Matcha is a finely powdered green tea made from shaded tea leaves! [MA = powdered + CHA = tea] Its origin goes back to ancient China, where monks developed the way to grow & grind tea as a health elixir & a perfect companion to meditation. The zen monk Eisai first took tea seeds & the knowledge of tea cultivation to Japan in 1191. Over the years, generations of tea masters developed matcha into an important part of Japanese culture through the tea ceremony. Today, matcha’s popularity is booming because of its delicious taste, huge health benefits & growing interest in eastern philosophy & culture.
MATCHA VOCABULARY
Chanoyu - the way of tea (chado)
Chawan - matcha bowl
Chashaku - bamboo matcha spoon
Chasen - bamboo matcha whisk
Kusenaoshi - matcha whisk stand
Chabana - tea flowers
Chashitsu - tea room
Chaki - tea implement
Natsume - tea caddy usually hand-carved from bamboo or wood & laquered
Chaire - tea caddy usually made of ceramics & traditionally with an ivory lid
chakei - more casual tea ceremony with sweets
chaji - formal, full length tea ceremony with two types of matcha, a “kaiseki” meal
& art appreciation
Koicha (thick matcha) - 3-4 g matcha / 30ml water / 32-50 prong whisk
Usucha (thin matcha) - 1,5-2,5 g matcha / 65ml water / 80-120 prong whisk
Tencha - finished shaded tea, ready for the stone mill
Tencha-ro - special furnace for tencha
MATCHA PRODUCTION
MADE IN THE SHADE
About a month before harvesting, the entire tea field is covered with shade cloth or traditional straw mats to block out most of the sunlight.
GREEN UMAMI
Shading forces the tea plants to make their leaves big, flat, thin & full of green,
nutritious chlorophyll & relaxing, umami L-theanine.
THE PICK
The tea leaves are harvested by machine or, very rarely, by hand when they
are still tender & young.
STEAM & HEAT
The leaves are quickly steamed (about 20 sec.) to develop their flavor & to preserve their brilliant green color.
THE WIND RISES
The leaves are then tumbled & fanned with warm air in the 'tencha-ro,' which separates the matted leaves, dries them out & removes some of the stems & veins.
The tea is now 'tencha'.
TAKE A REST
The finished tencha is stored in air-tight bags & allowed to rest & mature.
THE GRIND
The tencha is slowly ground into a super fine powder on traditional stone mills. The slow-moving stone keeps the temperature low,
preserving the color & taste. The result is MATCHA!
MATCHA HEALTH
10+ times more nutrients than regular green tea
super high in catechins = super potent antioxidants
burns fat & promotes weight loss
gives you great skin
reduces risk of heart disease
prevents & fights cancer
high chlorophyll = body detox
benefits exercise performance
lowers risk of type 2 diabetes
improves immune system function
L-theanine promotes calm & reduces anxiety
MATCHA PREPARATION - TRADITIONAL
STEP I
soak your new chasen in warm water for about 1/2 hour.
this unfurls & cleans the tines & makes them more pliable -
perfect for a frothy traditional bowl of matcha.
STEP II
pre-heat your matcha bowl with hot water.
decant this liquid & wipe your chawan dry.
STEP III
add two chashaku scoops (about 2 g) of matcha through a sieve into
the middle of your chawan.
STEP IV
slowly pour 65 ml water at 80°C into your matcha bowl -
preferably around the heap of matcha powder.
STEP V
use “M” or "W" motions to first slowly whisk your matcha.
speed up your movements until you are satisfied with the amount of foam.
(try to only lightly sweep your chasen on the bottom of the chawan)
next, whisk only the top layer to create a creamy microfoam.
lastly, lift your chasen out from the center after one last circular motion.
Enjoy!
STEP VI
rinse your chasen & chawan with warm water or whisk a bowl of warm water. discard this water, wipe your chawan dry & place chasen on a kusenaoshi to dry.
wipe your chashaku with a dry cloth to keep its shape & the matcha powder dry.
never use chemicals or even soap to clean your tools!
MATCHA PREPARATION - LATTE hot
sift 2 - 3g matcha powder into a mug or matcha bowl
add 50ml water at 80°C & mix well with a bamboo or electric whisk
foam 200ml milk of your choice & add to your "matcha shot"
Enjoy!
MATCHA PREPARATION - LATTE iced
sift 3g matcha powder into a small pitcher
add 50ml water at 80°C & mix well with a bamboo or electric whisk
fill a pretty glass with ice cubes & add 200ml milk of your choice
pour your "matcha shot" over the ice & milk
Enjoy!
MATCHA STORAGE
Matcha is often sold in smaller quantities to preserve its vibrant color
& nutritional value. It should always be consumed as quickly as possible!
DAILY MATCHA FANATIC
If you are a daily matcha consumer, just keep your powder stored
in an airtight tin or jar away from moisture, heat & light.
Your matcha will be fine like this for a month or two!
ONCE A WEEK MATCHA LOVER
If you enjoy a bowl of matcha around once a week, keep it in the fridge.
Store the container in an extra airtight bag to make sure no odors can get to it.
Let it reach room temperature - about 1 hour - before opening the container!
OCCASIONAL MATCHA CONNOISSEUR
If you’re only consuming matcha every once in a while, store it in the freezer.
Be sure to put it in an extra bag & store it away from strong scents.
Wait about 12 hours before opening it to avoid condensation!
love,
