Matcha: A Moving Meditation
The history of matcha and its significance to Japanese culture. In Japan, the tea leaves are kept underneath the shade before being harvested, and that gives the matcha powder its recognizable bright green color after it has been pulverized.
"Life's too short, drink good matcha." The second category is culinary grade matcha, which is the one used in cooking and baking. Culinary grade matcha has a larger flavor palette than ceremonial grade and has a more subdued green color. When using this type of matcha for drinks, it is best to add sugar, because it is more bitter than its more traditional counterpart.
16 | SPRING 2021
design/ Aryam Amar
To make traditional matcha, the Japanese have perfected the process with the use of a couple of tools. The chawan is the ceramic tea bowl in which the matcha is scooped into to begin the process. The chashaku is a small flat spoon resembling a mini shovel that is used to scoop up the matcha. While the original chashaku was made of ivory, nowadays it is normally made of bamboo. Lastly is the chasan, which is the uniquely shaped bamboo whisk that froths Not all matcha is created the matcha. The whisk should mix equal. There are two the matcha and water in a zig-zag distinct categories or M shape until properly frothed. matcha is placed under, While these are the traditional and many subcategories materials to make matcha, a milk underneath those. The frother or electric whisk does the first is ceremonial grade job as well.
photography/ Hunter Strokin
Marjorie Yap, a teacher at the Issoan Tea Room, who has been studying the Urasenke Japanese Tea Ceremony for more than 35 years, talked about how matcha Matcha first originated in Ancient became commonplace in Japanese China, during the Tang dynasty. life. Originally starting with the However, the Song dynasty is monks in Japan, the aristocrats credited with the popularity of began to see matcha as a luxury the powder. Eisai, a Japanese item because of how expensive the Buddhist Monk, studied in China tea and the preparation tools were. and brought back matcha from his trip when he returned to Japan. “It became a way to show off, ‘I Eisai found that it helped improve can own this very expensive his concentration while he was Celadon bowl,’ and sometimes meditating. The Japanese soon they developed gambling games created their own form of matcha, for quite expensive prizes,” said which is the kind we see today. The Yap. When the merchants saw name "matcha"originates from the the aristocrats enjoying the tea Japanese words "ma" which means and associated pastimes, they wanted to partake in it as well, and ground and "cha" which is tea. they could do so since they were the ones transporting the tea and utensils. It was the merchants who brought spirituality back into the tea ceremonies. “Today tea ceremonies are more secular, and it is something anyone can do. It’s called a moving meditation.”
matcha. This is the highest possible quality of matcha, with a vibrant green color and a smooth, fine texture. This form of matcha is made to drink just with hot water and used in many different Japanese tea ceremonies.
written by Marium Abdulhussein
M
atcha, the new “superfood,” has become an ingredient in many different recipes as it takes the western world by storm. Its roots trace back to Japan and China, with traditional tea ceremonies. Since then, matcha has expanded into transforming desserts, breakfast dishes, and healthy snacks with its grounding taste.