Have you ever wondered why some green tea shops have a strong taste while others have a very weak taste, even though they use the same matcha powder? That’s because there are actually two ways to brew green tea in Japanese culture, called Usucha and Koicha. These are traditional ways of preparing matcha that originate from the Chado ceremony, a Japanese tea ceremony.

If we translate it directly from Japanese, Usucha means “light tea”, while Koicha means “strong tea”. It may not be easy to understand, but the meaning is straightforward. Usucha matcha has a thick layer of foam on the surface, which can be easily achieved by beating the tea with a tea brush. The taste is smooth. When you first drink it, it is sweet and bitter, but when you swallow it, you will get the umami taste. It is brewed in a small cup for one person, so the tea has a mild and slightly bitter taste. In the old tea ceremony, this type of tea was eaten with Higashi Japanese sweets, but nowadays it is eaten with namagashi, such as mochi, dango, nerikiri, and yokan.

On the other hand, Koicha matcha is much more concentrated and has an umami flavor that may be too strong for beginners to drink. This is because Koicha requires about twice the amount of matcha powder and half the amount of water compared to Usucha. Because in the tea ceremony, Koicha is brewed in a large container, so it can be drunk by many people, it needs to be brewed to have a stronger flavor.

It can be seen that in the two traditional styles of matcha brewing, the highest quality matcha is preferred for the ceremony, that is, using tea powder where the tea leaves are covered with leaves, to be exposed to the least amount of sunlight for the first 20 days or so. This period is calculated from the time when the first buds start to sprout. This covering to block the sunlight prevents the sweetness in the leaves and limits the bitterness that can be produced. The tea leaves are harvested by skilled hand pickers to maintain the quality of the tea leaves until the final stage. Because after picking the tea leaves, they must be steamed to prevent oxidation of the tea leaves and maintain their green color and freshness.
Then, it is dried and sorted to prepare for grinding with a large granite mortar into a fine tea powder called matcha [抹茶]. Whether the mortar is turned manually or automatically, the amount of tea powder that can be collected per hour is only forty grams. The best quality tea leaves are made from the top young leaves, so the production is labor-intensive, which inevitably makes the price relatively high.

Green tea is a beverage that has been with the Japanese for a long time. It is used in many important events, such as welcoming important guests, birthdays, or changing seasons, to truly experience the taste of drinking tea. However, making your own usucha and koicha does not make the activity a complete matcha tea ceremony in the Japanese style. This is because the actual ceremony has many other steps that are quite complicated.
Therefore, some cafes nowadays use the names of these two types of tea brewing as the names of their menus to help customers understand the taste and strength of the tea. There is no traditional Japanese tea ceremony when serving it.

However, even though Usucha tea is a light tea with a not very strong flavor, it may still be too strong for those who have never tried matcha. If you are not a regular tea drinker, it is recommended that you start with Matcha Latte first, or if you are using pure matcha, you should brew it weaker than the original Usucha.

How to prepare Usucha and Koicha

To make Usucha, mix 1 teaspoon of matcha powder with 60 ml of hot water and quickly whip the matcha in an M shape until dissolved. Repeat until the matcha has a thick foam with many small bubbles. Finish by whipping in a circle and lifting the matcha from the center of the bowl.

For concentrated Koicha, use 2 spoons of matcha powder with 30 ml of hot water and slowly stir in a circle until dissolved. Avoid creating bubbles to obtain a concentrated matcha with a consistent taste. The water used to brew both types of tea should be 85 degrees hot water, which is enough. This is another precaution to maintain the best taste of tea because each type of tea is suitable for different water. (Read more at https://bit.ly/3tWmvZj ) In addition to the temperature precautions, the water used to brew matcha does not need to be mineral water. Just use water with a neutral pH value. (Read more at https://bit.ly/3dRldcB )

Source

https://naokimatcha.com/recipes/usucha-and-koicha-2/

Article from : Fuwafuwa

Have you ever noticed that the green tea we buy in the market or from cafes has different shades of green, even though it’s all green tea? That’s because there are many grades of matcha powder, and each grade has different characteristics, flavors, smells, and colors, which come from tea leaves that go through different harvesting processes. Each grade of matcha powder is suitable for different uses, namely:

Matcha powder can be broadly divided into two grades: 1. Ceremonial grade (ceremonial matcha) and 2. Cooking grade or Culinary Grade (Matcha for cooking) The division of matcha powder into 2 grades is similar to the division of wine into fine wines for drinking neat and wines for cooking.

