translates to "tools"). A wide range of dĹ?gu is necessary for even the most basic tea ceremony. A full list of all available tea implements and supplies and their various styles and variations could fill a several-hundred-page book, and thousands of such volumes exist. To make things a little more simple, we've cut it down to the nitty gritty â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the basic, necessary essentials. The following is a brief (illustrated) list of these components:

32 The Japan Issue

CHASAKU (

)

Chashaku tea-scoops are carved from a single piece of bamboo or ivory. It is an important utensil to get the matcha proportions correct. A bamboo Chashaku in the most casual style is with a nodule in the approximate center. They are used to scoop tea from the Chaire or Natsume into the Chawan

CHA-IRE (

)

The Cha-ire tea caddy is used when making thick tea called Koicha for the guests. As the Chaire is considered to be a high ranking piece of tea equipment, it is ritually cleaned with the Fukusa before scooping out the powdered green tea.

FURO (

)

A portable brazier used in the spring and summer seasons. Furo have a variety of shapes and the earliest ones were made of bronze but later iron and clay braziers became common. The unglazed clay Furo coated with black lacquer was preferred for formal use.

CHAKIN (

)

The Chakin is a rectangular, white, linen or hemp cloth used by the Teishu to ritually cleanse the tea bowl after a guest has finished drinking the green tea and returned it.

NATSUME ( ) The natsume is named for its resemblance to the natsume fruit (the jujube). It is short with a flat lid and rounded bottom, and is usually made of lacquered or untreated wood. Cha-ire and natsume are used in different ceremonies; normally cha-ire is used when serving Koicha, and natsume for serving Usucha.

SHIFUKU (

)

Usually a Cha-ire is put in a drawstring pouch (shifuku) made of very fine material, such as high quality silk gold brocade, damask or striped silk called Kantou, from China, and carried into the tea ceremony room. The gorgeous material of the bag is also appreciated at a tea ceremony. The shifuku is considered a valuable item in the ceremony and the Shokyaku (chief guest) will often ask to view the pouch more closely when the tea ceremony is over.

CHASEN (

)

Tea-whisks are carved from a single piece of bamboo. Though they are a necessary part to serve tea, Chasen whisks themselves aren't considered as DĹ?gu. Chasen are made of three kinds of bamboo: They are either made of smoked bamboo, fresh bamboo, or dried bamboo, and their heads are either fine, medium, or rough. Which type of Chasen one uses, depends mainly on the type of tea served. Types of tea are thick tea Koicha, or thin tea Usucha.

KOBUKUSA (

)

A cloth approximately 6" x 6", which is generally of richer and thicker, brocaded and patterned fabric. Both the people on the hosting side of a Temae, as well as the guests, should each carry one. If wearing kimono, it is kept in the breast of the kimono. Guests not wearing kimono might carry it in their Kaishi wallet. The kobukusa is sometimes used by guests to protect the tea implements whilst examining them.

YAKAN (

)

The Yakan is used to refill the Mizusashi at the end of the tea ceremony in order to return the room in the same state as it was found at the beginning when the guests came in. Depending on the amount of water used during the ceremony to make tea for the guests, the same amount will be poured back into the Mizusashi from the Yakan. The Yakan is carried with the left hand in front of the body at belly level since it is not such an important item. With the right hand a Chakin silk cloth is held under the spout to prevent water from spilling while walking and it is pressed on the lid while pouring the fresh water.

FUKUSA (

)

The fukusa is a square silk cloth used for the ritual cleansing of the Chashaku and the Natsume, and to handle a hot Kama lid. Fukusa are sometimes used by guests to protect the tea implements whilst examining them (though usually these fukusa are a special style called Kobukusa or Dashibukusa). Fukusa are most often monochromatic and unpatterned, but variations exist. There are different colors for men (usually purple) and women (orange, red), for people of different ages or skill levels, for different ceremonies and for different schools.

