How do you get from a tea leaf to matcha powder? That's a mystery we're going to solve on this blog!
It all starts with growing the tea leaves, which is different from other teas. In mid-April, a few weeks before the harvest, the tea plants are deliberately shaded to limit the leaves' exposure to the sun. This slows the growth of the young leaves while boosting chlorophyll production, giving them their characteristic bright green colour.
This shading technique leads to a notable concentration of sugar, chlorophyll and antioxidants in the tea leaves. As a result, amino acid production is stimulated, softening the taste of the tea while creating a distinctive umami.
Matcha is known as a green tea of exceptional quality, as it is made exclusively from the freshest leaves of the first shoots of the harvest. The harvest is done by hand, ensuring the best possible preservation of the leaves' freshness and flavour.
After picking, the leaves are briefly steamed to stop oxidation and preserve the tea's characteristic bright green colour. They are then naturally dried and cooled to end the cooking stage; at this point the leaves are called tencha.
In the next step, the stems and veins are removed by placing the tencha leaves under a large drum. The leaves are then ground with granite millstones until they become a fine powder.
The matcha powder is then ready to enjoy!
Have a look around our shop to discover our high-quality matcha pouches and preparation accessories.
