Shaded from mid-April until harvest, the tea plants in “ooishita en” (covered) fields grow with reduced sunlight until their freshly sprouted buds are picked. They are then steamed, dried, and, without being rolled, they are ground into Matcha powder. Most people rarely have a chance to see Matcha in its original, unground form known as Tencha, since it is usually sold in powdered form. Once the Tencha is ground by stonemills, the flavor and color of the leaves quickly deteriorate. For this reason, producers typically will preserve the tea as Tencha and will not grind them until just before selling. Unlike Gyokuro and Sencha, Matcha is green tea in a powdered form meaning, when consumed, Matcha retains 100% of the nutrients in the tea leaves. It is rich in amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and catechin antioxidants, making it a highly desirable and popular health-drink.
For best practices in brewing the best Matcha cup of tea, please watch the tutorial video below, courtesy of Maiko no Cha!