CHAWAN (

)

Arguably the most essential implement; without these, tea could not be served or drunk at all. Chawans are available in a wide range of sizes and styles, and different styles are used for thick and thin tea. Shallow bowls, which allow the tea to cool rapidly, are used in summer; deep bowls are used in winter to keep the green-tea hot for longer time. Bowls are frequently named by their creators or owners, or by a tea master.

KAMA ( ) The kama is used to heat up the water for making the tea. The Kama is made from iron or copper. The Kama has a lit (futa) which is removed when starting to make tea and placed back at the end when all guests have had enough cups of tea.

RO ( ) This hearth is used during autumn and winter seasons when it is cold. The Kama being surrounded by a box-like frame will warm up faster and stay warm longer, moreover, it provides an image of warmth during the colder seasons.

DORA (

)

When the guests have left the Chashitsu after drinking Koicha, they wait at the Koshikake-Machiai. The host prepares the tearoom for Usucha and might change the decoration in the Tokonoma. When the Teishu is ready, the guests are summoned to return to the Chashitsu by means of ringing a Dora.

enlighten

ea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world, second after water. Among all varieties of tea - black, green, white, oolong, red, herbal - which one offers the most health benefits? Should you avoiding putting milk in your tea? Does decaf tea provides the same health benefits? First, lets get a better understanding of where tea comes from.

and farming practices. Tea grows the fastest in sandy or clay soil which has a depth of sea level to 6,500 feet. The climate should be hot and moist with 80 to 150 inches of rain annually and high humidity and fog. Tea can also grow at higher elevations and in shaded areas, but at a much slower rate. This climatic change also produces a more intense flavored

H E ALTH B E N E F I T S

Words by Gloria Tsang

All teas come from the same plant: the Camellia sinensis. How it is processed, however, determines the type of tea it will become. In general, each estate and garden uses a single style of processing which is usually determined by geography, including elevation, moisture level, 38

twenty-five counties of the world. With the amount of diversity in colors, sizes, and shapes of tea leaves, as well as different methods for drying them, the taste of brewed tea can range from subtle to pungent. The hues may also vary from a pale yellow to a vibrant red, or robust mahogany brown. What about the health benefits of tea?

tea, such as Darjeeling. It is reasonably safe to say that Japan only produces green teas, Formosa focuses on oolongs, and Ceylon and India produces primarily black teas. There are more than 15,000 varieties of teas produced in about

umerous studies have demonstrated the anti-cancer properties of antioxidant polyphenols. Some studies have suggested that tea's polyphenols may reduce the risk of gastric, esophageal and skin cancers, if one consumes 4 to 6 cups daily. Another study showed that just 2 cups of tea may lower the risk of ovarian cancer by 46 percent in women. Other studies have found that polyphenols help prevent blood clotting and lower cholesterol levels. One Japanese study found that green tea lowers death rates from heart disease! Drinking green tea may also help ward off your cold and flu this winter! Dr

Susan Percival, researcher of a 2007 study found that drinking 6 cups of tea may improve immune response as more virus-fighting interferon was secreted. She also commented that as green tea has the highest levels of catechins, and that it is a better immune modulator. how the y ' r e di ffe r en t

Black, green, white, and oolong teas derive their leaves from a warmweather evergreen tree known as Camellia sinensis. The leaves from this tree contain polyphenols. The more processing tea leaves undergo, the darker they will turn. Green tea and white tea are the least processed tea. They are simply steamed quickly. According to Dr. Doug Balentine, Director of Nutrition Health with Lipton, white tea is derived from the young new leaves from the Camellia plant in early spring. These young leaves contain no chlorophyll, so they are silvery white. Black and oolong teas are partially dried, crushed and fermented. As

