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Matcha
By admin | December 15, 2007
Matcha means fine, powdered kind of green tea which is especially used in various purposes like the Japanese tea ceremony, dying and flavoring food items like mocha and soba noodles, ice creams and several Japanese confectioneries. Matcha producing provinces include Uji in Kyoto – the tea from where is known as Ujicha and Nishio in Aichi - tea from this place is called Nishiocha. Though the prices of Matcha tea depend on its quality it is costly as compared to other varieties of tea.
Matcha was originally invented in China during the Song Dynasty and used to be stored and traded as tea-bricks. Its preparation and use was developed as ceremony by Zen Buddhists. Buddhist monk Eisai brought it to Japan during 1911. The Chinese gradually abandoned powdered tea but during 16th century, Sen no Rikyu, tea master, prepared rules of Japanese tea ceremony designating Mocha as appropriate tea to be used.
Groundwork of Matcha begins months before harvesting when tea bushes are swathed to avoid direct sunlight which minimizes its growth and turns the leaves dark green causing the production of amino acids that make tea sweeter. After harvesting the leaves are laid out flat for drying, partially crumbling, known as Tencha which is then ground using stones for getting finer talk-like powder named as Matcha.
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