Matcha

To produce Matcha, the tea plants, like Gyokuro, are shaded for several weeks before harvesting, which causes the plant to produce more of the sweet, umami-rich L-theanine and fewer bitter catechins.

The picked leaves are steamed to fix them, then dried, but not rolled – this is called Tencha. Leaf veins and stems are removed before the remaining leaf flesh is traditionally ground on stone mills into a fine, vibrant green powder. The grinding process is slow and complex: a stone mill often produces only a few grams of Matcha per hour.

A distinction is made between ceremonial qualities, which are whisked pure with a bamboo whisk (Chasen) and drunk in the Japanese tea ceremony (Chanoyu), and culinary or everyday qualities, which are more suitable for lattes or baking.

Since the entire leaf is consumed with Matcha, significantly more ingredients are absorbed than with an infusion of leaf tea – including caffeine and L-theanine, whose interplay provides the characteristic, calm alertness that many appreciate in Matcha.