Matcha te
MATCHA TE
Matcha tea is a Japanese green tea in powder form, a powdered green tea. A variety of teas are sold as Matcha tea, but genuine Matcha tea is not just a powder of green tea, it is a high-quality green tea from Japan that is produced using the correct method.
PRODUCTION OF MATCHA TEA
High-quality green tea is used for the production of Matcha tea. The tea is shaded from the sun for 21 days, similar to a Gyokuro tea. The shading makes the tea darker in color and causes the tea plant to produce more of the amino acid theanine and less catechin. This contributes to a sweeter taste. In some regions, specific cultivars (tea bushes) are used for the more exclusive Matcha teas, cultivars that emphasize a sweeter taste.
The tea used for Matcha tea is called Tencha. Tencha tea is stone-ground according to traditional method. This is time-consuming. It takes about an hour to stone-grind 40 grams of Matcha tea.
There are other cheaper ways to grind, but our Matcha teas are stone-ground.
HISTORY
Matcha tea has its origins in China from a time when tea was ground in China, a practice that has been kept alive in Japan and refined. Originally, Matcha tea was used in the Japanese tea ceremony, which is a formal event.
Today, Matcha tea has a health stamp and is trendy, and a variety of products have been created such as Matcha Latte. It is also used a lot in cooking, especially in baking, although not as much in Sweden yet.
PREPARING MATCHA TEA
Matcha tea is not dissolved in the tea cup. The ground powder is extremely fine in consistency, like dust. It should be whisked for a longer time. Traditionally with a bamboo whisk in a bowl. It is also possible to use an electric whisk for milk.
The modern way of preparing Matcha tea is a thinner tea (Usucha).
During tea ceremonies, the tea is made thicker (Koicha), and this is where quality and thus the taste plays a role and is therefore called Ceremonial Grade. The stronger the tea is prepared, the more important the quality becomes for the taste.
