Matcha tea is a premium green tea. There are a couple of major differences between matcha tea and other green teas. First the tea leaves used in making matcha are grown in the shade by blocking the bushes from sunlight. Then, instead of whole or broken tea leaves, the tea leaf is dried and then ground into a very fine powder. The color is a much brighter green than typical green teas.
Preparing or brewing matcha tea is very different from other green teas and requires a whisk and shallow bowl. Visit Matcha or watch this short video to learn more about Matcha Tea.
All teas – 10% off 2 of the same item or 20% off 4 of the same item at American Tea
Matcha tea is not only a treat, it has many health benefits. Like most green teas, it is filled with antioxidants making it a better choice than coffee or other beverages.
When serving matcha you do not need to add sugar as it is naturally sweet. Matcha can also be used in cold drinks including smoothies and iced drinks.
Match tea makes a great gift for any tea lover.
Chilly fall days are perfect for sampling new teas. Today I brewed a pot of Kabuki Green Tea from Japan which is a green tea with cherry blossoms. I brewed this green tea using a glass teapot and an infuser. The water was just under boiling (175 degrees F) and I allowed the first pot of tea to steep for two minutes. The brewed tea was pale green almost yellow in color and the aroma of the tea was wonderful; it had a light cherry scent.
Green teas often have a vegetable or grassy taste and I prepared my palate for a typical green. I was very much surprised by the sweet flavor of the cherry blossoms. The grassy flavor that is typical of many green teas was extremely subtle. Since I more often drink black tea that has a stronger flavor I decided to brew a second pot and let it steep longer.
Kabuki Green Tea
I let the second pot of tea steep for about three and a half minutes. The color this time was a bit darker and the scent was a little stronger. I much preferred the second brew as it had a a stronger tea flavor. My daughter who also sampled both pots of tea, preferred the first batch. She was struck by the sweetness of the tea and suggested we make some iced tea.
We took the leftover tea and allowed it to cool completely. We then poured in a tall glass of ice. The iced tea we made was amazing. It needed no sweetener, it was perfect. My daughter and I have decided that Kabuki green tea will definitely be made next summer.
My suggestion is that when you brew this tea for the first time you follow the instructions. If you’re like me, then the second time you can experiment with a longer seeping time. If you have any brew left over try pouring the cooled tea over ice.
