You drink the whole leaf, ground to dust. Three tins we would open, and the one tool that does the work.
The short answer
The xxxtea matcha collection is three tins: Ippodo Sayaka for the bowl, Jade Leaf Ceremonial as the clean entry point, and Aiya Cooking Grade for lattes. Sift 2g, add 70ml of 175°F water, and whisk with a bamboo chasen until a fine foam forms. Never boiling water.
The bowl
Kyoto, 1717. The everyday tin from a house that doesn't do everyday.
Vivid green, no astringent edge, umami right on the tongue. Thin enough for usucha, sturdy enough for koicha: double the powder, halve the water.
The way in
A scoop. Hot water. Forty seconds with a bamboo whisk. That's it.
First-harvest Uji matcha, stone-ground. Smooth and slightly sweet, no chalk, no grass. The cleanest place to start.
The latte
Latte grade. Stands up to milk. Won't disappear under heat.
Less vibrant than ceremonial, and meant to be. Whisk the ceremonial tins; save this one for the steamed milk and the oven.
175°F
Boiling water scorches matcha bitter. Sift 1–2g into a dry bowl, make a paste with about an ounce of 175°F water, then add the rest and whisk fast in a W from the wrist until a fine foam sits on top. Drink it before it settles.
Twine net. Four amber drops at the knots. Anise underneath.
Jasmine sealed inside. Ring spreading out anyway.
Two teas, one verdict, and who each one is for.
FAQ
Ceremonial grade for whisking with water and drinking straight. Culinary grade for lattes, baking and anything with milk or sugar. Whisking culinary matcha with plain water is the most common reason people decide matcha is bitter.
Bitter usually means the water was too hot: keep it at 175°F, never boiling. Clumps mean the powder went in unsifted. Pass it through a fine sieve into a dry bowl first, then make a paste with a little water before adding the rest.
A wide bowl (chawan), a bamboo whisk with about a hundred prongs (chasen), and a bamboo scoop (chashaku) or a half-teaspoon. A whisk-and-scoop set costs less than a tin of good matcha.
