
What is Matcha? It's a stone ground green tea powder from Japanese Tencha Leaves. It is a shade grown tea that is deveined, then stone ground into a fine powder. It produces a bright green tea that produces a smooth cup of tea with no astringency and a vegetal sweetness.
My first time making it wasn't exactly correct, so my first cup didn't meet my expectations. It smelled like Seaweed which I am NOT a fan of. I also didn't realize I needed a whisk. I was looking everywhere for mine that my lovely 3 year old son likes to take and hide in I-would-never-look-there places. So with a cup of water in my microwave and a fork later, I drank it. No froth, but it was warm. I added a touch of Agave Nectar to sweeten cause I just haven't found a tea that I can have plain. Next step, buy one of these fancy whisks!
To make the tea, you follow these directions:
1) Fill a kettle with fresh, filtered water and heat to just short of boiling.
2) Fill matcha bowl or cup with warm water and pour out.
3) Add 1 teaspoon of matcha powder to bowl or cup. Add 6 oz of hot water. Experiment to find your favored strength to your desired taste.
4) Using a tea whisk, whisk briskly for a minute or two until the matcha forms a nice green colored foam.
- The health benefits of matcha tea exceed those of green tea because when you drink matcha you ingest the whole leaf, not just the brewed water.
- One cup of Matcha tea is the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of nutritional value and antioxident content.
There is countless great information on this powerhouse tea powder. If you would like to learn more, I highly suggest reading up on it Matchasource.com. Be sure to really checkout the site, cause there is a TON of info! Below is another idea of how to enjoy it from the above source.
Make it a Latte!
Matcha pairs wonderfully with milk, making for a delicious latte. Thoroughly blend one teaspoon of Gotcha matcha into 2 oz. of hot water. Once dissolved, add the matcha to a mug filled with steamed milk. Top with a sprinkle of matcha dust.
What is your favorite way to make or drink this? I would love to hear about your experience!