All About Matcha
Froth of
Liquid Jade
By
Sylvie Greil
Everything
about drinking Matcha is a treat. Its shocking chlorophyll
green color is beautiful and will give you an instant mental
lift, its flavor is mellow, its health benefits countless
and the ceremony of making it will bring a sense of ritual
to your life. In fact, Matcha is the centerpiece of traditional
Japanese tea ceremony.
You might not have a tea master at hand who will lead you
through a proper ceremony, but you can easily recreate the
experience at home, in a matter of just a couple of meditative
minutes. Blended with soy milk and poured over ice it's our
favorite new way to stay cool on hot summer days.
Matcha
101:
What
is Matcha?
Matcha (literally "powdered tea") is a fine, brightly
colored green tea powder made from the finest, youngest
leaves of the first harvesting days. Matcha Uji means "froth
of liquid jade."
How
To Prepare Matcha Green Tea:
Traditionally, a tea master will measure the Matcha with
a chashaku (bamboo spoon) and place it into a chawan
(serving bowl). Hot water is added and the mixture is whisked
with a chasen (bamboo whisk) until you see fine
bubbles.
At home, you can simply measure a heaping teaspoon, place
it into a Japanese ceramic bowl, add enough water for one
cup and whisk it until frothy. Whip it until any "dama"
(small lumps of tea) are completely broken up. You can enjoy
your Matcha either as "thick tea" called koicha
(less water) or usucha ("thin tea", more water).
It's best to drink it straight from the bowl before the
sediment has a chance to settle to the bottom.
How
Do I Make An Iced Matcha Latte?
Measure
a heaping teaspoon, place it into a ceramic bowl, add just
a few sips of hot water and whisk it until frothy. Whip
it until any "dama" (small lumps of tea) are completely
broken up. Slowly whisk your choice of milk (best: whole
or 2 percent) or plain soymilk into the mixture. Don't add
too much milk. The liquid should still have a creamy jade
color. Then pour over ice and enjoy. While still hot, before
you add milk, you can also add some honey or vanilla syrup,
if you like your latte sweet.
Is
Matcha as Healthy as Other Green Teas?
Matcha is said to be even healthier than other green teas,
since is the only form of tea in which the whole leaf is
consumed. Also, only the finest, youngest leaves are hand
picked.
Health
benefits:
- Rich in antioxidants (catechin-polyphenols) said to help
prevent cancer, heart disease and slow the process of aging
- Contains many trace minerals and vitamins
(A, B-complex, lots of C, E, and K)
- Reduces harmful cholesterol
- The meditative ceremony of making it creates a Zenlike
state of well-being
- Mood and concentration enhancing qualities
How
Much Caffeine Does Matcha Have?
Matcha contains half the caffeine of a cup of coffee. In
fact, the tannins in green tea offset the effects of its
caffeine.
Why
is Matcha Relatively Pricey?
Only the finest tea buds are hand picked. It takes one hour
per mill to grind 30 grams of Matcha!
Where
Can I Buy Matcha?
We recommend Harney
& Sons, which wells a top-quality Matcha powder
that had our Japanese friend, an experienced tea ceremony
attendee, proclaim: "You can tell it's a very good
Matcha. The beads are very fine."
