Matcha Tea: Tradition and Health
Matcha has been around for a mere 800 years, since the Song dynasty, making it a relative newcomer to the tea world. It is popular with chefs, tea aficionados and health fanatics alike. Saveur, Gourmet and Bon Appetite have all published a number of recipes using matcha and the professional tea merchant periodicals don’t seem to talk about much else.
So what is matcha? It is the finely powdered green tea used in the famed Japanese tea ceremony. In early spring the finest, top leaves of tea bushes that have been shaded for four weeks are carefully harvested, withered, steamed and rolled to break down much of the leaf fiber. The leaves are then dried and all stems and the hard veins are removed. This is tencha. Tencha is then run through granite grinding wheels to make the fine powder that is matcha. In Japan matcha is used for drinking as well as being used to flavour everything from chips to KitKat bars, HagenDas, pastries, soups and savouries.
A large part of matcha’s popularity comes from how it makes you feel, both long term and immediately. The benefits of matcha outweigh those of whole leaf teas because in the case of matcha one actually ingests the entire leaf. Because of this matcha is full of antioxidants, 1384 ORAC units/gram to be exact, exponentially higher than any other tea on the market. L-isometanins are extremely high in tencha and they are the amino acids that release slowly into the bloodstream contributing to a sense of calm and wellbeing as well as allowing one to focus. Matcha is high in A, B, C, D, P, U and K vitamins. It helps reduce cortisol levels which cause the fight or flight impulse. One 2 g serving of matcha provides the equivalent amount of amino acids as ten teabags of any other tea providing less caffeine and fewer bathroom runs!
Disadvantages? Not many. Matcha is a bit pricey but it goes a long way and when you consider the 10 fold health benefits it is downright cheap! Little specialized equipment, if any, is needed although you may want to invest in a Japanese bamboo whisk, a scoop and a tea bowl if you want to be authentic. Matcha does not stay fresh long so buy small amounts, often and ask how to store it. The taste is fresh and vegetal with an underlying sweetness.
Traditionally matcha is prepared in a “chawan”, a rustic clay bowl. A “chashaku”, a shaped bamboo spoon, is used for taking one or two scoops of the matcha out of a “natsume”, matcha canister, and placing it into the chawan. The ”hishaku” is the bamboo ladle used for scooping hot water into the chawan, over the matcha. The “chasen” is used to whisk the matcha, always moving in an “M” shape until all the lumps are broken and the matcha is frothy.
Although the traditional way of making matcha can be very beautiful and rewarding it is not necessary to use matcha in this way. At Tea and Chi we love blending matcha with hot frothy milk or soy milk to make matcha lattes. You can also prepare your latte hot and then pour it over ice for a cold treat. Ad matcha to your pancake batter, marinate meat or chicken with it, put it into cheesecakes, pound cake or blend with juice. I recently saw a recipe for a matcha martini! The beautiful green colour, the freshness of the taste and the versatility of the product make it ideal for experimenting with.
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