The very first time I tried Matcha tea was at the Kaetsu Centre in Cambridge. Every year they host Japan Day where people can go along and learn more about the culture and take part in workshops. Since then I’ve had Matcha tea on and off at various cafés. It wasn’t until I went to Berlin last October and visited the Matcha Shop that I realised just how much I enjoy it. It was from that moment that I decided to start trying to make it at home.
Over the last 6 months I’ve been making the odd matcha latte but lacked a few of the key tools to correctly prepare a really good cup. The lovely people at Kanuka Tea noticed this and dropped me an email last month. They wanted to give me a helping hand to take my Matcha tea making skills to the next level and sent out one of their Matcha Tea Starter Kits for me to try out.
Have you heard of Kanuka? I’d seen the brand floating around in Instagram photos but didn’t know all that much about them. It turns out that they’re based in St.Albans where they were founded by John Hesler (a builder by trade and a tea lover). They also have a Tea House (3b Christopher Place, St Albans Hertfordshire, AL3 5DQ) where they have over 40 teas from around the world to choose from. If you’re near by then pop into their Tea House and try out the teas before deciding which blend to take home. I hope I get the chance to visit soon, it looks lovely.
Unless you’re already familiar with the Japanese tradition of Matcha tea then you’re probably wondering how to make it and what a starter kit includes. Well, I’m no Matcha connoisseur but with a little help from Kanuka I’ve been equipped with all the tea tools to get started. As I mentioned before, I’ve attended a couple of tea ceremony demonstrations (if you get the chance to do this then please do, it’s very interesting) and I’m fully aware that making Matcha tea should be a time to relax and take your mind away from the stress and worries of the day.
The kit includes:
40g pouch of Kanuka Japanese Matcha tea powder – they source their Matcha from a small eco-run farm in Shizuoka, Japan
Traditional matcha whisk
Bamboo measuring scoop
Traditional matcha bowl
Everything needed to perform a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Isn’t the bowl beautiful? I love the minty green shade mixed with the speckles of black.
How to make your Matcha tea:
Start by mixing half a teaspoon of Matcha powder into a paste with 40mls of cold water into your bowl.
Whisk with the bamboo chasen in an ‘M’ shape.
Keep going until it’s frothy.
Heat another 150mls of water to around 70°C, stir in to the paste and drink immediately.
The Kanuka Matcha is lovely and smooth. If you fancy making a latte, replace the water with your milk of choice (I use almond) and if you like, add a dash of honey. I enjoy Matcha both with and without milk. I don’t add honey but I’ve heard it’s very nice with it.
I’ve really enjoyed making Matcha tea on a more regular basis over these last couple of months. I tend to make it at the weekend for Phil and I when I have a little extra time. It forces me take time out of the day, away from my laptop and I can really focus on enjoying the process of preparing it and having some time to relax. If I’m working from home I’ll often make a cup mid-morning or late in the afternoon. I’ll continue to use my kit regularly and I actually fancy experimenting with alternative milks for lattes as well as maybe even trying to do some baking with the Matcha.
I’m delighted to have finally got my hands on a full Matcha kit thanks to the lovely team at Kanuka. Do check out their starter kits over on the Kanuka site, I think they make a fab gift idea for anyone who loves tea or is keen to learn more about the world of Matcha tea.
Leave a comment below and let me know if you’ve ever tried Matcha tea and if you like it.