Organic matcha, like all tea, comes from the leaves of the camellia plant. How matcha is grown and processed is completely different from other teas.
All matcha tea is made with shaded tea leaves. This is a labor-intensive process. The tea bushes are not exposed to sunlight, and the light is filtered into the bushes in a very controlled estate. Shading improves the chlorophyll production of plants and makes the leaves appear rich green. Lack of sunlight reduces plant leaf photosynthesis, thereby changing the natural levels of caffeine, flavanols, sugars, antioxidants and theanine. By controlling sunlight exposure, tea producers can significantly change the chemical composition and flavor of the final tea.
Only the latest spring buds and tea grown from three tea trees can be used for matcha production. Therefore, the production window is very limited, which is one of the reasons why matcha is one of the more expensive teas.
Like most Japanese teas, the tea leaves used for matcha are first steamed. Within a few hours after picking, the leaves are heated with steam for simple treatment, in order to stop the oxidation process, and make the shade-grown tea leaves more green. The steaming process produces a unique flavor profile, usually described as sweet and vegetable.
The organic matcha we sell is not rolled, shaped and dried like traditional green tea leaves. Instead, the tea leaves used for matcha are laid flat and dried to become matcha, which is the tea used to make matcha. Take out the matcha leaves and peel off their stems and veins. The remaining leaf material is ground in a slow-turning stone mill to produce smooth green tea powder.
The traditional tea leaves are steeped in hot water to extract the flavor and chemical properties of the tea leaves into sipped brewed tea. However, matcha green tea powder is stirred into hot water, and the crushed tea leaves suspended in the water are drunk with each mouthful.