matcha

[joelbct]

Sorrry Salsero, I was overgeneralizing.

I've never been in a proper tea shop, like Ippodo, that sells its own kits.

I personally didn't go for a kit either, but if I were, then Ippodo would be the place that would do it right...

But again, my thoughts are, rather than spend 40 or 50 on a kit for your first matcha, better to just order a $15-20 tin of quality Matcha and see whether you like it... Then splurge on a nice Chawan from Rikyu Cha and a decent Japanese-made whisk. That way you can select a Tea Bowl that you actually like, rather than one that happened to be bundled in a kit...

Rikyu btw often has some very nice Chawans for under $50


Egaratsu, $38


Hirachan, sold, $38


Kyoyaki, $38

You can also try Ebay! Happy Chawan Hunting, O newly Matchatized TeaChatters....

[joelbct]

Had a nice vegetable-like smell like cooked greens or something and had a lot flavor that wasn’t like most tea I’ve ever tried, no bitterness. Faintly sweet aftertaste. Seemed like there was too much water. Probably had something to do with not having a real whisk but what do I know.

I just found out what Koicha is. This is all getting complicated.

Awesome, congrats! Which Matcha did you try? Yup Koicha is pretty much just thick tea... don't fret too much, it's not that complicated and you don't have to be a Tea Ceremony expert to enjoy Matcha

[Salsero]

I finally tried matcha:

¼ tspn matcha...
Had a nice vegetable-like smell like cooked greens or something and had a lot flavor that wasn’t like most tea I’ve ever tried, no bitterness. Faintly sweet aftertaste.

That sounds like matcha! ¼ tsp might be a little shy of the mark. I use the bent bamboo teaspoon thingy and probably average about ½ tsp. The pre-warmed bowl really helps get foam, but I can't imagine that a kitchen whisk could work like the bamboo whisk.

[Pentox]

I know everyone here seems to love the ippodo kit, but there's just a few things I don't like about it.

1) THE SHIPPING, the shipping is so dang high that it's a significant portion of the purchase price.
2) in a much more minor way, why do they feel it necessary to include the tea cloth? It's a bit unnecessary imo for starting matcha kit. Same as with natsume for some of the other kits out there.

[chamekke]

2) in a much more minor way, why do they feel it necessary to include the tea cloth? It's a bit unnecessary imo for starting matcha kit. Same as with natsume for some of the other kits out there.

I think they must be assuming that most of the customers buying these kits are studying tea ceremony. The linen cloth (chakin) is used for wiping and drying the bowl after first heating it with a hot-water rinse. It's like a really teensy teatowel

[Ti]

Yup Koicha is pretty much just thick tea... don't fret too much, it's not that complicated and you don't have to be a Tea Ceremony expert to enjoy Matcha

Now I can't wait to try Koicha. But not until I get the right stuff.

Up until the time I started coming to this site I just put tea in a tea ball and put it in a cup of near boiling water for five minutes to until the water was cold. I did that with all teas.

Now I have more teas than I ever had along with timers, thermometers, all this different brewing info concerning infusions which, actually is really cool because I get a lot more cups out of my tea than I used to, and I'm browsing tea sites looking to buy tea equipment.

[Ti]

The pre-warmed bowl really helps get foam, but I can't imagine that a kitchen whisk could work like the bamboo whisk.

I probably could have gotten better results with a fork. I'm not even going to try to whip it without the proper whisk.

[joelbct]

The pre-warmed bowl really helps get foam, but I can't imagine that a kitchen whisk could work like the bamboo whisk.

I probably could have gotten better results with a fork. I'm not even going to try to whip it without the proper whisk.

A small metal whisk (or spoon or fork) isn't going to give you the same results as a proper bamboo Chasen, but is good enough for a "first try" just to get a sense of what matcha tastes like.

Personally I like the ritual of using the handmade Japanese implements anyway- its calming and serene in a way that using mass-manufactured, factory implements just isn't. These craftsmen really put their whole essence into the Tea Implements they make, often they come from a family that has been making Tea Tools for many generations:


O-Cha's Whisk Supplier

Raku Family Museum

But of course it would be silly to go out and buy all this stuff until you know whether you like Matcha

[Salsero]

Has anyone ever found a video of how they make those chasen? They are the most amazing little pieces. I can't imagine how they are sculpted from a single section of bamboo and then sold so inexpensively.

[olivierco]

Has anyone ever found a video of how they make those chasen? They are the most amazing little pieces. I can't imagine how they are sculpted from a single section of bamboo and then sold so inexpensively.

The best I have found so far:

http://page.freett.com/nara/bamboo/b-pro1.htm

[Salsero]

Thanks for the link.

[Geekgirl]

I'm piggybacking my first good experience with matcha.

My previous adventures with matcha would make you laugh. Water too cold, taste was grainy, even though I was using a chasen and sifting. I suspect it was the tea powder itself.

Besides all of that, I was using my dogs' ceramic waterbowl, (washed and sterilized!) since that was the only bowl in the house that was the right size and shape to even use a chasen.

Last week I ordered two bowls of a suitable size on Etsy. One of them came today. It's a smidge large and heavy for a teabowl I think, but so wonderfully balanced, with a very well designed foot. It feels nice in the hands.

I also picked up some UjiNotsuyu Maccha Kin, although there doesn't seem to be any info on there about their Matcha "Kin." It was relatively inexpensive @ $13 for 40g. It was certainly better than the last Matcha I tried, over and over, trying to get it right.

I followed some directions on here to the letter, keeping in mind that the water has to be hot enough.

It made foam very easily, and had none of the gritty taste or astringency of my previous experience. Very tasty. Very nice feeling of clarity immediately afterwards.

[chamekke]

Thank you for sharing your experience of matcha. It sounds as though you made it to perfection.

And - gorgeous teabowl! I'm so glad you got that one, it looks fantastic with the green matcha inside.

[Salsero]

I suspect it was the tea powder itself.

There is plenty of awful matcha around the USA. I don't think I would buy anything that wasn't mailed from a reputable dealer in Japan. Maybe a Lupicia or some such place has the good stuff, but the bad is worse than bad. A friend of mine had some he bought in a brick and mortar store that claimed some special insight into the tea ceremony and it was horrible, a flat and lifeless sludge. He was very grateful when I made him some of my own inexpensive grade stuff and he discovered it actually tastes good.

[Geekgirl]

It does look pretty, doesn't it? I was only worried that it would be too tomato-red to complement the color of good matcha. It's not, it's a lovely berry red, very slightly muted.