With a brand name inviting thoughts of fresh and healthy ingredients, it was no surprise to learn the Japanese Clearspring food range is 100% organic and all vegan.

Now, I’m just going to come out with it – I have a love hate relationship with Japanese food.

I love sushi, noodles and tempura batter, but I’m afraid my palette isn’t quite accustomed to squidgy, spongy tofu or the sharp taste of Sake.

However, I was happy to take on another culinary experience at the Clearspring 20^th anniversary event at Ice Tank, Soho, on Friday evening for the launch of Miso soup on the go and Matcha green tea powder.

Miso soup on the go comes in a handbag-friendly 8g sachet and you just need to pop it in a cup and add hot water.

It was surprisingly refreshing and filling (it had tofu pieces and I promise, I did try a few before fishing them out), but the best part is that it counts for a measly 29 calories of your daily allowance, perfect for a quick and light snack.

Now, the Matcha tea was the star from the evening. It’s unlike any tea I have ever seen or tasted. It’s green tea but in powder form – the tea leaves are grown in the Uji region of Kyoto, Japan, before they are finely milled to create a loose powder.

Just a quarter of a teaspoon whisked with hot water creates a revitalising and intense green tea flavour. Just don’t be put off by the pond-weed colour in your cup; it’s meant to boost energy levels and your metabolism rate and has been drunk by Buddhist monks for over 900 years during tea ceremonies and days of meditation.

Clearspring has a vast range of products which were showcased on the evening: fruit purees, Amazake sweet grain dessert, seasonings such as soya sauce, Teriyaki sauce and sesame oil; as well as sea vegetables including Kombu (good for soup stock), Wakame (good for Miso soup and salads) and Hijiki (black flavoursome strings).

Plus there’s also a good selection of rice and noodle dishes: Udon (thick and flat wheat noodles), wide Udon, brown rice Udon and Soba noodles (made with buckwheat and wheat flour giving a nutty taste).

It was a pleasant evening with cooking demonstrations and sushi tasting, and the traditional tea ceremony and Kimono dress-up area were also real hits complementing the authentic Japanese food products. 

Already stocked in major supermarkets, Clearspring has just launched their products for the online market. See www.clearspring.co.uk for more information.