Japanese Matcha

Japanese Tea.  Usually this means green tea of some kind but why is it so special?  Honestly, it is because the Japanese have come up with several different ways to process their little Camellia sinensis plant.

Like typical green tea, it is the least oxidized of all of the teas.  Japanese green teas are also steamed so that they can maintain their bright green color.  Then they’re prepared several different ways.

Sencha is the most popular green tea in Japan.  It is harvested in the early season.  It is created by grinding the tea leaves.  It represents about 80 percent of the tea produced in Japan.

Gyokuro is a high grade of green tea that is grown in the shade.  In fact, it is actually grown in the shade for at least twenty days.  There is actually a different type of green tea that is grown in the shade known as kabusecha.  This type of tea differs from Gyokuro only because it is shaded for approximately a week.

Matcha is the well known green tea powder.  The leaves are steamed, dried and then ground into powder.  This is the tea that mostly used in traditional Japanese Tea ceremonies.  Today matcha is also used to flavor and dye foods like mocha, soba noodles, green tea ice cream and a variety of Wagashi (Japanese confectionery).

Hojicha is made by roasting the green tea leaves unlike most Japanese green teas that are steamed.  The tea leaves are fired at a high temperature which alters the leaf color from green to reddish brown.

Genmaicha is a blend of green tea leaves and popped rice.  It is also known as popcorn tea because a few grains of the rice pop during the roasting process.  This type of tea was normally drunk by poor Japanese farmers because the rice acted as a filler for and reduced the price of the tea.

Bancha is a tea made from the leaves picked in the late summer.  That’s about all the difference between Bancha and Sencha.

What about you, dear readers? Have you tried the different Japanese green teas?  If so, what do you think? Which ones are your favorites?

Posted in Article, Japanese Tea, Tea, Tea 101, Tea 201 | 1 Comment »

Pre-Whisked Dry Matcha

Whenever I walked into a tea shop, I had always seen the bamboo whisk pictured above but could never figure out what it had to do with tea…apparently it is all in the matcha.

Matcha is a powdered green tea of the highest quality in Japan.  This type of tea is traditionally used in chanoyu/the Japanese Way of Tea.  The directions on preparing the tea are simple: add the powdered green tea to hot water, use the whisk to thoroughly mix the powder and water, drink and enjoy.  No sugar is needed.  However, if you must indulge your sweet tooth, a sweet is allowed prior to drinking the matcha as long as it complements the tea’s flavor.

There are two types of matcha: koicha/thick tea and usucha/thin tea.  The names are quite self-explanatory.  For thick tea, more tea is needed in proportion to water.  The end result is a thick creamy soup.  On the other hand, for the thin tea it is more water needed in proportion to the tea.  Then the mix is whisked together to create a light and frothy beverage.

Matcha is grown in the Uji area which is southwest of Kyoto.   The leaves are picked in early May and lightly steamed in order to prevent fermentation as well as allowing the tea to retain its vibrant green color.  The leaves are dried then stored until November when the plants are stone-grounded when needed.

When storing your matcha, be advised that you should not store it like a normal tea.  Matchas should always be stored in a freezer in either an air-tight container or plastic bag.  When you are ready to drink your matcha, you must let the powder rose to room temperature and then strain it through a fine sieve.

So little did you know that not all teas come in leaf form! What do you think, dear readers?

Posted in Article, Ceremony, Culture, Japanese Tea, Matcha, Mythology, Myths, Stories, Tea | 4 Comments »

The World Tea Expo held every year in Las Vegas is the world’s only industry convention dedicated solely to the premium tea industry. It’s not open to the public and I’ve been very lucky to attend the past two years!

Here’s the final installment of this three part recap to the activities and friends from this year’s expo!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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Wednesday is Green Tea, White Tea, Rooibos, Oolong and Tisane (Herbal) Review Day!

Every Spring in Japan as the tea plants grow out their first leaves they’re meticulously harvested for the season’s most prized and celebrated beverage. Oohashiri Shincha or “New Tea” is the first tea harvest of the year and provides a rather unique taste and aroma that’s simply irresistible!

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Posted in Green Tea, Japanese Tea, Loose Tea, Maeda-en, Matcha, New Tea, Oohashiri Shincha, Reviews, Shincha, World Tea Expo, WTE | 1 Comment »