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Matcha

For the Thai feminist and activist, see Matcha Phorn-in.

Matcha
TypeGreen tea
Other names抹茶, "fine powder tea"
OriginChina
Quick descriptionStone-ground powder green tea of Chinese origin
Regional names
"Matcha" in kanji
Chinese name
Chinese末茶[1]
抹茶
Korean name
Hangul말차
Hanja抹茶
Alternative Korean name
Hangul가루차
Japanese name
Kanji抹茶
Kanaまっちゃ

Matcha[a] (抹茶) /ˈmætʃə, ˈmɑːtʃə/;[2][3] is a finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves that originated in China and developed in Japan. It is mostly produced in Japan today.[4] In the 12th century at the latest, Chinese compressed tea, the raw material for matcha, was introduced to Japan. When the production of compressed tea was banned in China in 1391,[5] matcha was abandoned in China and developed in Japan thereafter.

When the method of shaded growing was invented in Japan in the 15th century, matcha became a bright green tea instead of the brown it had been before. Tea plants used for matcha are shade-grown for three to four weeks before harvest; the stems and veins are removed during processing. During shaded growth, the plant Camellia sinensis produces more theanine and caffeine. The powdered form of matcha is consumed differently from tea leaves or tea bags, as it is suspended in a liquid, typically water or milk.

A cup of matcha tea

The traditional Japanese tea ceremony, typically known as "chanoyu", centers on the preparation, serving and drinking of matcha as hot tea, and embodies a meditative spirituality. In modern times, matcha is also used to flavor and dye foods such as mochi and soba noodles, green tea ice cream, matcha lattes and a variety of Japanese wagashi confectionery.

  1. ^ From the Classic of Tea: "飲有粗茶、散茶、末茶、餅茶者。"
  2. ^ "matcha – Definition of matcha in English by Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries – English. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  3. ^ "matcha". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference japan_unique_teas was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Shen, Defu. "補遺一"  [Addendum 1]. 萬曆野獲編  [Unofficial Gleanings of the Wanli Era] (in Chinese) – via Wikisource.


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