Magic Matcha: Exploring The Fascinating World of Matcha
From century-old tea ceremonies to modern trends, matcha has transcended time, enchanting everyone around the globe.
By Kamila Sukhanova
You probably live under a rock if you have never heard about matcha. Because even my little, 12 years old brother, goes to get his cup of matcha frappuccino after school.
The greenish liquid beverage has gained massive popularity in recent times. As a result, there are more and more not special-oriented places that have started to serve matcha, which means only one thing. Matcha has found its place in the world alongside usual coffee, tea, and other beloved drinks.
According to Emerge Research, demand for matcha will not end any time soon. The global matcha market expects to rise to around seven billion dollars in 2030, where the last market value was approximately 3 billion dollars in 2021. So should we expect even more goods with green powder in the ingredients?
Besides the drink section, matcha took over baking goods, sports supplements and the beauty industry. For real matcha lovers, Le Labo has even created a fragrance reminding the comforting and grounding scent of matcha.
Unfortunately, matcha often falls victim to biased judgments. Some people would intentionally be sceptical about trying just one sip of the green drink. Though matcha has found its place, it was the black sheep or, better to say, the green sheep of the beverage family before its peak.
Matcha’s rich historical story often remains hidden in the shadows, and as it can be known poetically, shadows tend to keep secrets. When people think about the origin of green tea powder, they would immediately assume it to be the land of the rising sun. But there are a few details that are needed to be cleared up.
Going back through the annals of time, the history of tea first begins to unfold around 2700 BC in China. Back then, only representatives of elite Chinese society could have the luxury of enjoying tea. However, the arrival of one Buddhist changed everything.
明菴栄西, Myon Eisai or commonly known as Yosai Zenji, which means Zen master Eisai, was an important figure in the introduction and spread of tea culture in Japan. During his transformative journey in China as a Buddhist priest, he immersed himself not only in the teachings of Zen Buddhism but the art of tea cultivation.
When it was time to go back home, zen master Eisai picked his knowledge on preparing powdered green tea along with some seeds. His mission was to share the benefits of discovered-powered tea with his home country. Master’s writings on the medicinal factors of tea influenced the growing tea culture in Japan, crowning him with the well-deserved title of the father of Japanese tea.
As the seeds that Eisai brought from China would yield vibrant and flavorful leaves, he would wait for them to be harvested. So then, the leaves, carefully steamed and dried, would be ground into a smooth powder using a stone mill.
What’s unique about matcha is the amount of care and mindfulness put into making it. Each step carries the importance of the ceremonial preparation and serving of matcha. It is something we don’t pay enough attention to in modern times.
“In Japan, it is all about ceremony. It is all about slowing down and taking time. Even when they wisk, its all about purpose. In the UK, people be drinking matcha like as they are zooming out the door to get to work. It is all about getting quick and natural energy boost”
Master Eisai’s method emphasised the act of whisking the powdered tea with hot water in a carefully crafted bowl. Not only it enhances the flavour, but it also brings up a sense of tranquillity. Over the centuries that have passed, the master’s traditional method of making matcha hasn’t changed its foundation.
You will need a few essential tools to archive the perfect cup of matcha and enhance your experience with it. A 天目茶碗 chawan is a wide matcha bowl in which matcha is prepared and served, typically made of ceramic or pottery.
The important detail of the traditional process is using 茶筅 chasen, a specifically designed wisk. Then, you would also need 茶杓chashaku, a small bamboo scoop traditionally used to measure the appropriate amount of matcha powder. Making matcha with the use of these essential tools is a great way to not only experience the proper art of matcha making but also to cherish the memory of Myoan Eisai.
In a world where there are sommeliers with expertise in wine, it is expected to have tea sommeliers who possess an appreciation and expertise for the world of tea.
Leane Tilley, a tea sommelier and a founder of KINETA, began her journey with matcha on her first trip to Japan. Seeing huge green tea fields, brewing the leaves in an iron cast teapot and trying it just purely with water was an eye-opening experience for Leane.
“I was surrounded by people in their 70s and 80s. They all had more energy than me, because we would climb mountains and going for tea haunting, and they would drink only matcha .It was the first time I’d tried it in such traditional form, in a traditional setting in a surrounding that really tea is all about, which is community sociability connection, connecting with people”, said Leane
The next journey was to bring that taste of matcha to home, facing its cultural difference. Leane told me, “in Japan, it is all about ceremony. It is all about slowing down and taking time. Even when they wisk, its all about purpose. In the UK, people be drinking matcha like as they are zooming out the door to get to work. It is all about getting quick and natural energy boost”.
However, matcha is well appreciated in both countries for its health benefits. The drink’s vitamins and minerals help boost our beta brainwaves. But, the main reason why people prefer to drink matcha is the state that we don’t want to have it, for example, after drinking coffee.
“I switched up to matcha for about a year now. I couldn’t bear again the awful anxiety I was getting after drinking a simple latte. My heart would pound like crazy and hands shake so much. With matcha I don’t get same affect…”, said a 24 years past coffee addict.
The natural caffeine in matcha interacts with our system when it bounds to the amino acid L-theanine. So after it drips and feeds into the system, we don’t get the hard hit that we usually have with coffee.
The other reason matcha is so popular is the image she got from the media. From matcha lattes and desserts to matcha-infused skincare products, matcha has also become a segment of social media aesthetics.
Influencers share aesthetically pleasing matcha content mainly on Tik Tok with captivating visuals, tasty descriptions and lively music in the background. “To be honest, after seeing beautiful tutorials on tik tok, I couldn’t help myself but get to try matcha for the first time, and I was disappointed in myself for not trying it earlier. I’ve got a full set ready for matcha now”, shared with me, a 29-year-old matcha lover.
I still remember how fast I frowned my face after trying matcha for the first time in Canada. But, here I am 4 years later, impossible to spend a week without buying a cup of matcha latte.
If you also tried matcha and didn’t like it, it’s probably because the powder wasn’t of good quality or the choice of milk was wrong. The taste of a matcha latte depends on what kind of milk you prefer to drink it. My advice is to choose a latte made of alternative milk. For example, choose coconut milk if you prefer it to be sweet or oat if you like a neutral but smooth taste.
London is very lucky with its variety of matcha places. As a person who loves drinking matcha almost every day, I have a list of my favourite places.
Café Kitsuné at Pantechnicon – If you want to try a delicious hot or iced matcha latte with coconut milk, you should go there. They also have sweet goods made of matcha, like this brownie with white chocolate pieces in it.
WA Patisserie in Covent Garden- They have not only matcha beverages, but they also have a whole section of matcha desserts and croissants.
JENKI Matcha – there, you can try something special. Besides sweet goodies, they make lavender and rose matcha lattes. You can even ask to add some collagen to the drink.
Katsute 100– They have the most authentic atmosphere of a Japanese cafe with a traditional matcha ceremony.
From the beginning of its birth in Japan to its modern-day glory, matcha has always been a symbol of wellness and cultural history. The green tea beverage captures the hearts of tea lovers and just health-considerate people worldwide.
With its traditions, health benefits and aesthetic features, matcha will continue evolving and enchanting people with its unique taste. However, if you still tried to avoid the whole matcha obsession, I recommend you judge the drink yourself. Who knows, maybe after trying it at any of my recommendations, you will see green in a completely different way.
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