Cha Cha Cha - Chinese, Japanese for Tea

In recent months as a drinker of quality Chinese, I have developed a love for matcha - a very different Japanese green tea.
“All authentic Matcha only comes from Japan. Well established areas in Japan where it is cultivated are Kyoto and Uji. The history of Matcha tea is quite fascinating. This unique tea was long served for Japanese royalty and therefore became known as the ‘emperor’s tea’ in Asia. Other historical reports have Matcha arriving in China as a medicinal drink. The full benefits of Matcha tea extend beyond the body. The mental benefits of drinking Matcha have been long associated with Zen.
From www.matchahealth.com

“Premium grade matcha is described as either “thin” (usucha) or “thick” (koicha) and used in making matcha as a tea. Ingredient grade is used in cooking and drink making. Premium matcha is made in limited amounts in Japan. It is the heart of the “way of tea” and its preparation is celebrated in the Japanese Tea Ceremony.
Why is matcha so green? Matcha is cultivated with great care. To naturally produce a tea so green, the farmers cover the tea plants with bamboo mats several weeks prior to harvest. This step increases chlorophyll content and turns the leaves dark green. These harvested leaves are then steamed, dried and de-spined (stems are removed). Before being stone-ground into powder, these leaves are called tencha.”
From:www.matchasource.com

Matcha is slow ground into a fine powder (yes you are drinking the leaf, not just an infusion) using a stone mill - it takes about one hour to produce one ounce of matcha. This is so that it doesn’t develop a burnt taste caused by faster grinding.

The highest grades of this tea usually remain in Japan for the tea ceremonies, and are very expensive. Much of the matcha widely available today is ground by sophisticated machines and is made to be more affordable for a greater market. Even when today’s machines are used for grinding, the production of matcha requires many hours of skilled labor in the growing, picking, and processing of the tea. For example, the leaves for koicha/thick tea are still picked by hand, one by one. The young leaves are picked in early May. In order to preserve the beautiful vibrant green color, leaves are lightly steamed to prevent any fermentation. They are then stored in chatsubo/tea jars and allowed to season until November, at which time they can be stone-ground as needed. To produce the best the best flavor, color, and aroma, the leaves from various varieties of tea plants are blended.

Having found myself rather addicted to pu-erh (dark red Chinese tea, of which the younger varieties have a great deal of caffeine, along with some other magical properties) I started substituting matcha for some of the pu-erh drinking. I still drink it, but less. All the teas I drink are rather intense, so if you are an incurable espresso drinker and addict, you might start here with some possible new delights.

My current source is the Japanese market in Little Tokyo whenever I am in Los Angeles where they have 40g containers of organic Koyama-en for $17.
I also enjoy ordering directly from Japan from www.hibiki-an.com who will ship orders over $50 for free. The 40g containers usually last me for a month of daily drinking. I like their organic matcha. I haven’t gotten around to trying a lot of different brands or varieties, so any matcha drinkers are encouraged to leave comments and suggestions.
I don’t recommend trying to drink the matcha available at coffee shops and chains or franchises (Starbucks or Whole Foods for example) Outside of Japan, I have simply found it better to make it at home than to try to find the good stuff in the wilds of America.
Instructions can be found at: (I never got around to getting the bamboo spoon and ladle thing, just the bamboo whisk for which there is no substitute) www.matchaandmore.com

Chinese tea: it isn’t what you get at Starbucks

How to prepare your tea properly (note: these notes are for loose tea, not teabags)

The amount of tea used depends on your brewing vessel.
for small vessels, 1 to 1.5 tbsp.
for medium tea pots:
green and twisted oolong, 2tbsp, the rest 3 tbsp.

green tea - 175 degrees - steep for 1 minute
white tea - 185 degrees - steep for 1 minute
oolong tea - 195 degrees - steep for 2 to 3 minutes
black tea - 205 degrees - steep for 1 minute
pu-erh tea - 205 degrees - steep for 3 to 4 minutes

Why not to pour boiling water over all your tea like they do at every tea shop and cafe to which you have probably ever been?
If the temperature is too hot, it will actually burn the tea leaves, causing an off or bitter flavor. Have you ever had some green tea that was too bitter? This is probably why. The other cause of bitterness can be cooling. If it cools too much and has a bitter taste, you can just add some more hot water.

How to gage temperature without a thermometer: boil in a pan or vessel that allows you to see the water.

175 degrees - very small bubbles appear on the water’s edge, wisps of steam appear
185 degrees - small bubbles begin to form, steam is more visible
195 degrees - medium bubbles begin to rise, water becomes gently agitated
205 degrees - near boil

quickly rinse the tea with the correct temperature water before the initial infusion. This step ensures a more even brew and also pre-warms the brewing vessel.

Tea may be re-steeped multiple times. The number of possible re-infusions depends on the type of tea and the amount of tea used.
Lack of color or flavor indicates the tea is finished.

My favorite source for good Chinese tea: Silk Road Teas
http://www.silkroadteas.com/