What is Matcha?
Matcha is a fine powder made from carefully grown green tea leaves. It is known for its vibrant green color, rich umami flavor, and unique health benefits. But matcha is more than just a drink; it carries a deep cultural meaning, especially in Japan, where it is an essential part of the traditional tea ceremony.
Unlike steeped green tea, where the leaves are infused and then removed, matcha is consumed as a whole powdered leaf. This gives it a higher nutritional value, a deeper flavor, and a more concentrated taste.
How to process Matcha
1. Shading the Tea Plants
Before harvest, tea plants are shaded to deepen matcha’s green color, umami, smoothness, and natural sweetness.
2. Picking the Leaves
The young and tender leaves are carefully picked, as they carry the purest flavor and the softest texture for making premium matcha.
3. Steaming the Leaves
Immediately after harvesting, the leaves are steamed to preserve their vibrant green color, freshness, and natural aroma.
4. Drying and Sorting
The leaves are carefully dried, then the stems and veins are removed, leaving only the soft parts of the leaf. These refined leaves are called tencha.
5. Grinding the Tencha
The tencha leaves are slowly ground on mills until they become a fine, silky green powder: matcha.
6. Whisking the Matcha
Matcha powder is mixed with hot water, then whisked with a bamboo whisk until it becomes smooth and creamy, with a light foam on the surface.