Classes
Classes
At The North Branch Café, we are proud to offer a range of classes designed for beginner tea-lovers, sushi connoisseurs, and those who like to get to the finer details of wine. Join us to discover, learn, and enhance your skills in a community-focused space for the wonderful world of tea, and more!
Scheduled classes listed on our Events Calendar. Check back for more offerings as they become available. If interested in taking a particular class, please reach out!
Herbal Tisanes: Meet, Taste, and Learn to Blend - Tisane is the name of a hot beverage that is not made from the tea plant (Camellia Sinensis). The most similar characteristics amongst each other is that there is no caffeine in these drinks, making it perfect for a Thursday evening class. We will steep, contrast and compare and learn about some of the benefits of 4 herbal tisanes and then we will taste 3 herbal blends that incorporate other herbs and spices to result in unique and very palatable beverages. As with Camellia Sinensis, there are many benefits of drinking Tisanes and we will review and discuss some of them. Please come prepared to enjoy an evening of very diverse beverages. There is a 10% discount offered for teas from the class on the night of the class.
This class will take place February 12th from 5-7pm. Limited space available. Click here to sign up!
Stay Tuned for the next available classes.
Herbal Teas:
The Perfect Nighttime Cup
Sushi
The Perfect Roll – It’s great when something that seems like such a mystery can be made more simple. We feel this way about the art of making maki sushi. Maki sushi literally means "rolled sushi" in Japanese, referring to any sushi made by rolling rice, fillings (like fish, vegetables), and often nori (seaweed) into a cylinder with a bamboo mat (makisu) and slicing it into bite-sized pieces. It's the classic sushi roll many people picture, with varieties like small hosomaki (seaweed outside) or inside-out uramaki (rice outside), and even cone-shaped temaki hand rolls.
We will teach you how to prepare the rice, select the ingredients, lay them out and roll the sushi. Once prepped, then we’ll show you how to cut and serve it. The bonus is that each student will take home their own 12 piece vegetarian sushi roll!
The first class will take place February 5th from 5-7pm, followed by February 26th and March 12th. Limited space available. Click here to sign up!
Stay Tuned for the next available classes.
SENCHA
Sencha is a green tea harvested in Japan and processed using a method unique to Japan. There are many cultivars (Varieties) of Sencha that are grown in various areas of Japan, and it represents about 80% of tea production there! It produces a cup of tea that is fresh with a grassy flavor ranging from slightly sweet to savory. It is high in antioxidants and a very healthy beverage.
The North Branch has been offering this exclusive Sencha class for about 6 years. We feature 8-10 cultivars for tasting! Our distributor, out of Seattle, has noted that there is no place else that offers this broad variety for a tasting class, or such an enthusiastic customer base!
Stay tuned for the next available class.
Tea 101:
Types, Health, & Brewing Basics
Your introduction to tea! – Learn about the 5 major types of tea and their health benefits. Discover the wonders of the Camellia Sinesis plant and the trick to the perfect cup of tea.
Stay Tuned for the next available class.
Tea around the world:
Black Tea, Oxidation, & Terroir
More than breakfast teas… – While likely familiar, black tea has one of the most broad ranges in the tea world. From how this tea is grown and harvested to the flavors produced, there is so much to learn!
Stay Tuned for the next available class.
the tea between:
The Oolong Spectrum & Tea Storage
The Black Dragon – The most challenging tea to make, Oolongs make a great introduction to the world of tea. Plus, understand how tea is best stored!
Stay Tuned for the next available class.
tea at its simplest:
Green Tea & Brewing Vessels
The most delicate… – Explore the cultural presentations and varieties of green tea, as well as your tools for a perfectly steeped cup.
Stay Tuned for the next available class.
A wider world
of tea:
White, Dark, and More Tea Goodness
The rare and lesser-known… – What makes white teas, dark teas, and others so different? Explore the wider tea world with this class and find a new favorite!
Stay Tuned for the next available class.
