MATCHA that we love so much

Reading time: about 10 minutes

Topics covered:

What is Matcha?
Getting Started: Matcha Tools
Ways to Enjoy Matcha

What is Matcha?

Matcha is a finely ground green tea from Japan, known for its vibrant green color and rich, smooth taste. But what makes it different from other teas?

It all begins in the tea fields. For about a month before harvest, the tea plants are covered to protect them from direct sunlight. This helps the leaves develop their beautiful green color and gives matcha its unique taste, with a gentle sweetness and a rich, savory quality known as umami.

After harvesting, the leaves are processed into tencha, the tea used to make matcha. The leaves are then slowly ground into a fine powder using traditional stone mills. What makes matcha so special is the time and care that go into making it. Traditionally, a stone mill grinds the tea leaves very slowly, producing only around 40 grams of matcha per hour.

Despite the careful and time-consuming process of making matcha, preparing it at home is surprisingly simple. All you need are a few essential tools to get started.

Getting Started: Matcha Tools

Making matcha at home is simple, and you don't need many tools to get started. Traditionally, there are three essential tools: a tea bowl (chawan), a bamboo tea whisk (chasen), and a bamboo tea scoop (chashaku). Each has its own purpose, helping you prepare a smooth, delicious bowl of matcha.

1. The Tea Bowl — Chawan

Japanese tea bowls come in many shapes, colors, and designs, each with its own character. But they share one important feature: they have enough room at the bottom to whisk the tea comfortably.

When making matcha, you move the whisk back and forth quickly to mix the powder with water and create a soft layer of foam. A traditional tea bowl gives you the space to do this without spilling, making the whole process easier and more enjoyable.

2. The Tea Whisk — Chasen

The chasen is one of the most important tools for making matcha. Traditionally carved from a single piece of bamboo, it has many fine, delicate tines that help mix the tea powder evenly with water.

Whisking breaks up any small clumps and creates the smooth texture and foam. A chasen may look delicate, but with a little practice, using a bamboo whisk quickly becomes a natural part of preparing your tea.

3. The Bamboo Tea Scoop — Chashaku

The chashaku is a slender scoop traditionally made from bamboo. Its curved shape makes it easy to transfer matcha powder from the tea container into your bowl.

One scoop typically holds around 1 gram of matcha. This makes it a convenient way to portion your tea without needing a scale. Once you become familiar with your scoop, measuring matcha becomes a simple part of your daily tea ritual.

With these three tools in hand, you're ready to begin your matcha journey. Now, let's explore the different drinks you can make!

Ways to enjoy matcha

Matcha Latte

In recent years, matcha latte has become a favorite around the world. You’ll find it on the menu of more and more cafés and tea houses, loved for its smooth taste and creamy texture. But you don't have to go out to enjoy a good matcha latte, it's easy to make at home, too!

INGREDIENTS:

2 g Matcha Powder ⇒ Matcha Chiyo no Sakae
50 ml Water (75-80 C)
150 ml Milk of your choice (65-68 C)

STEPS:

Sift the matcha powder into a bowl. (This is an important step that helps break up any clumps, making it easier to mix the matcha smoothly with water.)
Pour the water over it and whisk it with a chasen.
Pour the matcha into a mug.
Warm and froth the milk.
Gently pour the milk over the matcha in the mug.

TIP 1: Add a teaspoon of Brown Sugar.

TIP 2: Try Matcha Latte cold! Pour cold, frothed milk over ice and slowly pour the matcha prepared with cold water over it. Use a glass cup, to enjoy the white and green layers!

Usucha - Thin Tea

Usucha, or thin tea, is one of the traditional ways to enjoy matcha. It has a light, smooth texture and a delicate layer of fine foam on top. Whisking the tea brings out its beautiful green color and creates a soft, creamy finish.

Your first bowl may not have the perfect foam, and that's totally fine! Making matcha is a skill that grows with practice. As you whisk, your hands gradually learn the movements, and what feels unfamiliar at first soon becomes a natural part of your tea ritual.

There is a little tip often shared among matcha lovers: whisking up and down around 60 times in about 20 seconds can help create a beautiful foam. But there's no need to count every movement. With time, you'll find your own rhythm, and whisking will become as easy as enjoying the bowl you've made.

STEPS

Warm your matcha bowl by filling it with hot water. Let it sit for a minute, then discard the water and dry the bowl.
Put 1.5-2 g (about 1 teaspoon or 2 chashaku scoops) sifted matcha powder into the chawan.
Pour 75-80 ml (2.7 fl oz) 85℃ (185°F) water over the matcha powder.
Whisk with a chasen (tea whisk) until foamy.
When your matcha is ready, drink it immediately, because as it cools down, it might turn bitter and the foam collapses.

Koicha - Thick tea

In the early days of matcha, Buddhist monks drank thick tea to help maintain focus during meditation and religious practices. Today, koicha remains an important part of the Japanese tea ceremony.

Koicha is made with more matcha powder and less water, creating a thick, smooth tea with an intense flavor and a rich umami taste. Instead of whisking quickly to create foam, the tea is gently mixed with slow, circular movements until it becomes smooth and velvety.

Because koicha has such a concentrated flavor, the quality of the matcha is especially important. It is traditionally prepared with high-grade matcha and served during formal tea ceremonies and special occasions.

STEPS

Warm your matcha bowl by filling it with hot water. Let it sit for a minute, then discard the water and dry the bowl.
Put 3.5 g (about 1.5 teaspoons or 3 chashaku scoops) sifted matcha powder into the chawan.
Pour 20 ml (0.7 fl oz) 90℃ (194°F) water over the matcha powder and mix with a chasen until all the lumps are gone.
Pour 20 ml (0.7 fl oz) 90℃ (194°F) water over it again, and mix again slowly and gently until it is a smooth, velvety cream.
When your matcha is ready, drink it immediately, because as it cools down it will get thicker and might turn bitter.

Ready to start your matcha journey? Discover our three carefully selected matcha sets and find everything you need to make your perfect bowl at home!