The Settings of Temomi-Tea

In the previous lesson we set the overall flow and the conditions for the rolling. From that, the environment and the tools needed to carry it out follow naturally. Here we cover what to check and prepare when you hand-roll.

The rolling table

A table at about waist height makes it easier to use your body well when rolling and turning. Choose something stable.

For material, natural materials are best, meeting these conditions: easy to clean, not slippery under the leaf, and unlikely to damage the leaf.

Even a table with a smooth treated surface will serve as a rolling table if you lay kraft paper over it. If you have a flat woven bamboo tray to hand, washing and conditioning it well beforehand will also make a good rolling surface.

Adjust the size, shape and material of the table to the kind of rolling you intend. Prepare any other tools you need as well, such as trays for setting leaf aside. As noted below, clean these in advance.

The room

To prevent the surface-drying discussed in the previous lesson, there are conditions on the space in which you roll.

First, the air must not be too dry. Rolling tea in an air-conditioned room raises the risk of surface-drying, because the air there is drier than outside.

At the same time, avoid a space with stagnant air. Where the air does not move, humidity builds up and it becomes harder to keep the leaf in a uniform state. Choose a space where a gentle natural breeze can come through.

Direct sunlight must also be kept off the leaf on the table.

Opening the windows of a room that does not take direct sun, and letting a draught through, will generally satisfy these conditions.

Yourself

Hand-rolling uses the whole body, so wear clothes you can move in. Tie your hair back, wear a cap, and trim your nails.

Hand-rolling is also a kind of food preparation. The finished leaf is dry, so it may not need the strictest regime, but with the drinker in mind the same hygiene standards as for food are called for. Wash and disinfect your hands beforehand, and keep clothing set aside for the purpose.

Clean and disinfect in advance every tool the leaf will come into contact with, including trays used for setting leaf aside.

Hand-rolling also demands sustained concentration. Things scattered carelessly about the space will break that concentration, so tidy up beforehand.

Finally, we recommend paying attention to mineral intake, magnesium in particular.

Long periods of concentrated work and sweating carry off minerals along with water. Magnesium in particular is involved in the supple working of nerve and muscle, so it is reassuring to replace it deliberately.

If you are to catch the fine changes in aroma, colour and bodily sensation that occur while you roll, you want your own condition in good order. Have plenty of water on hand with a salt high in magnesium dissolved in it.

The environmental conditions for hand-rolling will in practice vary from person to person. Take what is set out here as a minimum, and put it to work in your own practice.

The last point in particular — arranging the conditions so as to manage your own health — matters more than you might expect. It is said that handmade leaf reflects the qi of the person who made it. As far as you can, do your hand-rolling in your own best condition.