Matcha is a powdered green tea made from the ground leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The word matcha comes from a combination of the Japanese words matsu, meaning “to rub,” and cha, meaning “tea.” The flavor of matcha has been described as a combination of vegetal, grassy, sweet, bitter, nutty, and umami.
The origin of matcha can be traced back to the time of the Tang dynasty's rule of China from the seventh to the tenth centuries. The Tang dynasty would steam green tea leaves before pulverizing them into a powder and forming them into bricks for easier transportation on the sales route. The tea bricks were primarily sold to Buddhist monks throughout China. Tea was prepared from the bricks by mixing the powder with water and salt. The Song dynasty, which ruled China between the tenth and thirteenth centuries, further popularized this method of preparation and consumption. Matcha was introduced to Japan in the 1100s by Japanese Buddhist monk Eisai, who learned of it from Chinese monks while he was practicing Buddhism in China. Upon one return home from China, Eisai brought back some tea plants and seeds which he planted on the grounds of a temple in Kyoto. The chosen site of the temple helped establish the early association of matcha with royalty, as well as the practice of tea ceremonies, which became traditional practices among the ruling class. Armed with the knowledge of how to cultivate the plant and prepare the tea, Eisai was able to popularize matcha in Japan. His Zen Buddhist sect is credited with the cultivation method of growing the tea plant in the shade to influence its flavor.
Matcha is the focal point of traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, called sado (茶道), chanoyu (茶の湯), or the Way of Tea. These ceremonies are highly ritualistic gatherings, though the specifics of each ceremony depend on factors such as the time of day, season, and venue the ceremony is held in. Tea ceremonies are classified as chaji (茶事) or chakai (茶会). Chaji ceremonies are the most formal and involve the serving of a full course meal, confections, and both usucha (薄茶) and koicha (濃茶). Chakai tea ceremonies are shorter and simpler; a light meal is served, followed by confections and usucha. Usucha is a thin matcha blend, made by whisking hot water and matcha together. Koicha is a thicker blend that uses three times as much matcha as usucha and requires kneading rather than whisking. Usucha is usually portioned out and served in individual bowls, while koicha is served in one large bowl and shared among guests. The water for matcha is heated over a charcoal fire, and the tea is prepared in front of guests. The tools used for matcha's preparation––known as chadogu––are cleaned in front of the ceremony's guests both before and after the tea is made. After the host cleans the chadogu again, guests are typically allowed to examine the tools, which are handled with great care. These tools include natsume (棗), a lidded storage caddy; chawan (茶碗), a serving bowl; chasen (茶筅), a whisk; and chashaku (茶杓), a scoop.
Traditional Japanese chadogu, or tea equipment, used for preparing matcha. These tools are typically made of bamboo.
Camellia sinensis growing under shade for matcha production.
When grown for the production of matcha, Camellia sinensis is grown in a shaded area away from excessive sunlight. This allows the plant to produce greater amounts of amino acids, chlorophyll, and theanine, all of which affect the taste of the matcha. Only the buds and top three layers of the plant are harvested. After harvesting, the leaves are steamed to halt the oxidation process. Then, they are deveined and ground in stone mills. This laborious cultivation and production process makes matcha one of the more expensive teas on the market. Matcha is available in two grades: ceremonial and culinary. Ceremonial-grade matcha is the highest quality as the tea leaves are pulled off the stem and deveined quite thoroughly before grinding, resulting in the finest powder. Culinary-grade matcha is coarser because the tea leaves aren't deveined as thoroughly in production. The remnants of stems and veins in culinary matcha can give it a bitter taste. Nowadays, matcha has many culinary applications besides tea. It is often added to sweet and savoury foods for a complementing element.
