Matcha är ett finmalet japanskt green tea där hela bladet konsumeras som ett pulver uppvispat i vatten. Skuggningen före skörd och den varsamma malningen ger teet dess fylliga munkänsla, tydliga umami och intensiva gröna färg. Resultatet är ett te med en koncentrerad smakprofil som skiljer sig tydligt från andra gröna teer. Sortimentet omfattar både matcha för traditionell tillredning, matcha för latte och matlagning samt japanska teer där matcha kombineras med Sencha, Genmaicha och Hojicha powder.
We are currently on holiday, so it will not be possible to place orders over the next few days. The next dispatch will be on 29 June. Thank you for your patience, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Matcha förknippas idag starkt med Japan och utgör en central del av modern japansk tekultur, men dess historiska rötter går tillbaka till det pulverte som användes i Kina under Songdynastin. Under denna period ångades tebladen, maldes till pulver och vispades tillsammans med varmt vatten. När traditionen senare försvann ur den kinesiska tekulturen kom den att bevaras och vidareutvecklas i Japanese tea.
Over the centuries, cultivation, shading, processing and preparation were refined, whilst matcha came to play a central role in the Japanese tea ceremony. Zen Buddhism, which developed from Chinese Chan Buddhism, also helped to shape the ideals of mindfulness, simplicity and concentration often associated with matcha. Over the centuries, Japanese tea culture has also been influenced by philosophical and aesthetic ideas with roots in China, where concepts from Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism, amongst others, came to find new expression in Japanese culture. Many of the utensils, ceramic traditions and aesthetic ideals now associated with the Japanese tea ceremony also have historical precedents in China, although over time they evolved into distinctively Japanese forms.
Today’s matcha is therefore both a link to an ancient Chinese tradition and a distinctive product of Japanese tea craftsmanship.
Shading, tencha and grinding
What makes matcha unique is not simply the fact that the tea is ground into a powder. The cultivar, growing location, shading, harvest time and processing all influence the tea’s final character. Before harvesting, the tea bushes are shaded to reduce the amount of direct sunlight, which contributes to greater body, sweetness and umami.
In a way, the method is reminiscent of the conditions that occur naturally in mist-shrouded tea mountains, where clouds and mist limit solar radiation. After harvesting, the leaves are steamed to halt oxidation, after which the stems and coarser leaf veins are removed. The remaining leaf material is called tencha and is slowly ground into the fine powder used for matcha, one of the most distinctive forms of green tea.
Matcha as a tea
Matcha is, first and foremost, a tea. Just like other teas, its quality, flavour and character vary depending on the producer, raw materials and production method. Some varieties are designed to be drunk on their own, showcasing nuances of umami, sweetness and grassy notes, whilst others are better suited to lattes, baking and cooking.
In our range, you’ll find both classic matcha and Matcha Sencha, Matcha Genmaicha and Hojicha Powder, which show how Japanese producers continue to develop new expressions based on the tradition that once began with a simple powder.
