Matcha is different from all other types of green tea as the leaves are first ground down into a fine powder before brewing. In Japan this is traditionally done with a stone mill, but these days it's very easy to buy Matcha that's already in powder form.
When the Matcha is mixed with hot water it is whisked very briskly to disperse the powder in the water. Unlike other soluble substances, such as sugar and salt, the powdered Matcha doesn't actually dissolve in the water but simply remains suspended.
The preparation of matcha starts several weeks before harvest, when the tea bushes are covered to prevent direct sunlight. This slows down growth, turns the leaves a darker shade of green and causes the production of amino acids that make the resulting tea sweeter.
After harvesting, if the leaves are rolled out before drying as usual, the result will be gyokuro tea. However, if the leaves are laid out flat to dry, they will crumble somewhat and become known as tencha .Tencha can then be de-veined, de-stemmed, and stone ground to the fine, bright green, talc-like powder known as matcha.
There are also two basic types of matcha green tea, the thick variety known as koichz, and the thin type known as usucha. It is often misunderstood that koicha is stronger since it is in the thick category, however the opposite is true. In order to make a thicker consistency of matcha, more powder needs to be used and these calls for a milder, sweeter matcha. Koicha matcha is usually quite a bit more expensive than usucha because older tea plants are used.
Organic Matcha - O-Cha.com carries two certified organic matcha green teas. While all of our matcha green teas are grown under safe growing conditions, in order to truly claim a green tea as "organic" requires strict compliance with a certifying agency. Only natural organic fertilizers and no agricultural chemicals are used. Whenever purchasing ANY green tea that is supposed to be organic, make sure that said products are actually certified by an appropriate.
Measure a heaping teaspoon, place it into a ceramic bowl, add just a few sips of hot water and whisk it until frothy. Whip it until any "dama" (small lumps of tea) are completely broken up. Slowly whisk your choice of milk (best: whole or 2 percent) or plain soymilk into the mixture. Don't add too much milk. The liquid should still have a creamy jade color. Then pour over ice and enjoy. While still hot, before you add milk, you can also add some honey or vanilla syrup, if you like your latte sweet.
While we drink only a part of nutrition from tea made with tea leaves, with Matcha and Green tea powder we can consume the entire nutrition of Green Tea and attain its health benefits. Matcha and Green tea powder is not only used for the tea ceremony, but also for cooking and various desserts and drinks. Matcha and Green tea powder contains relatively high caffeine level. The way to distinguish the quality of a matcha and Green tea powder is by its color. The more vivid and greener the color is, the higher quality and fresher it is.