promoting properties. we have mentioned Indeed, most herbal teas before, regardless of in the market technically the processing method, are not tea. They are only black, green, white and infusions made with herbs, oolong teas all contain flowers, roots, spices polyphenols. In fact, or other parts of some tea ranks as high as or plants. The proper term higher than many fruits for this type of beverage and vegetables in the is "tisane."The recently ORAC score, a score that popular South African measures antioxidant red Rooibos tea also falls potential of plant-based within the herbal tea or foods. And if you like tisane category. "Red green tea, you may want Rooibos tea is not really to try Japanese matcha. tea as it is not derived Matcha powder is actually from the Camellia plant," produced by grounding Dr. Balentine said. They green tea leaves from may not contain the Camellia sinesis plant same beneficial flavonoid that are steamed and compounds as found in dried. Researchers from black and green teas. In Colorado University found fact, Dr. Balentine said that that the concentration of "no scientific evidence epigallocatechin gallate yet has shown the health (EGCG) - an antioxidant benefits of red Rooibos unique in green tea â&#x20AC;&#x201D; tea." Although tisane is 137 times greater in (and Rooibos tea) has matcha than in Chinese green tea. This is probably not proven their health benefits on heart health because the whole leaf is and cancer prevention, it consumed with matcha, is still a plant-based drink rather than just an infusion brewed from regular green and is better than soda! Most plants contain some tea leaves. levels of antioxidants, as it is their natural mechanism h e r b a l s a nd r eds to protect themselves against any kind of Herbal tea is not extended sun exposure. derived from the leaves Tea is a healthy beverage of the Camellia plant Enjoy the many offerings and so does not have of this tasty beverage! the particular health-

just 2 cups of tea may lower the risk of ovarian cancer 39

1. Paraguay 11 kg 2. Uruguay 9.3 kg 3. Argentina 4.8 kg 4. Kuwaut 4.4 kg 5. Ireland 3.4 kg 6. Sao TomĂŠ 3.1 kg 7. Mauritania 2.9 kg 8. Iran 2.8 kg 9. Turkey 2.8 kg 10. Syria 2.7 kg 11. Brazil 2.1 kg 12. Seychelles 2.1 kg 13. United Kingdom 1.1kg 14. Azerbaijan 1.7 kg 15. Dijibouti 1.7 kg 16. Kazakhstan 1.7 kg 17. Morocco 1.7 kg 18. Malta 1.6 kg 19. Bahamas 1.4 kg 20. Chile 1.4 kg 21. Guyana 1.4 kg 22. Mongolia 1.3 kg 23. Russia 1.2 kg 24. Brunei 1.1 kg 25. Gambia 1.1 kg

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You wake up. You get your kick of caffeine.

You’re still tired. While we swear by our morning beverages — and research tells us again and again that there are benefits of both — which one is really better for you? We broke it down by category.

YOU NEED A JOLT. It only takes about 10 minutes for your body to feel caffeine’s effects, says Dr. Laura Klein, Ph.D., associate professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State University. Caffeine makes your body release hormones that keep you active, boosting your heart rate and blood pressure, she says. But where do coffee and tea differ? One 8 oz. cup of tea averages anywhere from 14 to 61 mg of caffeine, according to the Mayo Clinic. One 8 oz. cup o’ joe? At least 95 mg., according to the Mayo Clinic. YOU NEED >>>

YOU'RE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT. Caffeine has been shown to slightly reduce appetite. But drinking green tea daily could lead to about an inch off your waistline in 12 weeks, according to a recent American Journal of Clinical Nutrition review. That’s because EGCG and caffeine in green tea can help shrink fat cells and makes muscle cells more active. YOU NEED >>>

YOU WANT TO STAY HEALTHY. Here’s the rundown on coffee: A 2009 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who drank four cups of coffee daily were 30 percent less at risk of developing type 2 diabetes than non-drinkers. It’s also been shown that men who drank at least three cups of coffee daily were 9 percent less likely to have skin cancer than those who drank less than one cup monthly. But health benefits of tea — especially green tea — are well documented, too. It’s well known that antioxidants in green tea can aid in repairing a weak immune system because it has EGCG, an antioxidant that recharges the white blood cells that prevent viruses from reactivating. Green tea is also loaded with catechins, powerful antioxidants that research has shown could help prevent prostate cancer. YOU NEED >>>