Ceremonial grade ( Matcha Ceremonial) With a soft taste, naturally sweet and no bitter taste of bright green matcha powder, giving a clearer color than Cooking Grade, ceremonial matcha is a high-grade tea, comparable to fine wine. With a delicate taste Even using a small amount to brew, it can produce a good taste. This grade of matcha powder has a smooth texture like flour and gives a very good texture. Therefore, it is suitable for brewing hot or seasoning in the simplest way. To get a soft texture with a light sweetness Japanese people like to use this grade of tea in tea ceremonies. According to traditional Japanese culture, it is not popular for making desserts or food. Because if you brew it as matcha latte or make desserts, the soft and sweet taste may be overshadowed by other ingredients. And importantly, this ceremonial grade tea is quite expensive. If used to make desserts or lattes, it may increase the cost.

C ooking grade or Culinary Grade ( matcha for cooking) is a tea grade used for making desserts, food, smoothies, ice cream and hot and cold drinks. When cooked with other ingredients, it will make the flavor of the green tea in that menu stand out even more. The color of the tea powder of this grade is not bright green like ceremonial matcha because it comes from tea leaves that were harvested later. This type of matcha powder is further broken down according to the smell, color and flavor of the tea powder to suit different menus. If anyone likes the intensity and bitter taste of this grade of tea, they can choose to brew pure green tea to drink, but it is not as popular as Ceremonial Grade.

However, the two types of tea have different characteristics, so to make it easier to understand, they are as follows:

1. Harvesting Ceremonial Matcha comes from the first young leaves of the tea, which are the best leaves, around the end of April or the beginning of May only. This is the first harvest, which usually yields the best leaves because the tea tree still retains nutrients stored during the winter. The top leaves that are picked will have a sweeter taste than the lower leaves. However, Cooking Matcha comes from the second harvest, which has a more bitter taste, is not as bright in color as ceremonial grade teas, and the leaves are harder.
2. The color of the tea powder is bright green and indicates the freshness and quality of the tea. Ceremonial grade matcha with high tea quality is brighter green than cooking matcha because it is the first harvested tea leaves that contain the highest levels of chlorophyll and L-theanine. Matcha powder that is yellowish green or not bright green indicates that it comes from older tea leaves, which are harvested from the bottom of the tea plant. However, some Japanese tea varieties that are grown with a lot of volcanic soil around them also affect the color of the tea. For example, Kagoshima matcha is known for having a slightly dark green color, while Seimei is a very bright green color.

In addition to the above differences, if the tea leaves come from an organic tea plantation, the taste will be different from that of a normal tea plantation that may have used chemicals in planting. Precautions for choosing matcha for cooking that are available in the market today: if you choose a very cheap grade, it may taste too astringent and you may not even taste the matcha at all.


However, the two grades of matcha are designed for different uses and cannot be clearly compared. Matcha powder for cooking can also be divided into several sub-categories according to its usage. The choice of the two grades of matcha powder depends on your preferences and the results you want to achieve. Whether you want to eat it as ice cream, nama chocolate, pudding, cheesecake that has a clear tea flavor and green tea color, the highest grade of tea for cooking is suitable for use. The lower grades are used to make desserts that require a strong, bitter flavor, such as brownies, cakes, or soba noodles. Or if you only use the color and do not emphasize the clear flavor, you can use a lower grade of green tea to make bread and sprinkle it on the dessert. But if you want to brew it with plain water to get the umami flavor of the tea, it is recommended to use ceremonial grade tea. In addition to dividing tea grades by harvest, it can also be divided into 2 types according to the tea brewing method, called KOICHA and USUSHA brewing. See more at https://bit.ly/2RrD29N

Source

https://www.matchaeologist.com/blogs/explore/ceremonial-vs-culinary-matcha

https://naokimatcha.com/articles/ceremonial-gradematcha/

http://fullleafteacompany.com/products/matcha

Article from : Fuwafuwa

With the popularity of matcha powder and green tea influenced by Japan, there are rapidly increasing sources of matcha powder and green tea leaves in Thailand, whether imported from Japan, China, or even produced in Thailand. The origin of each tea affects the different tastes and aromas. Another point to be careful about is not telling the true properties of the tea leaves. Every shop will say that it is original tea from Japan, so how can we know which shops have real green tea powder? You can observe these factors.

