River and Stone Tea

Sipdown

I chose this tea for a very special tea time by myself today. A friend’s husband took up pottery making after his recent retirement and today – only the fourth time I have ever seen him, he gave me a matcha bowl and matching teacup that he had made just for me, in one of my favorite colors and with careful attention to making the bowl deep enough for whisking and wide enough to get a good froth. (He lived in Japan for three years and is familiar with tea ceremonies even though he is more of a coffee drinker.)

I was STUNNED at such an amazing handmade gift! I wanted the inaugural tea to be special so I chose this matcha that is ground to order at the tea shop that sells it. I sent photos of the paste in the bowl and how beautiful the deep green matcha paste looked against the swirls of glaze, then another of the froth after whisking, one of the tea poured into the matching cup, and one of the smattering of bubbles left in the bottom of the cup after drinking the tea, which was a special gift from Youngest.

The tea itself is smooth and so easy to drink that it was gone before I knew it. Smooth and rich, lightly earthy.

November Sipdown Challenge Prompt – an unflavored green tea

I was fascinated by this one because River and Stone grinds their matcha in house and to order apparently. I have never heard of this before! This is another gift from Youngest – many thanks!

The smell of the dry matcha powder is so creamy. I whisked it in the traditional manner, using the suggestions I have picked up from Harney and elsewhere. Measure your matcha powder into the chawan, add a tiny bit of cold water and make a paste, then add your hot water and whisk.

I got a very nice froth and enjoyed the tea with some chocolate – my usual modus operandi with after lunch matcha. Then I decided I wanted some more only without any sweets distracting me from the taste and made another bowl. I don’t usually have much caffeine as coffee is never imbibed here and soda is a rarity so perhaps I shouldn’t have. Doesn’t matter, I am half asleep on the sofa now. I guess in the battle between caffeine and L-theonine, the L-theonine won.

Some matcha is only enjoyable in a sweetened latte. This isn’t one of those. It is a smooth and drinkable ceremonial grade matcha.