YOU WANT TO GAIN MUSCLE. While tea might be better for burning fat, coffee is the winner when you want more muscle. Guys who drank 2 1/2 cups of Joe a few hours before working out could sprint 9 percent longer in distance than when they didn’t, according to a recent study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Why? Caffeine can stimulate your muscles, which can help you power through with more reps. YOU NEED >>>

YOU WANT TO BOOST YOUR MOOD. Tea has been linked to calming your nerves. Jasmine and lavender tea drinkers, for example, experienced a decreased heart rate simply by smelling their tea, according to a recent study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology. YOU NEED >>>

MATCHA LATTE

1 CM MILK FOAM

200 ML STEAMED MILK

1 GRAM MATCHA

CAFE LATTE

1 CM MILK FOAM

200 ML STEAMED MILK DOUBLE ESPRESSO

t h e y u m m y p a g e s L E T Y O U R S T O M A C H D O T H E T A L K I N G

For our first issue, we asked two of our favourite food bloggers to give us their tastiest take on tea recipes. A special thanks to Lillie Auld of Butter Me Up, Brooklyn! and Jee from Oh, How Civilized for their delicious recipes (seriously, you have to try them) and photos!

Matcha is one of my favourite inredients to use in baked goods, especially in simple loaf cakes where the stunning pale green color really shines. To achieve the desired marble effect, matcha is swirled into half the batter and the other half is filled with lemon zest and ground ginger. The flavours pair together wonderfully and the bright, white citris glaze makes this cake fancy without even trying, which makes it the perfect treat for a wintertime afternoon tea. INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Butter an 8" x 4" load tin, line with greaseproof paper and butter the paper. Set aside. 2. Slowly melt 2 tbsp butter and when it has melted, transfer to a small bowl. Mix the matcha powder into the melted butter and stir until smooth. set aside.

MARBL E MATCHA A N L E MO N G I N G E S W I RL CAK

3. In a large bowl, beat the remaining 6 tbsp butter with the sugar until it is light and fluffy, for about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla essence.

4. Combine flour, baking powder and sald in a sieve. Sift about one third of the flour mixture over the butter mixture and use a spatula to combine. Add in about half the buttermilk and stir until incorporated. Continue alternating between flour and buttermilk — ending with flour — until all the ingredients are combined. 5. Transfer about a third of the batter to a small bowl and stir in the matcha butter until it is wellmixed and an even pale green color. Stir in the lemon zest and the ground ginger into the remaining batter. 6. Spoon the batters into the prepared pan — alternating spoonfuls of ginger, lemon and matcha — in a checkerboard pattern until all the batter has been used. Run a wooden skewer through the batter in a swirling motion to create the marbling effect. 7. Bake for about 75 to 80 minutes or until a skewer in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out of the pan to finish cooling completely on a rack.

D D R E

CAKE •• 8 tbsp butter, room temp. ••1 tbsp matcha powder •• 290g granulated sugar •• 4 eggs, room temp. ••1 tsp vanilla essence •• 220g all-purpose flour •• ½ tsp baking powder •• pinch of salt ••120 ml buttermilk •• zest of one lemon •• ½ tsp ground ginger

CITRUS GLAZE •• 200g icing sugar •• 3 tbsp lemon juice

8. To make the glaze, combine the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth and drizzle all over the cake.

J A S M I N E PA N N A C O T TA

B U E B E R RY S Y R U P

••1/3 cup of water ••1 tsp unflavored gelatin ••1 ½ cups of heavy cream ••1 tbsp sugar ••1 pinch of salt •• 3 jasmine tea bags

••1/3 cup frozen blueberries ••1 tsp sugar ••1/8 cup water

JA S M I N E PA N N A COTTA W I TH BL U E B E RRY S YR U P

Back in the kitchen with Queenie, who came up with this recipe and whipped up this delicious dessert in a matter of minutes. I had no idea making panna cotta was so easy. The smooth panna cotta infused with Jasmine tea is absolutely perfect with the sweet yet slightlt tart blueberry syrup.