1. The first thing to notice is color . The darker the matcha, the less bitter it will be. This is because it is a well-maintained matcha, a good variety, with a dark green color. It can be drunk directly as a thick brew (Koicha). It is recommended to use a lower grade of matcha powder used in baking because it will have a more intense flavor. When mixed with other ingredients, it will create a more intense flavor. Also, don’t forget to check the container or package that the tea is in. Good matcha powder has a shelf life of about 6 months and should be used up within 4 months after opening. If stored longer than that, the color will start to fade and the aroma will be less fragrant. This is because the tea leaves are steamed at high temperatures during the manufacturing process to stop the oxidation reaction. However, as time passes, the tea leaves are constantly exposed to oxygen, causing them to turn yellow, just like normal leaves that change from green to yellow.

2. Ingredients: Some matcha powders are actually cheap. This is partly due to the fact that the matcha powder is mixed with flour, not pure green tea. This is why they can be so cheap. Don’t forget to flip the package to read the ingredients clearly before buying the wrong one.

3. Reviews from other customers: Don’t forget to check out reviews from people who have already purchased and consumed the product to see what delicious dishes it can be made into and how much to use. This will provide ideas and encourage those who read the reviews to buy it and try it out.

4. Source: Check the source clearly to see which city in Japan it comes from. For example, the most popular cities for green tea are Uji and Kyoto. However, Shizuoka is also equally famous. Knowing the source in detail will help us be more confident in the quality of the tea.

5. Price: Don’t forget to compare market prices to see if the tea you’re buying is too expensive or too cheap. Even if it’s a good quality tea imported from Japan, you should check prices from multiple sources. And don’t forget to check prices from Japan itself, because some products imported directly from the source are several times cheaper than those produced in Thailand. Green tea itself comes in many grades, and each grade has a different price. Checking the same grade will give you the clearest price range.

6. The seller’s name may not be a significant factor, but if you know the source, have a Line@ page, Facebook page, or a reliable website, this is another factor that will help build consumer confidence.

Just 6 simple things to be careful of and think about before buying to ensure you get good quality tea at a reasonable price.

Source

https://www.rishi-tea.com

https://cookingchew.com/matcha.html

https://drericz.com/recipes/diy-super-greens-mix/

Article: Fuwafuwa

It is said that green tea was discovered by Emperor Shen Nong, a scholar and herbalist who was very clean. He drank only boiled water. One day, while Shen Nong was resting under a tea tree in the forest and was boiling water, the wind blew the branches, causing the tea leaves to fall into the nearly boiling water. When he tried drinking it, he felt very invigorated. Green tea was gradually developed. Villagers also began to grow and develop tea, adding spices or flowers to create a different aroma and flavor. All tea grown in China is green tea. The production process involves combining tea leaves, steaming them, and drying them. These leaves do not store well, lose their aroma easily, and their taste is not good. In the 17th century, there was trade with Europeans. In order to preserve the quality of tea for a longer time, fermentation was carried out and drying them, which is the origin of oolong tea and black tea in China.

The introduction of tea to Japan began around the beginning of the Heian period. At that time, China and Japan had already established some contacts regarding Buddhism and culture. Japanese monks traveled as ambassadors to learn about various matters from China, including the study of Chinese herbal medicines. Thus, Chinese tea was first introduced to Japan by monks. It began with a monk from Aichi Prefecture who brought compressed tea (which had to be ground on a stone before being added to hot water to be drunk) and a small amount of tea beans to Japan. When the emperor visited the monks at his temple, the monks brewed a cup of tea and presented it to him. The emperor was so impressed by the taste that he ordered the tea beans to be planted in an herb garden within the imperial palace. Tea spread to the Kinki region (Kyoto), but its popularity remained limited to the upper classes.

Later, in the early Kamakura period, Zen Buddhist monks brought back a large number of tea beans from China, along with the tea production process. The production method involved grinding the tea leaves in a stone mortar that generated minimal heat to preserve the unique flavor and aroma. This resulted in a fine powder, similar to flour, or what we call matcha powder . Making matcha powder takes a long time to produce a certain amount of tea powder, so the price is higher than other types of green tea. It also has a rather special brewing method, requiring a tea whisk to beat the leaves to dissolve them first.

