TeaChat

Matcha newb here. I'm doing better now that I moved on from The Republic Of Tea (RoT) matcha which was very bad. I just got an IMGUR.com account which makes sharing images much easier than similar services. So, I thought I would post a picture of my matcha set up:




and ....

Enjoy your new matcha!

I will have to check out imgur.

Where's the photo of the foamed matcha in that glass cup? It ought to be beautiful from the side or below.....

Right here

Emerald indeed.

Very nice, I spent $20 on a chawan from o-cha and it is very beautiful. Your setup could benefit from a way to breakup or sift the matcha into your preheated bowl.

That looks like some tasty matcha.

Sam

Yeah, you definitely want a small sieve (not easy to find, surprisingly) to sift the matcha before it goes into the preheated bowl.

Nice! I recently used my matcha tools for the first time. The sifter helps a lot if you can get one (and is a fun part of the preparation process). I have this one: https://www.o-cha.com/green-tea/matcha-furui.html.

I think my matcha was a bit stale, so I'm going to have to drink it more quickly next time, I think. I did get it to froth quite nicely, so I was happy

A good sub for sifting is a stainless steel infuser basket such as the type that comes with a tetsubin teapot ... I have used one of these for years. They are also available in Chinatowns, Korean and Japanese grocery stores, Asian hardware stores, etc.

FlyedPiper wrote:Yeah, you definitely want a small sieve (not easy to find, surprisingly) to sift the matcha before it goes into the preheated bowl.

O-Cha and other vendors sell them at their online shop, but I find that a strainer like this one works just fine.

Suutej_Tsaj wrote: O-Cha and other vendors sell them at their online shop, but I find that a strainer like this one works just fine.

I have both of these. Originally, I had the strainer (which works great), but recently I purchased the vendor sifter that others have mentioned. Oddly enough, I find myself using the strainer more often. The sifter is good for pre-sifting though. I'm a morning matcha person (or becoming one), so I use the sifter to pre-sift the night before if I know I'll be in a rush. In that regard, it is great!

My matcha powder doesn't clump at all and it mixes very nicely, without heating the bowl.

Will a sifter and heating the bowl make a noticeable difference in the taste?

beforewisdom wrote:My matcha powder doesn't clump at all and it mixes very nicely, without heating the bowl.

Will a sifter and heating the bowl make a noticeable difference in the taste?

You can try a little experiment and make matcha three times:
- no strainer, no preheating;
- strainer, no preheating;
- strainer and preheating
and see if you notice any difference.

I use a technique I found on a vendors site to dry whisk your matcha in the bowl. It works amazing! I don't see the need for a sifter now. Give it a try, it really works.

Suutej_Tsaj wrote:

beforewisdom wrote:My matcha powder doesn't clump at all and it mixes very nicely, without heating the bowl.

Will a sifter and heating the bowl make a noticeable difference in the taste?

You can try a little experiment and make matcha three times:
- no strainer, no preheating;
- strainer, no preheating;
- strainer and preheating
and see if you notice any difference.

Challenge accepted. My current jar is getting low. When I order a new one I will pick up a sifter. Looking at the directions on the o-cha site the preheating doesn't look like a big deal.