Whisking Matcha for Enjoyment at Home

Hello and happy Spring!  I'm going to be writing a series on the "Japanese Tea Ceremony" experience, known as Chanoyu or Chadō (the Way of Tea). But before we dive into that, I want to share how you can easily make and enjoy a bowl of matcha at home. 

And when I say bowl, I mean just that! In this style of drinking matcha, each person gets their own bowl of tea. I'll be making thin tea, called usucha. It's the frothy kind and it's amazing!

It's important to understand that there are many different schools of Chadō, and each has its own way of making tea. There are differences in how to whisk, the desired frothiness, etc. And yet each produces a beautiful and delicious bowl of tea. The school from Japan that I am associated with is Urasenke.  My local school is Issoan. Even though the instructions below are not for a tea ceremony, the style I've learned will show through.

In the picture above, you see a shaped "mountain" of matcha in a traditional tea caddy. Below are the typical implements: a bowl, whisk, scoop, tea caddy and a water ladle. You will not need all of these things.

What you WILL need: 

• A bowl with a wide enough bottom for the whisk to move freely. Something like a rice or cereal bowl.
• A measuring cup
• A mesh strainer
• Teaspoon
• Bamboo whisk 
• Matcha 

I recommend two investments for home enjoyment of matcha: A bamboo whisk (chasen) and good matcha. A reputable source available in the US is Ippodo. Please be careful where you buy your matcha and do not use cooking grade. You are ingesting the ground-up leaf and the flavor is intensified. You want the good stuff for drinking. Expect to pay $25-30/canister for a decent matcha.  See this site for more options. Also, don't buy large quantities and store the canister of matcha in a plastic bag with the air pushed out, in the freezer. 

To make your bowl of matcha:

1. Rinse your bowl with hot water, then dry it out.  This pre-warms the bowl and removes liquid that might cause the matcha to clump.

2. Place the mesh strainer over the bowl. Measure in a scant (less than full) teaspoon of matcha. Tap the strainer or use the back of a spoon to push the tea through. Straining the tea helps reduce lumps.

3.Now add between 1/4 and 1/3 cup of hot water, ~170 degrees Fahrenheit. Please do not use boiling water. When I remove my kettle from the heat source and take the lid off, it takes ~3.5 minutes to cool to the right temp.

4. Take your whisk and lightly press down any floating tea. Then move the whisk briskly in a straight up-and-down motion. (Other tea schools do this differently.)  See the video below. You do not need to press down hard on the whisk (that can break the tines). Placing your hand over the top of the bowl helps to steady it.

                                                                            5. Keep whisking until you see a thick foam forming.
                                                                            Keep going a wee bit longer.  Then move the whisk
                                                                            across the top lightly to pop any big bubbles.

                                                                            6. Set the whisk down and enjoy the tea! 
                                                                            Matcha is commonly enjoyed with a small sweet.

Notice how the foam gets thicker over time.  Keep going!

If your matcha froth isn't thick, try using a little more matcha, a little less water, or whisking a little longer.

Mary Oliver

As you have likely heard, poet Mary Oliver recently died. I love her poetry, how it imbues the natural world with everyday magic, and inspires/invites/insists that we pay attention. I find that her poems pair exceedingly well with tea. They invite me to pause and to take notice of the place I inhabit.

Here is one of my favorite poems, from among many, many favorites:

It Was Early
~Mary Oliver, from Evidence, 2009 and published again in Devotions, 2017

It was early,
   which has always been my hour
        to begin looking
           at the world

and of course,
     even in the darkness,
        to begin
           listening into it,

especially
     under the pines
        where the owl lives
           and sometimes calls out

as I walk by,
    as he did
        on this morning.
           So many gifts!

What do they mean?     
     In the marshes
        where the pink light 

           was just arriving

the mink
     with his bristle tail
       was stalking
           the soft-eared mice,

and in the pines
     the cones were heavy,
        each one
           ordained to open.

