Matcha, the finely ground powder of green tea, is the star of today’s recipe, and a fast-new favorite ingredient of mine. I’m sure you’ve seen it around the web and your Pinterest feed like I have. With its vivid green color, strong aroma and high, grassy notes with a subtle, lingering sweetness, matcha has been served and prepared ceremoniously for centuries in China and Japan. And while I’ve had it loads of time while out and about I’ve never, until now, began making it at home. In fact, matcha tea has become part of my weekly routine in latte form in the morning or mid-afternoon, but you can see just how new it all is to me since I whisked it in my cup rather than the bowl.
Matcha got my attention when I caught wind of its world of beneficial effects on the body. As one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants, I knew it was widely known for its power to give us a little healthy energy boost. But thanks to Thrive Market, I recently learned that green tea can also help with cardiovascular problems, terminal illnesses and even bad breath!
But nutrition aside, perhaps my favorite part about making matcha tea is the ritual. The simple art of making the tea requires you to take your time; there is no “instant” in matcha tea. As opposed to regular tea where you steep the tea leaves in hot water, matcha tea requires a suspension of the powder in the hot water. You achieve this by whisking the loose powder with a chasen, or bamboo whisk, in a tea bowl known as a chawan. A sifter will help break apart any clumps in the tea powder as you use the chashaku to carefully scoop the powder into the chawan. If you’re like me, you’ll find these traditional parts of the process make the slow ritual of making matcha tea as relaxing as the drink is satisfying.
You can drink matcha tea both warm and cold, by itself or with accompaniments like almond milk, half & half and honey or agave sweetener. I prefer mine as a Matcha Tea Latte, thanks to Bon Appetit; enjoyed warm with a dash of almond milk, making the drink completely dairy-free. As you’ll see in the recipe below, there’s room for a little experimenting on what flavor and temperature you prefer to enjoy yours at home.
Lastly, upon my recent infatuation with all things matcha tea, I stumbled upon this great post that goes into further detail about the nutrition side of things, as well as the importance of storing your matcha tea carefully, as its sensitive to light and it’s actually quite delicate. Definitely worth a read as you welcome matcha tea into your daily and weekly routine. Truly, MKR
