Tiffa Minsal
My fascination with the art of wagashi began in high-school. A quiet curiosity that felt worlds away until I moved to Los Angeles. Here, among the city's diverse markets and hidden corners, I finally found the ingredients and the community that made this dream possible.
For me, the practice of tea and confectionery is a return to the tactile. While my professional background is in baking, pastry, and digital design, I find my greatest grounding in the slow-paced ritual of the morning bowl. Every day begins with the traditional whisking of ceremonial-grade matcha; a moment of clarity where quality, temperature, and movement must align.
My journey is one of self-taught discipline and formal study. Though I have stepped into the world of traditional tea classes, I am a lifelong student, always eager to explore new forms of tea and the deep layers of Japanese culture. Because English resources for wagashi are rare, I spend my free time translating the craft through practice; finding my own rhythm in the repetition of the whisk and the molding of the clay-like nerikiri.
I believe that beauty lives in the details we often rush past. Through my work, I aim to share the grounding peace I find in the ritual, offering a bridge between traditional Japanese craftsmanship and the modern California landscape.