Sometimes I need
     only to stand
        wherever I am
           to be blessed.

Little mink, let me watch you.   
     Little mice, run and run.

        Dear pine cone, let me hold you
           as you open.

Heathman Tea by Vitaly Paley

It's been open for awhile now, but I have not written about the re-envisioned afternoon tea at the Heathman Hotel in Portland, OR. Chef Vitaly Paley relied on his heritage (Belarusian) to inspire the experience. I had the opportunity to enjoy tea here recently, and am happy to share a few moments with you. 

The Tea: Paley collaborated with Steven Smith Teamaker to curate a small but mighty list. I chose the Georgian Caravan, served only at the Heathman. It's smoky but not overwhelming, bold but allows for the jam (do add!) to be distinct. Plus the tea is served in a pretty glass cup with fancy metal cutwork. 

The Setting: I was visiting alone, something I enjoy. I was given a lovely seat near the fire. The restaurant manager rearranged things to ensure my view was of the fire - I made note! It's a gift to have such care. 

The Food: Bolder than one normally finds at afternoon tea, but delicious and unique! Find the full menu here. 

Some of my favorites: The middle tier shown below, including a deviled egg, walnut-stuffed eggplant, blini with caviar and mushroom piroshki (stuffed potato bread). The khachapouri (Georgian cheese bread - not shown) was amazing, and I was touched by the steopka (sour cream and walnut cake), based on his grandmother's recipe.

If you're in Portland and love afternoon tea, I recommend this experience. Be sure to take in the lovely surroundings, too - the tall bookshelves and the interesting large-scale art.

Tea Haiku#1

out my window
brown leaves, I long
for fresh plum blossoms

#teahaiku

Tea notes:

• Drinking Hanayaka Koshun, a Japanese green with a slight oolong-style wither from https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010755181210 and found in the US at Jasmine Pearl Tea Company. 
• Teacup from http://www.x10studios.com/
• I purchased the tea and the teacup was a gift from a friend. Neither product was received in exchange for being featured  on the blog.

Mrs. Su's Dong Ding Tea

Today I am drinking a beautiful Dong Ding tea made by Mrs. Su. You can see her making tea at 7:00 in this wonderful short documentary. My friend and tea guide Shiuwen of Floating Leaves Tea, with her talented partners, have made the video. Please watch!  

About the documentary: "This is a portrait of farmers Mr. and Mrs. Su, their dedication to their land on Dong Ding mountain and their family business of oolong tea making. The land on Dong Ding itself is incredible for tea production, which is the land that Mr Su's forefathers passed down to them. The Su family have preserved the art and land of their ancestors for many years.
This short film also features Mr Zhan, a tea roasting master that inspired our tea journey. His teas are like magic. He also works with Dong Ding oolong. We plan to produce a full length film to preserve his legacy and share his story with a wider audience."

If you love Taiwanese oolongs and want to help preserve the history and tradition of charcoal roasting, please consider donating to the making of the full-length documentary.

Otsukimi

Photo by Marjorie Yap, of Issoan Tea School

This photo captures the peacefulness of our recent tea gathering at the Portland Japanese Garden, for Otsukimi, or moon viewing, an event I look forward to every Autumn.  Read more here. (That's me in profile.)

Upcoming Tea Events in the Pacific Northwest

Bowl-style Brewing

Join my colleague and me for this free tasting/class at the NW Tea Fest!

A few upcoming events in the Pacific Northwest. Let me know if you'll be there!

Sept 29 - 30, 2018

Northwest Tea Festival

Seattle Center

As part of the Global Tea Tour Series, I'll be teaching a class on the
Art & Etiquette of the British Afternoon Tea at the Jasmine Pearl.

Sunday Oct  28, 2018

Global Tea Tour - England

1:00 - 3:00 pm

Jasmine Pearl Tea

Let me know if you'll have the opportunity to be at either of these events.  I'd love to see you! Also, I'm on Instagram @stephwtea. 

