I recently went out to a new vegetarian restaurant with my mother and, like always, I wanted to order hot tea with my meal. I was completely thrilled to discover that they serve matcha, something I’ve always wanted to try.

This matcha was served in a cute white bowl, not a typical cup or glass that other tea is served in. At first sight it looks like a green tea cappuccino because of the froth that the whisking  forms. This matcha has a faint grassy and vegetal aroma.

I inquired as to the preparation, and was told that it was prepared per the directions on the box:

The 1st thing I notice when I taste it is not the taste of the matcha, but the texture of the froth on top. It’s creamier than a cappuccino foam and does not collapse when my lips touch it. It almost seems to kiss me. Next the liquid slips into my mouth. This is definitely different than other teas I’ve tried. While the taste is grassy like most other green teas, the mouth feel is much thicker and it coats my tongue before I swallow rather than just simply washing over it.

When I get to the bottom I find that some of the matcha powder has settled to the bottom. To drink this, I add a little bit of water to the bowl so the “grassy sludge”, as I’ve lovingly coined it, could slip down my throat. Unlike some green tea blended beverages, what was left in the bowl was definitely a pleasant experience. It was rich and grassy, but not chalky or gritty.

Rishi Tea describes this tea as:

Matcha was first used by Zen monks more than 800 years ago to promote a calm state of alertness and focus during extended meditation sessions. Matcha became an integral part of Japanese culture and is the traditional green tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony.
All Natural & Antioxidant Rich – 222mg polyphenols per serving!

To Your Health
Matcha is 100% pure green tea without the added extracts, colorants, sweeteners or flavoring agents found in most instant tea products. One serving of Matcha delivers the antioxidant value of more than 3 cups of common green tea. Matcha also contains L-theanine, an amino acid found only in tea that is known to counteract the “buzz” from caffeine by calming the central nervous system. L-theanine’s natural anti-stress action is anti-depressant and non-sedating. Regular consumption of Matcha promotes creativity, a calm state of alertness and increased energy without the caffeine crash associated with coffee.

Brewed Tea
Regular brewed tea yields only 30% of the total nutritional elements found in tea. The remaining 70% will be thrown away in the spent leaves.

Matcha
Matcha imparts 100% of the nutritional elements that tea offers because the entire tea leaf can be consumed. One serving of Matcha can be prepared in seconds with hot or cold water.

I was completely blown away by my first experience with matcha and am hooked! I can’t wait to prepare my own at home.