Matcha Sieves

[GalileosDaughter]

Just wondering, is there any special grade of sieve that makes a sieve a matcha sieve? Would a regular tea strainer work or does a matcha sieve have--and I'm not sure I'm phrasing this correctly-- a particular fineness of the mesh? Is there a standard I should be looking for?

Thanks.

[Chip]

Tetsubin infusers work great. I might even say better than the actual matcha screen/tins.

[silverneedles]

2$ strainer @ asian store



sifts matcha very well

[Victoria]

They work fine and are cheaper. But better? I would argue that point.
The sifter tool is made for the job is fine and flat and comes with a little paddle.
It's always nice to have the proper tools for the job.

That being said, I use a coffee strainer for work and when traveling. They are more compact.

[Chip]

They work fine and are cheaper. But better? I would argue that point.

Rephrase, work better for me and work better IMHO.

It is amazing how many members use a tetsubin strainer or similar.

[iannon]

They work fine and are cheaper. But better? I would argue that point.

Rephrase, work better for me and work better IMHO.

It is amazing how many members use a tetsubin strainer or similar.

yup...all kinds of strainers work just fine IMHO
i use one about like this:


on the other hand...if the "proper" set with the little tin and paddle and such enhance your "ritual" or process of making your matcha then great go for it
for me its that strainer type and the back of my chashaku!

[Salsero]

I make a point of only sifting enough for the session at hand. I figure that if you sift up a whole tin ahead of time, you have needlessly exposed those precious little particles to a needless dose of oxygen and humidity, thus reducing their freshness.

[Pentox]

The major pro that I've seen for the true matcha sieves verses an infuser basket is the shape. While they're probably identical mesh, and the infusers are so much cheaper, the sieves have the benefit of being broad and flat. Combined with the little paddle that comes with them, allows you a very good method of moving the matcha through the sieve. If it's worth the price diff that's up to the drinker imo.

[GalileosDaughter]

Thank you everyone!

Silverneedles, I love those photos, especially the one with the ruler. It was really helpful to me to see the fineness of the mesh.

Pentox, thanks for the advice and I took a look at your blog and got some more matcha recs, thanks. The idea for orange juice + matcha is intriguing, I never would have thought of it but it sounds really good.

Best to all.

[thirtysixbelow]

I use a strainer very similar to ianon's and it definitely makes a difference. I'm not sure whether it would be worth it to get an actual matcha sieve over a tea strainer other than for aesthetic reasons.

[iannon]

whatever style you use it sure does make a difference i agree! the couple times i have forgotten to sift i ended up with clumps

[Chip]

whatever style you use it sure does make a difference i agree! the couple times i have forgotten to sift i ended up with clumps

Match lumps, bleh ...

I hear a way to get around sifting is to first pour a bit of cool water in, whisk, then add hot. This is a similar cooking approach when adding liquid to flour or corn starch.

I haver not tried this method though.

[clareandromeda]

I hear a way to get around sifting is to first pour a bit of cool water in, whisk, then add hot. This is a similar cooking approach when adding liquid to flour or corn starch.

I haver not tried this method though.

that just sounds way too sacrilegious....

[Chip]

Interestingly, it was on a Japanese vendor site, or a Japanese site. There was a video of it as I recall. Or at least a sequence of photos.

[Maitre_Tea]

whatever style you use it sure does make a difference i agree! the couple times i have forgotten to sift i ended up with clumps

Match lumps, bleh ...

I hear a way to get around sifting is to first pour a bit of cool water in, whisk, then add hot. This is a similar cooking approach when adding liquid to flour or corn starch.

I haver not tried this method though.

Even though it's similar, the reasons for doing so might be different. When you whisk cool water with corn starch or flour before adding into a hot liquid it's because if you just poured the flour/corn starch straight in, it would cook the four/corn starch on the outside, and then it becomes impossible to break up, and you end up with gummy stuff in your soup or what not.

I don't know why whisking matcha with cold liquid first would help things though, because it's not as if the hot water is going to "cook" the matcha (which it might, I'm not sure).