Jillian

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Jillian drank Strawberry Matcha by 52teas

This is…get ready for it….the first time Jill’s ever made matcha!

I’ve had it often enough in latté form or the traditional form in various cafes and restaurants, but I’ve been too intimidated by all the equipment and preparation needed to try making it on my own. Then I saw this tea for sale on the 52Teas website and it sounded so awesome that I bought it on impulse, even though I have no matcha bowl, whisk, sifter, etc.

I let it hang out in my cupboard for awhile until I finally got tired of staring at it today and went for it. I decided to go with Chrine’s recommendation of 1/4 tsp in 8 oz of water just for starters. In lieu of a matcha bowl I used a ceramic cereal bowl (don’t laugh) and a little metal cooking whisk (is that sound I hear the matcha purists gasping in horror?). ;)

The matcha powder smells very strawberry-y with a bit of the green, grassy scent of matcha. When I added the water it turned into a colour that wouldn’t be amiss coming out of a swamp. The metal wisk and cereal bowl combo seemed to work okay for my purposes, although the matcha tended to settle quickly and I kept having to whisk it up again.

Taste-wise it’s a little watery for my liking, though not bitter at all, which is certainly appreciated. It has the powdery-textured, green flavour I usually associate with matcha with a hint of fruity strawberry lingering in the background. I kind of expected the strawberry to be stronger given how the powder smelled, but that may be due to the amount of water – next time I think I’ll reduce the quantity I add a bit.

Not bad for a first try, though it definitely needs some tweaking. Stay tuned for more!
:D

2010-09-14 22:55:34 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

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Cofftea 2010-09-14 23:32:12 -0400

YAY FOR 1ST MATCHA MAKING! =D You’ll find the flavor come out more when you reduce the water. RE: “even though I have no matcha bowl, whisk, sifter, etc.” -I think a metal whisk is better than no whisk at all and the great new about this matcha (as well as Frank’s other flavors) is that you do not need a sifter!:) Actually, sifting this really doesn’t even work since the flavoring gets clumpy and I personally don’t want to leave that much flavor and matcha out of my bowl since it dissolves so easily.

inguna 2010-09-14 23:52:01 -0400

I bought matcha today although like you I also don’t have matcha bowl, whisk or sifter. Cofftea, thanks for the tips/suggestions.

LiberTEAS 2010-09-14 23:58:35 -0400

You don’t need a matcha bowl… any bowl will do. I used an old rice bowl that I’ve had for years for my first “chawan.” Because the wire whisk that I own is far too large for matcha – I used a fork to whisk the matcha! And the flavored matchas do not need sifting… if you’re going the unflavored route, you can use a small strainer (like a tea strainer) to sift your tea, and use the back of a spoon to force the matcha through the strainer. It works very well, in fact, this is the method I still use (except that I use the back of my chashaku now).

You don’t need the fancy tools to enjoy Matcha. They do make it easier, certainly, and perhaps give one a sense of ceremony… but they are not necessary!

Cofftea 2010-09-15 00:26:07 -0400

I tried a fork once just for the heck of it and can’t seem to get the speed to whisk it enough… but then again it’s only recently that I’ve gotten good at making froth. The funny thing is, I don’t know what I’m doing differently lol!:)

If you don’t have a tea strainer you’d like to use for matcha, I suggest this one.
http://www.lupiciausa.com/product_p/41401682.htm it’s cheap, the mesh is VERY fine, and the long handle and tab at the opposite end allows me to rest the sifter on my chawan while I sift (I use a metal measuring teaspoon to push the matcha thru)… otherwise I know I wouldn’t be coordinated enough to sift and old the sifter lol.

Meghann M 2010-09-15 05:08:30 -0400

Yay for first matcha experience at home! I made mine the same way, in a ceramic cereal bowl with a wire wisk. Thankfully Franks matcha blends easily:)

inguna 2010-09-15 12:10:41 -0400

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. Actually I have never tried flavored matcha, so I’m excited to try one. In my mind apples + matcha sounds like a combination that could work.

Cofftea 2010-09-15 12:12:41 -0400

They all work- it’s just a matter if you like said flavor or not:)

Welcome to Steepster, an online tea community.

Jillian

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