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Pour 1/3 cup of water in a bowl (we used a saucepan) and sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of unflavored felatin. Set aside. 2. In a saucepan or pot, combine heavy cream (1 ½ cups), sugar (1 tablespoon) and salt (a pinch) and bring to a low simmer over low heat. 3. Once heated, turn off the heat and steep 3 jasmine tea bags in the heavy cream for 2-5 minutes. Remove tea bags.

4. Take the prepared gelatin and pour it into the heavy cream. Mix together well until all the gelatin has melted into the heavy cream. 5. Fill small jars or cups with the panna cotta liquid and chill in the fridge for 2-4 hours. 6. To prepare the blueberry syrup, pour sugar (1 teaspoon), water (1/8 cup) and frozen blueberries (1/3 cup) into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes. 7. Cool blueberry syrup. 8. After the heavy cream has firmed up in the fridge, pour the cooled blueberry sauce on top of the Jasmine panna cotta.

OUT & ABOUT

COLL E CT I O N

CO N F I D E N TAL

Unnamed artist, sarcoptiform, shares with us his exclusive collection of tea tags. From vintage to "rescued from the floor", Sarcoptiform's got a collection that can't be beat.

- S ARCOPT I FORM 58

Where can you find the city's top cafe? A place to catch up with a buddy? A last -minute run for loose leaf teas because you realized your tea cabinet was running low? It's that time of the year when stress levels are high (especially for those in school) and we'd do anything to trampoline our way around the city and for our first issue, we've got a team of guest expert bloggers to bring you answers to all. Do you know of a better buttered scone? Tell us about it at filtermag.com.

Cha-An is a secondfloor haven for lovers of tea and elegant Japanese snacks. Chef Tomoko Kato is trained not only in home-style Japanese cooking, but also in French pastry; she apprenticed at Bouley Bakery with Bill Yosses, the Obamas' White House pastry chef, and also did turns at the Russian Tea Room and Le Bernardin before opening her own restaurant in 2005. While stellar sweets make Cha-An popular for

afternoon tea or dessert, Kato also presents a short but notable savory menu. Sweet-potato samosas and teasmoked salmon make delicate appetizers, and visitors also have the option of one of two Cha-An "sets," featuring a range of dishes, tea, and dessert. Though wine, beer, and sake are available, most diners take advantage of the extensive tea list that includes several dozen offerings, each a wonderful masterpiece.

For the last couple of weeks I've been seriously hooked on the onigiri, or Japanese rice balls, from YaYa Tea Garden in Chinatown. I'd even go so far as to call them my new go-to neighborhood snack spot, which says something in this snacker's playground

(Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C). A meager $2 to $4 (large and small sizes available) buys you a more than satisfying, not at all greasy ball of rice, seaweed, and your choice of filling. Oh, and they're made fresh to order, warm and plenty aromatic. Just a little, for good measure.

Physical Graffitea is officially my favorite tea shop in the city. They seem to pick their teas carefully, and it works because I have never left here disappointed. Usually if I have to squeeze my wide tail into a seat it's a deal breaker, but honey if they sat me in a child size seat I'd still come. Great service, great tea, great atmosphere. What more can a tea addict want? Living so close to such a quant and cute tea shop makes me feel guilty for spending time at Starbucks rather than my local businesses. However, each infrequent visit I make reminds me why

I avoid the shop in the first place. The owner is particularly unfriendly, an upsetting quality in a small local business, and I have seen her treat her employees disrespectfully on many occasions. The tea at the shop is good, nothing to complain about, but the atmosphere is rather inhospitable and this is one of the last places in the area where I choose to spend time. This is a really great place to get a great cup of tea and hang out for a while. There are few seats/ tables but it's usually pretty quiet. A great place to come and work on your screenplay.

