While yes, Matcha is technically a Green Tea, we felt it deserved a page all of its own. What is Matcha? It is traditional Japanese ceremony tea. The leaves are shade-grown for two weeks prior to harvesting. This method helps to concentrate the amount of amino acids and chlorophyll in the leaves. Once plucked, the leaves are steamed and baked slowly (Tencha). And then the leaves (minus the stems and veins) are ground into a fine powder. The whole leaf is then consumed rather than being steeped and then discarded.
Matcha has a very distinct grassy flavor that some would consider being an acquired taste. It can be taken with or without milk (milk of choice…cow, almond, coconut, soy, etc).
One of our favorite ways to enjoy Matcha is as a Latte with steamed Almond Milk and a little Lavender and Vanilla flavor syrup.
To prepare Matcha: .5-1 tsp ~ 8 oz water ~ 165 F Whisk the Matcha powder into the hot water to create a frothy beverage.
In the pictures above there is a noticeable difference in color between the Chinese and Japanese Matcha. Japanese Matcha is of a much higher quality than the Chinese counterpart. This is in part due to the way in which it is harvested. The Japanese Matcha is grown under shade for a few weeks prior to harvesting. This helps to promote the concentration of chlorophyll into the leaves which gives it that darker hue. Japanese Matcha is also a much finer consistency making it a much better option for mixing with water (better mouth feel, more of a silky texture,,,kw rather than grainy, making it more palatable). Japanese Matcha is also harvested from much older plants that have had time to develop and produce more flavorful crops.
We offer Japanese Matcha in 2 different sizes: 1 ounce Tins & 2 ounce Tins
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