The products we used:
Keep That Pinky Down
When the Japanese culture enthusiast thinks “Japan”, one of the cultural artifact they’ll think of first is green tea. Green tea is part of the traditional tea ceremonies that Japan is well-known for.
In Japan, my experience has been that both households and institutions will bring out the green tea to make a good impression. Well-off relatives serve green tea when we come over for New Year’s greetings, car dealerships serve green tea while you sit and wait at the dealership, etc. Serving green tea often signals high status.
While I’m not one for playing the status game, sometimes you might need a little edge in personal relationships. Maybe you’ll need to make a good impression on a potential business partner, or your future/current mother-in-law? Who knows. Whether you’re a tea lover, ambitious forward-thinker, or just a guy or gal that just wants to share a little bit of Japanese culture with the people in your life, learning how to make genuine matcha green tea is an easy way to get started or continue your journey.
Acquire Green Tea Powder
The traditional green tea we’ll be making comes in powdered form. It’s surprisingly easy to find match on popular shopping websites. Make sure to pick one that is unsweetened and isn’t labeled “matcha latte”. Matcha latte is a popular drink in Japan, but is very different from traditional, genuine matcha. Feel free to buy both and taste-test the differences between them.
Scoop tea
To get started, first you need a vessel to hold the matcha. Japanese people love small, specialized dishes, so it’s no surprise that they have matcha bowls that are sized perfectly for making matcha. The advantage of using such specialized bowls is that measuring out the right amount of matcha powder is effortless.
If you have a matcha bowl, take two tea ladle scoops (approximately one teaspoon) of matcha powder and pour it into the bowl.
Add cold water
Next comes the water. Unlike other teas, we’re going to start by adding a little cold water, about 10ml. Using a matcha whisk, mix the powder with the water until it’s completely dissolved.
Traditional matcha has a surprising savoriness that you won’t get from other teas. Using cold water first will help bring out that characteristic matcha flavor.
Add hot water
Next, add the hot water, about 60ml and stir to mix. Congratulations, you now have a cup of genuine matcha green tea!
Serve
You can sip your matcha directly from the matcha bowl, or you can pour the matcha into another cup and optionally add some milk for your own matcha latte. Feel free to experiment.
The Zen of Matcha
Matcha is a simple drink. In spite of that, straight matcha is not as common as you might imagine. Serve your Japanese guests some matcha and prepare for their gasps of surprise and excitement!
If you have any interesting experiences related to matcha, or have any ideas for serving the delightful green gold, let us know in the comments below!