At that time, tea cultivation was widely promoted for its medicinal use. In one of his books, he wrote, ” Tea is the foundation of the mind and the best medical tool, making life more fulfilling and complete.” Then, research began on tea’s properties, including its ability to quench thirst, improve digestion, and detoxify by eliminating toxins through urine.

During the Shogunate’s reign, Minamoto Sanemoto, suffering from heavy drinking, tried tea and his condition eventually disappeared. Later, monks began traveling to spread knowledge about tea throughout Japan, and tea became part of certain rituals and used for medicinal purposes.

During the Muromachi period, the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, known as Chanoyu, began to be practiced. During this era, tea ceremony began to incorporate ideas, spirituality, and natural artistic creations. Detailed information began to be applied to the vessels used in the tea ceremony, as well as the serving of green tea in restaurants.

Drinking tea with the simple, focused mind of Zen allows the mind to develop completely. Priests therefore designed a small tea room to support the Zen ideals of tea ceremonies. This led to the emergence of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony as we know it today. Although the tea ceremony and tea drinking began to extend to the lower classes during the Edo period, the best tea harvests of the year were first handed down to the samurai class. The tea that the commoners drank was harvested later, and thus of lower quality. Later, as the tradition spread and social class divisions eased, the tea ceremony tradition has remained widespread to this day. In addition to training in meditation, the tea ceremony helps to calm the mind and allow one to be more present and inner-worldly. Some Japanese schools even teach the tea ceremony to Japanese children.

Source

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/oolong-tea-bud-jung-pang-wu.html

https://moyamatcha.com/en/moya-matcha/history-of-matcha/#

http://d.hatena.ne.jp/keibunsha2/20110508

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/339951471845392656/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/aligatorpics/6240407574/in/photostream/

http://japan-web-magazine.com/japanese-tea/japan-japanese-tea-ceremony0.html

https://traditional-japan.tumblr.com/image/153431720372

shorturl.at/brstQ

Article from: Fuwafuwa

The matcha powder scoop, or Chashaku (茶杓), originated in the past when green tea from China was introduced to Japan. Japanese people used ivory tea scoops imported from China. However, in recent times, bent bamboo tea scoops have also begun to appear. It is believed that the person who invented the current shape of the Chashaku was Murata Juko, the first person to develop the Zen tea ceremony. The reason for choosing bamboo instead of ivory was because they wanted the tea scoop to be simple and not as extravagant as ivory, because the Zen sect has a simple idea based on Zen Buddhism.

The best features of Chashaku are that they are mostly made of bamboo and have a 1 cm wide spoon tip. In order to scoop the appropriate amount of tea powder, which is about 1 gram, in the tea ceremony, 2 grams of tea are used, meaning scooping the tea with Chashaku 2 times without using a scale. In addition, the handle should be 19 cm long. It is the perfect length for use in the Japanese tea ceremony.

Scooping green tea powder to make tea can actually use a stainless steel spoon or other types of spoons. It is not necessary to use Chashaku, but you will see that many cafes and Japanese tea ceremonies prefer to use Chashaku because of the properties of bamboo. When it comes into contact with green tea powder, the taste will be consistent. And with the amount of tea that Chashaku can scoop each time, in addition, the bamboo of the Chashaku spoon also keeps the nutritional properties of green tea intact. It is easy to use by using a dry cloth or tissue to wipe the tip of the spoon dry before storing it in a box. It should not be washed with water. And Chashaku also gives a sense of authentic Japan. However, the Chashaku spoon is only for scooping tea powder. It is not for scooping other types of tea leaves.

But nowadays, Chashaku spoons are increasingly made from other materials besides bamboo, following the changing times, such as stainless steel, metal, or other types of hardwood. Metal spoons have a rounded tip, similar to the common teaspoons we use for making desserts. However, you have to choose carefully because sometimes you can scoop up inconsistent amounts of tea.

Source

https://www.edenfoods.com/store/matcha-spoon.html

https://oideyasu.tumblr.com/post/64615700994

https://www.taketora.co.jp/fs/taketora/sa00235

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/353110427034464612/

Article from: Fuwafuwa