LapLap

Just checked and the next scheduled demonstrations are on Friday 26th September at 2pm and 3pm

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_o..._calendar.aspx

Even if you went to Japan you couldn't get a better introduction to and explanation about matcha tea in Japanese culture. It's been many years since I once stumbled on one of these events and raised my hand when a volunteer was requested. I still draw on what I learned that day.

yokozuma

Thanks for the museum link, might check it out next week.

I'm an avid drinker of at least one cup a day, I'm sure it's doing some good inside in the long term! If anyone is in Japan/Asia I would say stock up with as much as you can carry because it's so expensive everywhere else.

I tend to make it reasonably weak though and not in the traditional way as it takes a bit to long.

I went to a traditional tea ceremony whilst in Kyoto with a woman that converted her house and devoted her life to it, when she made it it was so thick and bitter but of course finished it to be polite

Few pics and details of the process on my partners blog if anyone's interested:

http://www.thecutlerychronicles.com/...ony-kyoto.html

LapLap

Yokozuma - the demonstration I was given at the British Museum was by Alex Fraser, co-owner of East Teas. He's as passionate about the actual tea as he is about the ceremony. Since he only occasionally gives demonstrations he would have used matcha from his own personal stock, sharing what he himself likes to drink.

The lady you saw in Kyoto has her focus mostly on the ceremony, it's not really in her economic interests to select and prepare the finest matcha for guests who are only paying a modest amount for her services.

I know that prevailing received wisdom dictates that matcha is characteristically bitter but I've not found that to be the case when sharing matcha with people intimately connected with matcha growers who prepare it for pleasure.
Within Japanese tea culture there must be some particular divide that dictates whether one should "suffer" a little (like a smack to the head given to sharpen the concentration of those trying to meditate) and that the tea should be bitter, but not everyone is on the same side of that divide.

I guess it's similar with coffee. High end coffee can be extremely smooth but there are many who seek out and prefer a more bitter/rougher taste regardless (have to stop here, I know even less about coffee than I do about tea).

BuildingMyBento

Although I personally avoid going to Williamsburg (Brooklyn), other FT/casual readers may not: MatchaBar

mikeef

Thanks for all the advice. Much appreciated.

Mike

BuildingMyBento

An article about matcha was published today on Serious Eats.

gfunkdave

I went there! It's the real deal - felt like I had stepped through a doorway into a shop in Japan.

I bought a bag of genmaicha (toasted rice tea), which I've always liked, even though I know it's what the peasants drank. The store is quite expensive (a matcha making starter kit, with bowl and whisk is $90) but the bag of tea was $14 or so.

Thanks for the recommendation.

BuildingMyBento

Brilliant stuff.

Also a fan of bori cha, Korean barley tea.

LapLap

At Ippodo, barley "tea" is more likely to be called mugi cha.

Another thread for discussion about this and other non tea tisanes/infusions:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/dinin...d-tisanes.html

bocastephen

I've been making delicious ice tea with it for quite a long time - the process is fairly simple:

1. boil water, then allow to cool slightly, or heat up clean/bottled water to below the boil point. Don't mix matcha powder with just boiled water

2. put a couple tea spoons of good quality matcha in a cup or bowl, then add some of the hot water a little at a time, stirring into a loose paste with a smooth consistency

3. add the paste to a larger amount of hot water to create the concentrate, then dilute into a pitcher or serving glass

BuildingMyBento

For those in/going to NYC, check out this recent article.

LapLap

That picture at the top from Chalait looks oddly unappetising, could be the way it was photographed but the ochre tinge to the green suggests the matcha might be stale.

By contrast (and ignoring the ice cream examples) enter
抹茶 ラテ
into google images to see what consumers in Japan would expect.

az09

I am also starting to drink matcha tea but hear alot about radiation from fukushima? What do you guys think. Is it still a concern? The specific brand that i was drinking was Domatcha which has pretty good reviews but than i found the following video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WbX9ubE_hI

Now im not sure if the video has valid testing. I just dont want to consume any radiation while paying premium price for the tea.
Can you guys provide some information if the matcha overall is safe and if the video above has valid testing

babymarnz

I have been interested about matcha tea since last week when I heard of it. I want to try it from the positive things that I see on google about it. I read above that I should not be drinking this tea on an empty tummy and if I'm hungover (those are good to knows). Other than that, are there other things I need to be mindful about? By the way, been scouting for a whisk and a holder and I found one that I really liked at http://www.flourishandthrivenow.com/. Can you suggest other places?

stut

I love the flavour of matcha, particularly in confectionery.

However, the tea itself? Afraid it tastes like liquidised grass to me. Not my taste - give me sencha every time!