Today I made my first cup of matcha. I’ve had the lates, iced and hot, and even got a cup from the David’s Tea matcha shaker at their store. But I hadn’t tried it on my own.
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I like the history and tradition of matcha and I like the idea of building my own little ceremony. In my everyday life, I tend to be anxious and impatient, and thought a process with some focus and contemplation could be a nice new part of my tea routine.
After doing some looking around on the internet, I was tempted by the beautiful world of matcha bowls and high quality tools and tea. I even bookmarked a set or two worth a few hundred dollars. But for all the tools and quality, the David’s Tea matcha essentials set really struck me as a good beginner deal. I ordered it up with some matcha matsu and some flavored matcha and thought I’d give it a go.
First impressions of the David’s Tea matcha essentials set were positive: the bowl was cute and well-made, the measuring spoon convenient, and the whisk pretty standard compared to the others I had seen around.
The one problem is the lack of instruction. They give you the temperature of the water on the tea pack, but no water to tea ratio, and while they set includes a whisk, there’s no directions or diagrams on how it might best be used. So out of the box, without the internet, this might be a baffling process.
Luckily I’m a tea nerd and had been looking into matcha tips and tricks beforehand anyway. Of the teas I ordered, tried the matcha matsu hot first. I used the spoon to measure the scoop, and put in as much water as I felt comfortable mixing in the bowl. After a few dabbing figure-eight motions with the whisk to break the tea up and stir it in, I went in for the froth. I mixed vigorously for about 15 to 20 seconds, moving back and forth across the bowl (not in circles, like you would in a mixing bowl).
And I got to say, the tea foamed right up and looked as perfect as the picture on the box!
As to the taste, it started off a little plain, green and warm, but the more time I spent sipping, the deeper the flavor developed. I know there’s a world of high quality matchas out there, so this probably isn’t too remarkable for you experts out there. It was grassy and smooth and gentle.
As I drank the bowl, I sat at my desk and looked out the window, watching the sky and the sun, listening to the birds and the sounds of my neighborhood. Cheesy as it sounds, it was nice to not have anything to do but sit for a while and drink a bowl of matcha.
Flavors: Grass, Plants
