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Both in China and Japan, tea is a staple beverage. This is because tea is a nutritious and healthy beverage.

When talking about Chinese tea, we usually think of it as green tea. In fact, there are many types of tea, depending on the time of harvest and the place where the tea leaves are stored. Chinese tea is divided into white tea, green tea, oolong tea, and black tea.

Different types of tea are processed differently. For example, white and green teas are heated to preserve their antioxidants. Oolong and black teas are fermented, allowing them to be partially oxidized, while black teas are fully oxidized.

In contrast , Japanese green tea is freshly picked and steamed to stop oxidation, resulting in a beautiful green color and natural flavor. Since the leaves are not fermented, they retain a high percentage of phenolic compounds, making them more potent than other types of tea. When ground into a powder, matcha powder is commonly used in tea ceremonies and confectionery.

In addition to differences in production methods, the way tea is served between Chinese and Japanese tea is also different. In China, most tea houses use large teapots. When guests arrive, tea leaves are placed in the pot and hot water is poured into them. Once the tea has steeped to its desired aroma and color, it is then poured into cups for guests to drink. However, some localities in China, such as Zhangzhou in Fujian Province, have a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, featuring a set of teapots and special tea brewing methods. This has resulted in a unique local tea art.

In Japan, the tea ceremony has a traditional style that developed under the influence of Zen Buddhism. The steps and methods of brewing tea are more delicate than in China, including the selection of cups and bowls, the way to sit and brew tea, and the scooping of water for brewing tea. It is usually served with wagashi, small sweet snacks that are eaten with tea to cut the richness. The purpose can explain the true heart of the tea ceremony with 5 principles: 1. Simplicity 2. Purity 3. Harmony 4. Tranquillity 5. Beauty Read more at https://matchazuki.com/สะโด-เทียนที่เฉลย/

Whether you’re a Chinese or Japanese tea drinker, both types of tea offer similar benefits. So, cut back on sugary drinks and enjoy healthy tea instead.

Come experience the taste of authentic Japanese green tea at https://matchazuki.com/shop/

Source

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Article from: Fuwafuwa

The Japanese tea ceremony is another unique Japanese way of spending time aesthetically. Sado, with its formality, developed under the influence of Zen Buddhism. The purpose of this ceremony is to purify the soul by becoming one with nature. It uses the concept of beauty in simplicity and tranquility. For example, tea utensils such as kettles and teacups are simple. Furthermore, in order to find beauty in the imperfections of rough bowls, Japanese tea ceremony is a unique ritual with deep-rooted values.

Sado also plays an important role in the Japanese arts, involving the appreciation of the ceremonial room, its interior, tea utensils, ceremonial decorations such as hanging pictures or flower arrangements, Japanese architecture, gardening, and ceramics. These are influenced by the tea ceremony, and the formality observed in the tea ceremony has influenced the development of Japanese etiquette in a fundamental way.

Rikyu, a master of the tea ceremony, surprised those around him by proposing a new idea about the use of tea bowls called “koma,” or darkness. He used black tea bowls, handmade by Japanese artisans, instead of imported Chinese vessels, to convey the simplicity at the heart of “wabi-cha,” the peaceful and simple way of tea.

Many people may already know the steps of the Japanese tea ceremony. They may feel that it is a complicated ceremony with many steps, such as spinning the bowl and bowing. But if anyone has the opportunity to watch the Japanese movie at the end of last year , Every Day a Good Day, Heart, Tea Leaves, Love, they will absorb the charm of the art of tea making and understand thoroughly that making tea is not something that is rushed and requires time to understand the essence. It is related and integrated together with Ikigai, the meaning of life. It implies that the tea ceremony has small details that must be practiced repeatedly every day in the same way, starting from

1. Small Beginnings: In the tea ceremony, the room is decorated with great care and attention to detail, such as the types of flowers used on the leather covers, the folding of the tea cloth used, and even the daily change of kanji philosophical phrases to suit the day. This also teaches us to think and examine our own minds.
2. Self-liberation: A spirit of humility is the image of the officiant and the guests, even though they have many years of experience in organizing events.
3. Consistency and sustainability : Decades-old tea ceremony vessels are selected to complement each other.
4. Happiness in the little things: The goal of the tea ceremony is to relax, to find happiness in the little details, such as listening to the sound of water pouring into a teacup, the difference between the sound of warm water and cold water.
5. Being here, now: One brings the mindfulness of the tea room into the mind of another.

If we truly learned the traditions of tea ceremony as seen in the movies, we would never be able to claim to be perfect. Tea ceremony is a never-ending learning experience, just like life itself. We all experience ups and downs until we begin to understand where happiness lies. The answer lies in our hearts, believing that everything is ordinary and will pass. Let go and go with the flow. Therefore, for those who consume a lot of news and online media, try slowing down and being mindful when brewing a cup of tea. It might just add a smile to your morning.

Article from: Fuwafuwa

Green tea and matcha are popular Japanese beverages, made from tea leaves from the same growing areas in Japan. The most obvious difference between “matcha” and “green tea” is the way they are used, as matcha comes in a fine powder form, while green tea usually comes in the form of dried tea leaves. When drinking, brew with hot water and drink only the tea, while filtering out the tea leaves.