Illustration by Ellie Edwards 68 The Japan Issue

Truly beautiful little place; absolutely unpretentious. The pies are amazing so is the staff. I would love to come back to try more items on the menu. I saw the people on other table eating these delicious toasts with jams and other spreads. Everything from the interior to the cups and food is very simple, but you will leave full and satisfied. The place is tiny. It were 3 of us and we got the table that in

an another restaurant you will get for 2 and that still will be too tight. They had to take away out tea pots when the food arrived and bring it back when we finished; it was not enough space on the table. But the staff was so courteous and made their best to accommodate us; we did not pay any attention to the uncomfortable corner situation we were in. Charming is the best word to describe Tea & Sympathy. It is a small,

Rebelling against the notion that tea must be confined to the afternoon, this wonderland serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. All that plus over a hundred teas, a takeout counter, a private party room, and enough tchotchkes to drive any Hatter mad. This relative newcomer

to the scene (the cute salon is a great spot for bridal showers as well) specializes in imaginative designs featuring flowers, butterflies, or mod dots. Resident cake designer Betina Estela specializes in painted-on designs. Alice's Tea Cup has cornered the market on red velvet cupcakes.

quaint tea house with a fantastic selection of teas and knowledgeable waitresses. The shabbychic, English-countryside decor is not usually my "cup of tea" (sorry, I couldn't resist) but it just fits here. It lends a coziness to the place that transports you to an English grandmother's house; portraits of the Queen and all. Also, I love the fact that all the china teapots and teacups are different. You don't know which.

This is the second Argo Tea variety that I have tried in the past couple of months, and I am happy to say that I now have enough data to officially regard Argo Tea as a favorite of Drinkable Review. I really like these drinks a lot, and I am eager to continue trying some of the other flavors. The bottle is, in fact,

still fantastic. However, what is inside of the bottle could not be more different. Argo Tea's Charitea is comprised of a relatively straightforward combination of hibiscus tea (just hibiscus and water), cane sugar, cherry juice, and vanilla flavoring. The hibiscus, cherry, and vanilla.

Words by David Jenkins Illustrations by Afteroom

tockholm is Scandinavia’s self-declared capital of timeless design. A design that borrows strong lines, clear and simple shapes, puristic and reduced form to focus on the basic. Breathing and following the Bauhaus’ spirit, the Taiwanese couple

Chen-Yen Wei and HungMing Chen pursue exactly this timeless quality. The married couple believes in the traditional motto: “form follows function”. They believe that a beautiful, simple design is not shaken by any trend. Chen-Yen Wei and HungMing Chen left Taiwan and moved to Stockholm in 2006, when Hung-Ming started studying a Master Programme at Konstfact University. He says “Several years have passed, and we still enjoy living here. People are friendly here and we think it’s a good place for children to grow up as well.” At the start of this new era they founded Afteroom in Spring 2011.

he duo worship time’s traces. Dedicated to the spirit and liveliness of craftsmanship with a thoughtful mind, Afteroom’s desire is to create products related to the necessities of life that will grow old at the same rate as their owner. In 2012, Afteroom divded its collection into four equal parts of life — dining, wearing, living and travelling. Products include a tea collection, apron, chair and a handmade bicycle, with plenty more interesting items to come in the near future. Each category reflects the beliefs of the 34 and 32 year old team. As a big fan of Bauhaus, Afteroom studio has designed a chair that swerves away from and kind of unnecessary structure.

And they love tea. So it was only a natural cause to include some of the finest green tea into their product line. Two pure hand picked Oolong teas from Taiwan and China are sold in a lovely paper box, following the pure design of their other goods, adding a sophisticated touch. It’s truly refreshing to see a couple unified by their beliefs; love for purity, simplicity and honesty, reflected in their product line. Blessed with a lovely daughter, you can’t help but wish these humble design afcionados all the luck on earth. Their sustainable design and manufactured goods bear a love and honesty that is most difficult to find in our present day industrial culture.

