Sakurayu (), Sakura-cha ( 桜茶), literally " cherry blossom tea", is a Japanese cuisine infusion created by steeping pickling with boiled water.
Preparation
The main ingredient, cherry blossoms petals, are harvested when the cherry trees bloom from mid to late spring.
After the calyxes are removed, the petals are then pickled in
Prunus mume vinegar and salt and the product subsequently dried. The dried cherry blossoms are then stored or sealed in tea packets and sold.
In order to produce sakurayu, a few such dried, salt-pickled blossoms must be sprinkled into a cup of hot water. Once covered in hot water, the collapsed petals unfurl and float.
Serving
There is a Japanese expression "ocha wo nigosu." "ocha" is tea, and "nigosu" means to make unclear. So the term itself will literally translate to
to make the tea cloudy. However, the meaning of this expression is to "be evasive," "be vague," or "non-committal." This denotation is why green tea is not served at weddings, but "Sakura-yu" is served as it represents "beginning," which is most appropriate for a wedding.
See also
