Who Me... Enjoy Matcha?...
Yes, YOU and…You Will be Happy You Did…Matcha is a Special Treat!
There is a lot to know about Matcha, and most people who enjoy Matcha don’t realize all that there is to know…they don’t need to, but it is really helpful if you want to get the best experience from Matcha.
Let’s begin with what Matcha means...quite simply, it means rubbed or ground tea. That is, any tea that is rubbed or ground is Matcha...even black teas for example.
What we have come to know as Matcha, however, is typically the green version most renowned from Japan.
Within the past 15 years, the average person walking into a teashop has gone from not having Matcha on their radar to knowing it’s exceptionally good for us and being intrigued or much more.
Let’s take a closer look at the Matcha we hear more about every day:
Classic Matcha is produced from tealeaves called Tencha (means Mortar Tea) that have been stone-ground on granite wheels into a fine brilliant green tea powder.
This is the tea consumers think of when they hear "Matcha"...
Because any tea can be ground into powder and called Matcha, you can imagine the misunderstanding that can develop with companies that are grinding tea leaves and selling them as what consumers think is Matcha made from Tencha.
The way that Tencha is grown and processed is the key to understanding the quality of the Matcha you are purchasing and consuming. Relying on someone that knows the source of the Tencha and the care that has been taken in the processing of it into Matcha is key to assuring the quality of your Matcha and its health benefits.
OK, so how is Matcha so good for us?
When we steep whole-leaf tea, we diffuse the ingredients that create the aroma, taste, flavor, and that bring us health benefits. We infuse multiple times to extract all the goodness we can from the leaves.
When we finally discard our depleted tea leaves, we are also discarding unused vitamins and nutrients that we cannot get from the whole leaf because they are non-water soluble…they will never come out of the whole tea leaves, no matter how long we might steep them.
When we consume Matcha, we are consuming tiny particles of tea leaf which our body digests and breaks down. Not only do we obtain what would have been the water-soluble steeped-out ingredients, but we also gain the non-water-soluble ingredients from the ground Matcha that would normally be locked into the solid part of the tea leaf....vitamins, nutrients etc.
The world of Matcha is large and there IS a lot to know. Therefore, you rely on a Tea Purveyor to identify and select grades that will be good choices for how you will be using and benefiting from your Matcha. Searching online for Matcha is challenging because you can’t be sure what you are going to get, where it is from, or what the quality will be.
At Drink Great Tea, we have chosen Matcha grades to cover a range of uses:
We air-freight our Japan teas, including Matcha, and store our bulk inventory in refrigeration until we package it for customers:
- Ceremonial Matcha Matcha used in Cha No Yu, The Japanese Tea Ceremony. The Matcha that you would whisk in your Matcha bowl. The finer particles of Matcha are appropriate for creating the desirable foam resulting from the whisking process. This type of Matcha we refer to as Usucha. Our Ceremonial Matcha is an excellent grade of blended first and second flush Tencha.
- Ichibancha is the first harvested tea of the season. This exclusive grade is 100% first flush Tencha that has been ground into very fine particles transforming from leaves into Ceremonial Matcha..."rubbed" or "ground" tea. This grade of Matcha is considered precious and is a delightful exclusive indulgence for those that enjoy whisking Matcha and appreciating exclusive excellence in tea. The Tencha that this Matcha tea is ground from comes from Mie Prefecture, which is a prime source of superior Tencha purchased by Uji and Kyoto and then ground into their premium Ceremonial Matcha.
- Koicha Thick Matcha. This type of Matcha is gently stirred with your whisk in the Matcha Bowl with less water, until a honey-like consistency is reached. Wow, what an intense beverage! This is an especially wonderful variation for those that particularly have been enjoying Usucha. We refer to Thick Matcha as Koicha.
- Culinary Matcha Although not discernible by eye, this Matcha is harvested in the autumn, which makes it preferable for culinary purposes like baking, and beverages like smoothies or Matcha Lattes. It is less expensive that Usucha because of its harvest season. Culinary Matcha is appropriate for any recipe that blends the Matcha with other ingredients.
- Imperial Jade This tea is a blend of a high grade Genmaicha (rice tea) with Matcha added. It is a user-friendly way to routinely get your Matcha enjoyment every day without taking time to go through the whisking process. Imperial Jade pairs beautifully with seafood of many types, especially Japanese seafood.
- Matcha Smoothie Mix We create an outstanding blend of Matcha for our popular Matcha Smoothie beverage. You simply add ice and your choice of milk to create creamy Matcha-rich Smoothies. Once you have one you become an instant fan!
Bringing Matcha or more Matcha into your life is a good thing. It will be ultra-pleasing and bring many benefits that will help you build your program of wellness and longevity.
How to Make Matcha:
Step 1: Scoop Matcha powder into bowl. Add a little bit of water, enough to dissolve all of the Matcha.
Step 2: Quickly whisk Matcha in a "W" pattern until an emerald foam forms on the surface of the broth.
Step 3: Add a splash more of water and continue whisking Matcha.
Step 4: Drink Matcha directly from the bowl or transfer to a cup to enjoy!