Tea Fest PDX 2018

The highly anticipated Year 2 for Tea Fest PDX was a success! The organizing team worked hard to bring not only the best from last year, but also improvements and new surprises.  An extra building allowed more space so that everyone could stretch out. Add to that mild summer weather, and amazing teas, and you've got a great day!

Photo by Mitra Farrokhzad Dunn

I taught the class, The Art and Etiquette of the British Afternoon Tea, and had the chance to partner with Marilyn who coordinated the British Tea Tent. Michelle, shown below, helped in the tent for much of the day and made many people jealous for her dress (which she sewed herself).

Many vendors offered tastings and sold tea and tea ware. This photo was from Minto Island Tea, a company growing and processing tea in Oregon. The photo highlights the steps of production and shows the leaf along the way.

Minto Island also had baby tea plants for sale.

I had the chance to attend three fabulous tastings, including this one with Tealet, sampling gyokuro tea. 

Pulling off an event of this size and scope takes a team of many. The dedicated volunteers work through the great ideas, the difference of opinions, the surprises and even when  cups don't clear customs!  Thank you to this team from the bottom of my teacup!

I prefer fireworks in subtle, quiet ways, like a cup of tea and a moment of tranquility.

Tracing the Early Route of Tea into Europe

Azulejos (blue tiles) in the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, where Catharina de Bragança is entombed

I've been wanting to write this blog post for two months. I'm not prone to writer's block, but I didn't know where to begin. Well, here it is: For a tea lover, I've recently had the most wonderful opportunity to travel from Macau* to Portugal (OK, Spain was in the middle, but we won't hold a grudge).  Tea Friends - As you may know, Macau to Portugal is a primary historical route of how tea made its way into Europe. This just makes me totally tea geek out!

Where to start?  Egg tarts.  If you've ever enjoyed dim sum, you were most likely tempted by these delightful treats. They remind me of my grandmother's custard pie. The first one below I enjoyed in Macau and the second in Portugal. The sweet came to Macau along with the Portuguese traders, and tea went the other way.  

The first Portuguese ships made their way to China in 1516, but it wasn't until over 40 years later that missionary Gaspar da Cruz wrote the first Portuguese account of tea. Macau was leased to the Portuguese as a trading post in 1557 (though it had been in use prior), and 330 years later was negotiated as a Portuguese colony. This gave Portugal huge advantages over its trading rival, the Dutch, who didn't build a stronghold until 1624, on the Isle of Formosa (Taiwan). Let me say that any time one culture thinks it knows best (colonization) there are many ugly outcomes. I don't want to romanticize this historical epoch. Rather, I'm attempting to explain why tea was consumed in Portugal. The Portuguese were among the earliest European traders with China. Good ideas (tea) move quickly across cultures.  Read more in this interesting Smithsonian article. 

You've likely heard about Catherine de Braganza, the Portuguese princess who married England's Charles II in 1662. Tea drinking was yet an oddity, a rarity, among the British. The now-Queen was a dedicated tea drinker and brought tea in her dowry, along with a port in Bombay. As does the Queen, so go the people. (Read more in this BBC article). 

Portrait of Catharina de Bragança, São Vicente de Fora monastery
It's my favorite portrait of her, and the photo doesn't do it justice.

This union, of course, was a political one.  Catherine had suitors starting when she was eight years old. Her role in life was to be a negotiated bride to another country. England won her hand and her wealth. In return, Portugal received military help in protecting its borders from Spain. 

When I visited Windsor Castle several years ago, I learned that Charles II built a southern-facing turret for Catherine. A nice gesture, especially since she was not a particularly beloved Queen. Her customs were different (she was Catholic and Charles had to make special dispensation for this). Her clothing was different. She preferred sunnier climes.  Charles had many mistresses, and he and Catherine were unable to produce an heir.  