Where do you feel at home?

Quite a wide range, it depends on which items we’d like to develop. Once we determine a new goal, we will be devoting ourselves to complete it. Every new challenge is to expose ourselves to new things. We learn it by doing lots and lots of prototypes.

Where family and friends stay together, is home.

Why are you doing what you do right now?

Describe your individual style/work.

We think it is about time to do things that we believed in before we are getting too old.

We believe in simple solutions bonded with good materials showing human touch. Most of the time, it is not a simple job to get something really simple. What methods, tools or techniques do you use?

How did you get started? In the very beginning, we’ve started our small studio Hommin, in that moment we designed simple, functional products contacting to emotion and

memory. A few years later, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve collaborated with our friends and have another company Chen Karlsson, a Scandinavian-Asian design company, doing design consulting and design production. However, we felt that there was something in our minds that needed to be done before we get older. So we decided to try the idea out. And that was the very start of Afteroom. What were you doing when aged 15?

What and/or who inspires you at the moment? Our daughter. She reminds us that life is about playing. How do you come up with your ideas? Mostly, we do lots of sketches of things that we really wanted, and try the ideas out on making prototypes. What would you like to do that you are not doing at the moment?

What is ugly? Over covered, affected ones. Describe your typical day. Wake up, have breakfast together, send daughter to kindergarten, then we have to start work until she is back home. Actually, our little girl is our everydayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time clock. Everything is schedules by her.

Well, that moment was still in our early teenage years. Both of us were just like nerds without any sense of directions. The calm before the storm movement.

Travel, real travel without business purposes. We need it so bad.

What/who are your influences?

A lack of relaxed minds and sufficient leisure time stops us.

Describe a perfect moment.

I would say our cultural background. It is very different from Europeans, especially in the sense of thinking and working.

What do you consider as something beautiful?

Meeting our daughter, after the worst pain in the world.

The simply natural ones. Something that is pure.

What was the best thing you ever did?

What stops you from doing what you'd like to?

Giving birth to our daughter. What do you like to spend money on?

who know deep secrets, or appear to be hiding many.

Name two movies that you were impressed by.

What are you both wearing right now?

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Children of Men.

Striped t-shirts. (We have a lot.) Which five albums do you currently love?

Making prototypes. What would you never spend money on? Internet games that waste time only. What is something you could live without?

Amplified Heart, 1994 Everything but the Girl. The Fantastic Plastic Machine, 1997 The Fantastic Plastic Machine. OK Computer, 1997 Radiohead. Strange Fruit, 1999 Chara. The Greatest Hits, 2001 Love Psychedelico.

Jasper Morrison and Rei Kawakubo.

Afteroom is a design company in Stockholm, Sweden, and a advocate of the traces of time. The mission is simply to create beautiful products which will add value over time â&#x20AC;&#x201D; design to grow old with. The inspiration derives from an intriguing interest

Four books/zines you like. Alcohol and cigarettes. And something you absolutely have to have?

Your favourite artist, designer or photographer.

of forms, senses, proportions, materials and cultures. The philosophy pivot around

How To Wrap Five Eggs. Cyclepedia. Monocle Magaine. SO-EN Magazine.

simplicity and honesty. The company is founded and directed by Hung-Ming Chen and Chen-Yen Wei. For more information or if you'd like to make a stop, visit the website

Passion. What kind of people do you find interesting? Quiet, mysterious people

Three websites that you currently have bookmarked.

afteroom.com.

Thisispaper.com nowness.com waterfallmagazine.com

Hung-Ming Chen, 1978, Chen-Yen Wei, 1980

(afteroom.com) and/or send an email info@

Words by Kristina Feliciano

A study of beautiful handcreated blooms, found in the heart of Chinatown, London.

Photos by Craig Cutler