Celebrating New Matcha!
Although China began to experiment with ground tea leaves centuries ago, it is Japan that is home to Matcha as we know it today. True Matcha has been used in the elaborate and exquisite rituals of traditional Japanese Tea Ceremonies for centuries.
To produce high quality Japanese teas, like the finely ground green tea leaves used for matcha, the plants are covered and grown in the shade a couple of weeks before harvest. This deliberate reduction in sunlight supports a brighter green tone to the tea leaves based on the increased chlorophyll contents, adding more antioxidants and preserving a sweeter, grassier flavour. As tea is a living plant, depriving its leaves of sunlight for an extended period of time poses a serious threat to its survival. Cultivating tea under shade inevitably means a shortened life span of the tea bushes. It is due to this and many other factors that limit farmers from choosing to grow and harvest tencha leaves to create matcha tea. Matcha is also only ground and created using stone mills which is time consuming and these stone mills are not present in every factory.
In recent years, the global love for matcha has grown and blossomed.
While it is incredible to witness Japanese tea culture reaching so many, growing demand has brought new challenges to the people who cultivate it. The unintended consequences of a system now urging producers to plant more and more shaded fields to meet market pressure. From the heavy labor of shading to the health of the tea bushes and soil, the solution isn't to produce more, but to preserve better.
This is an invitation to understand where matcha tea comes from and how we can protect its future. While this isn't necessarily an obvious situation, it bodes as a healthy reminder to educate ourselves on where we are sourcing the products we use daily and why.
As an outside observer of Japanese tea culture, matcha demonstrates to us that what may appear to be simple often invites a lifetime of learning. Whether for daily drinking or special moments of ceremony and contemplation, Matcha offers more than just micronized tea leaves.
Let’s celebrate in the beauty of tea; the balance of enjoying high quality teas, and the gratitude we share for farmers tradition, time and energy in the creation of exquisite teas.
At Westholme, we are thrilled to have a close connection to the farmers from whom we source our matcha and we honor the traditional preparation. We will be sure to answer any questions you may have along this journey and we encourage you to try other beautiful green teas from Japan that also bode a myriad of calming health benefits.
CEREMONIAL MATCHA
Historically prepared in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, ceremonial matcha tea is made from the most tender young tea leaves. This gives the matcha tea a rich, velvety, umami flavour, and a beautiful vibrant green colour. Traditionally stone-ground to the finest powder, resulting in an incredibly silky texture.
The thick, incredibly silky texture of the prepared matcha immediately covers the palate with the smooth, creamy flavour of fresh cashews and crisp green grasses. The linger is a gentle, slight umami paired with clear mineral notes on the back of the tongue. A full bodied, delightful ceremonial grade matcha from Shizuoka, Japan.
1-2 grams of matcha per 70ml (1/4 cup) using 70ºC water.
EVERYDAY MATCHA
Made from the premium, shade-grown Tencha tea leaves of Shizuoka and Kagoshima prefectures, this second harvest matcha is carefully and freshly ground through a traditional stone mill. The depth of flavour and sweet umami qualities make this matcha excellent for drinking and for culinary explorations.
The aroma of the prepared matcha is a fresh, sweet, umami which develops a nutty finish. The smooth texture and rich flavour carries the palate through a complex astringent depth on the sides of the tongue. Develops a mild, mineral linger with vegetal qualities. Excellent for drinking and culinary uses and perfectly suited for your everyday matcha ritual from Shizuoka + Kagoshima, Japan.
1-2 grams of matcha per 70ml (1/4 cup) using 70ºC water.