Matcha Tea Traditional Cache
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This powdery, green substance is a definite change in how you look
or drink tea. This one requires special accoutrements to make it. A
whisk, bowl and spoon. It is also used in special tea ceremonies.
Matcha refers to finely-milled green tea, most popular in Japan.
The cultural activity called the Japanese tea ceremony centers on
the preparation, serving, and drinking of matcha. In modern times,
matcha has also come to be used to flavour and dye foods such as
mochi and soba noodles, green tea ice cream and a variety of
wagashi (Japanese confectionery). Matcha is a fine ground,
powdered, high quality green tea and not the same as tea powder or
green tea powder.
Blends of matcha are given poetic names called chamei ("tea names")
either by the producing plantation, shop or creator of the blend,
or by the grand master of a particular tea tradition. When a blend
is named by the grand master of some tea ceremony lineage, it
becomes known as the master's konomi, or favoured blend.
In Tang Dynasty China (618–907), tea leaves were steamed and
formed into tea bricks for storage and trade. The tea was prepared
by roasting and pulverizing the tea, and decocting the resulting
tea powder in hot water, adding salt. In the Song Dynasty
(960–1279), the method of making powdered tea from
steam-prepared dried tea leaves, and preparing the beverage by
whipping the tea powder and hot water together in a bowl became
popular. Preparation and consumption of powdered tea was formed
into a ritual by Zen (Chan) Buddhists. The earliest Chan monastic
code in existence, entitled Chanyuan qinggui (Rules of Purity for
the Chan Monastery, 1103), describes in detail the etiquette for
tea ceremonies.
A bowl of matcha on a black lacquered tray with a traditional sweet
Zen Buddhism and, along with it, the Chinese methods of preparing
powdered tea were brought to Japan in 1191 by the monk Eisai.
Powdered tea was slowly forgotten in China, but in Japan it
continued to be an important item at Zen monasteries, and became
highly appreciated by others in the upper echelons of society
during the 14th through 16th centuries. Along with this
development, tea plantation owners in Uji perfected techniques for
producing excellent tea for matcha.
- thanks Wikipedia
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Zngpun vf terra...zngpurf lbhe oebja fxveg!
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