The green tea we call matcha is a powdered green tea made by grinding the leaves until fine. When you drink it, mix the powder with hot water, stir well, and drink it whole without filtering out any of the ingredients. The process of transforming green tea leaves into matcha powder requires considerable delicacy. Authentic Japanese green tea is tea that has not undergone a fermentation process. After that, it is kneaded to make the leaves roll up and then dried, giving the tea a green color.

The tea plants used to produce matcha require more complex cultivation and care than other types of tea. Before harvesting, the tea leaves must be covered to prevent direct sunlight from budding. This reduces photosynthesis and slows down the growth of the tea leaves. This stimulates the production of chlorophyll and amino acids, resulting in a deep green color, making it ideal for making matcha. The leaves are ground in a stone mortar that creates minimal heat to preserve their unique flavor and aroma. The leaves are ground into a fine powder, which takes a long time to produce, making matcha more expensive than other types of green tea.

In the past, matcha was the tea used in Japanese tea ceremonies. Today, matcha powder is popularly used to make hot or cold drinks, desserts, or ice cream because matcha has a beautiful, bright green color. Furthermore, the whole tea leaf contains nutritional value, making matcha increasingly popular among health-conscious people. Green tea can be used to make hot or cold drinks, but it is not suitable for making desserts.

Benefits of green tea: The main active ingredients are theanine and catechins.

• Theanine is an amino acid found abundantly in green tea. It has a relaxing effect, reduces stress, improves concentration, improves thinking, and promotes sleep quality, leading to deeper, more restful sleep.
• Catechins act as antioxidants that bind to free radicals, reduce inflammation, enhance memory, and lower triglycerides, cholesterol, and fat absorption in the intestines and fat accumulation. They also increase energy expenditure. Drinking tea can help reduce obesity and, importantly, reduce the risk of cancer in the body.
• Other benefits include helping the body relax and detoxifying the body.

Source

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/631207704000682997/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/481463016383950342/

https://www.ohhowcivilized.com/what-is-matcha-green-tea/

https://www.tealoftco.com/products/matcha-premium

https://www.finedininglovers.com/stories/tea-tips-teapot-food-design/

Article from: Fuwafuwa

One common problem that many tea drinkers complain about is the undissolved clumps of matcha powder that they encounter when drinking.

The problem lies entirely with the person making the tea. First, we need to understand that matcha is not like powdered milk or cocoa. In fact, it is not water-soluble. It is made from ground tea leaves, and the leaves are absolutely insoluble in water.

I believe many of you already have a solution, but this time I would like to share my solution with everyone.

1. Take it and sift it.

This is arguably the best method. Matcha, which normally clumps together, becomes finer when sifted like flour, making it easier to mix with water. Furthermore, the texture of the tea is incredibly smooth and soft when you drink it. The only downside is that this method can be time-consuming and too meticulous when you’re in a rush.

2. Mix a little bit of water together first.

If you’re too lazy to sift the matcha, you can fix this by adding water little by little. Add the matcha little at a time. Think of making pancakes. If you add everything at once and mix, the batter will be lumpy and it will take a lot of effort to mix it together. Matcha is the same. If you know how to make thick matcha (okoicha), you can use the same method. Scoop the tea powder into a cup, add a little hot water first, and use a brush to sweep left and right, knead it together. You will get a bright green mud-like substance like the one in the picture. After that, gradually add the remaining water.

3. Use a matcha jar with a sifting lid.

This device is designed to solve this problem quickly and conveniently. It’s like a salt and pepper shaker on a table. However, there’s another problem: Matcha that has been exposed to moisture for a while and has formed clumps is very difficult to shake. Freshly unwrapped matcha will eventually have to resort to either method 1 or 2.

4. Shake with a shaker

This is probably the easiest way to make matcha, especially when shaken with milk, which creates a lot of foam and is incredibly fine. The downside is that it can be difficult to shake to get any matcha lumps out, but at least the matcha lumps won’t be too big, they’ll be small and evenly distributed, so you can drink it without any problems. However, shaking with hot water or hot milk will cause steam to compress inside the bottle, making it splatter and making a mess when you open the lid. Also, be careful not to burn your hands.

5. Mix with a milk frother

A foamer is a convenient tool for mixing matcha, but as mentioned in point 2, it’s still more effective to start mixing matcha with a small amount of liquid first.

6. Mix matcha powder with sugar first.

If you want to add sugar to your recipe, mix the sugar with the matcha powder first. The easily dissolved sugar creates spaces for the matcha powder to separate easily without clumping.

7. Use a matcha whisk to mix at high speed.

This last method is a method that relies on speed. In the case of using a matcha brush, your hands must be very steady. Use your wrist to move the brush up and down in a number 1 motion with the speed of a skilled guitarist plucking the strings. This technique requires experience, unless you are using a power-saving device like a milk frother or blender. In that case, I would recommend mixing with a small amount of liquid first, as it will be more finely ground.

In short, if you think of matcha as a flour, everything becomes much easier. You can use the same flour mixture you use when making desserts to mix matcha, and everything becomes much easier.

Article from: Vachi