I think I'm in love...MATCHA oh MATCHA...

[tealing]

My husband will be jealous.. lol ..

I couldn't wait for my kyusu to arrive, sorry Jack! :/

I compromised and opened up the packet of grade 5 organic Uji Matcha...

And experienced the sweet green puff in the air, smelled the aroma... I thought of how some people might find green tea 'too grassy or vege' but... I didn't find it so at all. OMG I LOVED IT .. even though I may or may not have made it correctly.

I took out two large teacups (that's all we have right now) - and I boiled some water. For about the next two minutes, I poured the water from one cup to the other, to cool it down a bit. Then I took two of the bamboo spoon ladels and with a coffee frother, made my first cup of matcha.

The only way I can describe the experience of being a westerner drinking some matcha for the first time... is that, you must have a certain mindset to truly appreciate it. Being an artist, I can be kinda sensitive, and everything new I try, I try to experience to the fullest. And I can say, that learning about Japanese Green Tea is a great experience.

So, I let myself smell the aroma - I may have needed to let it cool down just a tiny bit more, but anyway... yes the first sip, letting it roll over the tongue and through the mouth... was very "Hmmm......interesting...." It made the Japanese green tea I've had in restaurants seem like only a "shadow" of this true, rich brew.

When I frothed it, the color was an opaque (not clear, like the pictures you see of brewed senchas or gyokuro) ... opaque dark greenish. I couldn't see the bottom of the bowl, and there was a richness to it, though not muddy really because I sifted it, and it had a nice froth. I suspect it should have been a little bit lighter green - I dont know...(maybe due to my water still being too hot???) And it was really not bitter, though I could see possibly, if I had brewed it exactly how it could have been just a bit 'sweeter' in a way. But I did well for a beginner, I think. ^_^

So I drank half the teacup first, tasting and experiencing it. Strangely I did feel sort of a calm, relaxing feeling yet simultaneously a subtle awakening - like a plant getting sunlight after a long time without it. (Sorry if I'm waxing too poetic! lol)

It was lovely.

The other half of the cup, I put into a glass with 1/4 cup of plain yogurt, a dash of vanilla, a teaspoon of pure maple syrup, and frothed it - then added 3/4 cup of milk and some ice - and am now enjoying an ever so delicately sweet, rich matcha yogurt smoothie.

I'm hooked, for life. - Now I'm just wondering, should I store my resealable packet in the fridge, or pour it all into the matcha tin? And does the tin go into the fridge or a cabinet? (I don't think I asked that before - and couldn't find answer to that one?)

Thanks guys and enjoy your teas... will post again when I make something else that's new... ^_^

[Pentox]

Hehe, welcome to the world of MATCHHAAAAAA

[Victoria]

Wow! Congrats!
I also enjoy Matcha.
Oh, and Welcome!

[Salsero]

I suspect it should have been a little bit lighter green - I dont know...

Mmmm, sounds like matcha poisoning to me.

Different matcha has different colors.

[chamekke]

Hehe. I like my matcha a bit on the strong side. Matcha poisoning... bring it on!

[tealing]

Thanks for the welcome, guys!

Salsero - LOL I hope you are joking about 'poisoning'?

Well it's what they called 'grade 5' matcha - so not the top quality. I also bought a small tin of ceremonial (super high quality) but am saving to try that after I try all the other teas first.

So maybe it's just that it's a lower grade matcha?

Still tastes fantastic though, even if it's a darker green (about the same green as the banner at the top of the Teachat page)

[Pentox]

The banner at the top is kinda too brownish in color for me.

[tealing]

Hmm, ya it's possible I put a bit too much matcha in then

*Runs off to make another cup, with less matcha*

Is there a MA (Matcha Anonymous) group anywhere? ^_^

[Salsero]

Salsero - LOL I hope you are joking about 'poisoning'?

I never joke about matcha. I also never worry about the color. If tastes good I am happy.

[Space Samurai]

Out of curiosity, I was not aware that there was a numbered grading system for matcha. Is this a Japanese system or more of a Western or a particular company's system. Not judging, just curious.

[Proinsias]

I recall reading on Mattcha's blog, I think, that they put the matcha in some kind of wind tunnel and the finer stuff is blown further along the tunnel. The matcha was then graded by where it ends up in the tunnel.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

I recall reading on Mattcha's blog, I think, that they put the matcha in some kind of wind tunnel and the finer stuff is blown further along the tunnel. The matcha was then graded by where it ends up in the tunnel.

Although I havent heard this done with matcha, I have heard this technique used for grading other types of teas. Theoretically the highest grade of tea will be the tea that goes the farthest, not sure what reasoning is behind this though.

[murrius]

I'm hooked, for life. - Now I'm just wondering, should I store my resealable packet in the fridge, or pour it all into the matcha tin? And does the tin go into the fridge or a cabinet? (I don't think I asked that before - and couldn't find answer to that one?)

I'm happy you - exploring the wonderful world of matcha! When I open a new container of matcha I pour the powder from the foil package into the container. I just like to see the matcha up close and personal when I open it up. I made the mistake of storing my first batch in the fridge. What happens is that there is a little bit of condensation formed each time you take the matcha out into the warm air and then return it to the fridge. Tea + moisture = . I think it's best to store at room temperature.

[tealing]

Space Samurai - this is where I bought the matcha - if you click to see descriptions and scroll down it explains their grading: http://stores.ebay.com/Ryu-Mei-Organic-Green-Tea-Shop

(though I really don't understand the grading..I was just happy to be able to buy some as it's so hard to come by at that price in New Zealand)

Murrius - Thank you! Hmm, I emailed the vendor - he told me that the tin/sifter for the matcha was not airtight, but that I need to store the matcha very tightly sealed in the refrigerator. It seems there are varying instructions as to the best way to store it. :/ I was a little bummed that the matcha tin wasn't airtight.. ah well.

[chamekke]

As matcha ages, it starts to go yellow. There is a world of difference between very fresh matcha, which should be a bright green, and stale matcha, which is a dull yellow-green. It is just possible - not definite, but possible - that the matcha you're using is a tad on the old side.

Here's a pic of koicha (super-thick tea) on the left, and usucha ("thin" tea - what we normally mean when we talk about "matcha tea") on the right.



I'm never 100% sure if there is consensus on what "ceremonial-grade matcha" means - maybe others here have some thoughts on this? I've seen some sellers offering a matcha blend containing sugar; this can be used to make matcha lattes and other sweetened drinks. In contradistinction, what these sellers call ceremonial-grade matcha is apparently "pure matcha without additives of any kind", which is certainly the type used in tea ceremony. Still, it's possible that different sellers mean different things by that term. Sellers in Japan don't seem to use the expression (as far as I've noticed), possibly because it's assumed that their matcha should always be good enough for use in tea ceremony.