Matcha has become a staple on coffee shop menus.
However, the range of options in grocery stores and specialty shops can feel overwhelming.
What is matcha?
Photos: The brands. Design: Eat This, Not That!
Matcha is made from green tea leaves that are shaded or covered in the last several weeks before harvest.
The steamed leaves are then dried and ground into a fine powder.
Unlike other teas, including traditional green and black teas, the leaves are never roasted or fermented.
Ito En
This helps the tea retain more nutrition and its light, grassy flavor.
What does matcha taste like?
Matcha can be an acquired taste for some.
Ippodo Tea
The more matcha you sample, the more you’ll realize how varied and complex the flavors can be.
According to Chen, most matcha have “a vegetal flavor with an umami aftertaste.”
Some can taste slightly bitter, but higher-quality teas are smoother and sweeter.
Kettl
What makes matcha high-quality?
When shopping for the highest-quality matcha brands, there are a few things to consider.
Chen adds that “matcha oxidizes quickly and loses its beautiful flavor and color.”
David’s Tea
She recommends buying small quantities (20 to 40 grams at a time) to keep your tea fresh.
matcha LOVE Organic Ceremonial Powder
This ceremonial-grade powderis Le’s favorite.
They offer great teas for affordable prices," he says.
Mizuba Tea
The tea is shade-grown for 20 days, which helps preserve its antioxidants.
It comes from Japan’s Yame prefecture.
The creamy notes make it a great choice for homemade matcha lattes.
Ocha & Co.
This tea has a lovely, mellow vegetal flavor that first-time matcha drinkers will also appreciate.
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Ocha & Co. produces teas in small batches and stores them in resealable pouches that preserve freshness.
Zuma Nutrition
Per Chen’s advice, be sure to use your matcha within three weeks.
Rishi Matcha Tsuyuhikari
Rishi makes several unique matcha varietals, each with a complex flavor profile.
The 30-gram container is resealable to preserve freshness and flavor.
Midori Spring
Rishi Tea
Tea Dealers
