Many people may wonder why matcha tea can’t be stirred with a spoon like we do with coffee or cocoa?
The answer is that matcha is a powdered tea made from tea leaves. Unlike a solution that has been roasted to create a ready-to-brew powder like Ovaltine or granulated sugar, it doesn’t have the ability to dissolve in water. Using a tea whisk, also known as a chazen, to whisk the tea powder will dissolve it completely, giving you a more authentic Japanese-style aroma and flavor.
However, some people may use a whisk used for making desserts to beat the tea powder instead. However, the disadvantage is that when the matcha is beaten, the foam will be large and not fine, making the matcha look unappetizing.
Chasen is usually made of bamboo and has about 80 ribs. If there are fewer, it is a chasen that is used for brewing koicha, or concentrated matcha.
It is necessary to use chasen to knead the tea powder into a homogeneous mixture with hot water, different from making usucha or thin matcha, which uses chasen to beat the tea powder into foam. However, some models of chasen with a large number of tines, such as 100 or 120 tines, have the advantage of being able to beat matcha into foam more easily and with finer foam. In the past, chasen with a large number of tines were only reserved for use by shoguns or high-ranking nobles.
When using a chasen for the first time, soak it in warm water for 15-30 minutes to loosen the wood. In addition, to extend the life of the chasen, every time before use, soak the chasen in warm water for about 5-10 minutes to allow the wood to flex and withstand the force of use without breaking. It is also recommended to use the chasen with a wide, flat bottomed cup and avoid using it with tall, narrow-mouthed, angled teacups, as this could cause the tip of the brush to hit the corner and break. Most importantly, do not press the chasen brush against the bottom of the cup, but focus on shaking the chasen using your wrist, avoiding shaking the brush so hard that it hits the side of the cup.
After each use, you should swirl it in warm water, only swirling the part that touched the matcha. You don’t need to rinse the entire thing. After swirling it in two rounds, set it aside to dry. Or if you have a ceramic tea rest, you can insert it and wait for it to dry.
A little additional tip: after use, store your matcha in a dry, ventilated place. Avoid storing it in a humid place, such as a closed container, box, or air-conditioned room, to prevent germs . Simply starting to use it properly and storing it properly will help extend the life of your matcha, a favorite among matcha lovers.
Source
https://cooking.framethe.me/2019/11/tea-tasting-with-tamayura-tasting-of.html
Article from: Fuwafuwa