It's worth noting that when Catherine moved to England, she would have drank her tea from a handleless cup, probably one that came from China along with her tea.  Cups with handles made their entrance in the early 1700's. Catherine died in 1705, so it's possible she would have seen the transition. She returned to Portugal in 1692, over a decade after Charles' death.

Azulejo tiles depicting Catherine's father, King John IV

Catherine is laid to rest at the Monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora. You will find her tomb in the pantheon for the Braganza family. I find it interesting that her name, etched in gold, gives preference to her British title, as Queen of England. Should you find yourself in Lisbon, this is a must-see.  It's in the old part of the city. I spent three hours at the monastery, viewing the courtyard, the museum, the azulejos (amazing!!!), the pantheon, climbing to the rooftop and sitting in the courtyard drinking tea (bring your own) and toasting Catherine. 

Tomb of Catharina de Bragança, Monastery of São Vicente de Fora

View from the rooftop of the monastery

You can also read more about visiting this site from Denise. And big thanks to her; it's because of her notes that I was inspired to find the monastery! 

One more connection that showed itself while I was traveling.  The photos below are of a Chinese garden (within the Botanical Garden in Belém, region of Lisbon -- which is also where you can find the most famous egg tarts).  In the second photo, we've been transported back to Macau. :-)

*Macau is the modern Portuguese spelling. Macao is the English spelling.  

Happy International Women's Day

From my 2011 post...

"So I will begin with what is most vivid in my mind, and that is the lives of the people who work the tea fields.  The photo above is among my favorites.  Notice the dirt under her fingernail, the pretty silver band she wears, the lines in her hand, the vibrancy of the green leaf.  It's all there - the hard work, the beauty in it, the struggle, the love, the tea that sustains this community.  It was a privilege to be taken to these fields and see, for a brief moment, how these people connect with me.  They pick the teas that I drink.  That I will never, ever forget."

Macau Tea Culture House

In the Lou Lim Ieoc Garden, Macau

After recently visiting Hong Kong, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Macau.  I seek out tea experiences wherever I go, and was delighted to learn of the Macau Tea Culture House.  This museum opened in 2005 and is a project of the Cultural Affairs Bureau. Macau was the earliest port from which tea was traded to Europe. Super cool for we tea geeks!  Below are some of the things one will see here.  If you manage to be in Macau, most definitely visit!  The adjoining Lou Lim Ieoc Garden is also a must-see. 

The building is in Portuguese style, showing the connection between Macau and Portugal

Inside, one finds the smell of roasting tea, and a collection of tea utensils - tracing the development from handleless cups

To handles

A replica of a table at the famous Kun Nam tea house, in operation from 1953 - 1996

Upstairs, a replica of a tea house

And a very fine collection of clay teapots

Yum Cha in Hong Kong, Lock Cha Tea House

Yum Cha is a practice, associated with Hong Kong and Cantonese-speaking parts of China, of having tea and dim sum (a variety of small dishes).  It's like brunch. I was recently in Hong Kong and had a chance to visit the Lock Cha tea house to enjoy this custom.

See the tea kettle to the side?  It's cleverly built into the table. 

We enjoyed a yellow tea (top) and a Phoenix oolong (bottom). 
The oolong was called "greenish" tea in English. 

Veggie dumplings

Cakes of pu-erh and other tea

Girl Scouts and Tea

I am lucky to the be the aunt of a very special Girl Scout, and also to have been able to share my love of tea with Girl Scouts in Washington. I received my cookies today and sat down with a cup of tea to enjoy them.  Lifting my cup to all Girl Scouts, past - present - future!

Girl Scout Law

I will do my best to be honest and fair,
    friendly and helpful,
    considerate and caring,
    courageous and strong, and
    responsible for what I say and do,
and to 
    respect myself and others,
    respect authority,
    use resources wisely,
    make the world a better place, and
    be a sister to every Girl Scout. 

Happy Holidays!

Peace and joy to you!