Same Day Shipping | Carbon Off Setting | Premium Products
Same Day Shipping | Carbon Off Setting | Premium Products
Chideno Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder | Where Chideno Comes In
Chideno.ca, the e-commerce brand of Inter Counsel Commercial Ltd | Vancouver has its roots in the imports and distribution of organic and fair trade coffee as ground and beans. In our market research, and finding ways to evolve in the now competitive private label space, we found out that our customers are no longer consuming coffee and coffee products but other drinks as well. One of the fads of this millenium, much of it owed to the Starbucks coffee matcha frappuccino and heavy advertising of this green wonder drink, is Japanese Matcha Green Tea Powder.
What is Matcha Green Tea Powder?
Matcha is a form of green tea, which has been consumed by the Japanese for millenia, due to its role as a superfood, its exceptional health benefits and its taste. Today, Matcha enjoys global prominence and has become a staple in much of the developed world. Canada & the US and its relationship with this superfood haven't been immune.
High quality Ceremonial and Culinary Matcha from Japan and to some extent lower quality product from China is exported to the four corners of the world. Every day, we are bombarded by the health benefits of Matcha Green Tea and we won't get into that in this article, but rather we want to write about the history of this tea (with all its complexity) to learn where it comes from, how it came to be to show us how going back to the basics and a products' origin (not mired by industrial low quality product) can help us pick better products and heed to the almost spiritual and mystic origins to enrich our daily lives.
Matcha Rekishi (Historical Background)
During the reign of the Tang Dynasty between the seventh and eleventh centuries in China, the court's workers would brew tea leaves and create tea blocks for their own storage and for trading purposes (logistics efficiency). This form of storage had many logistical benefits and in effect would extend the shelf life of the products (It really is amazing of the Supply Chain outlook at the time), and traders would roast/smoke the product and in turn powderize the product for final sale and mix with salt and water. This has tremendous effects on the quality of the product consumed as well as reducing the benefits of the fresh product.
Eisai, a Japanese monk who had lived most of his adult life in China in search of enlightenment, decided to return to Japan in 1191 along with tea leaves and upon his return, planted them in a monestary in Kyoto.
During Kamakura Shogun times, what is today known as Matcha Green Tea Powder is known to have been used by the monestary in Kyoto for certain ceremonies as most of the tea planted by Eisai, was used by monks at this temple to refine the planting process. With the constant search for innovation by the monks, they discovered an entirely new method of planting foreign to Eisai and vastly different than those practiced in China for centuries.
This new product, known as Tencha was produced by growing the tea in the shade and away from sunlight and this is still determined to be the reason for the supposed health benefits of this tea.
I have Matcha Powder , How Should I Make It?
Well for one thing, every Chideno Matcha tin can has a brewing instruction but here our aim is to show the proper method with the proper tools. While we would love for the world to make Matcha as it has been made for centuries, using a whisk and a bowl you own should give you great results anyway!
USUCHA RECIPE [Crema Laden Thinner Matcha (Foamed)] - More Water / Less Powder / Less Mixing
Step 1
By using a small scoop (known as Chashaku) [or a teaspoon] take 2 grams of Chideno matcha powder into the Chawan (Matcha Bowl) [or a standard bowl}
Step 2
Pass your matcha powder through a small sieve to ensure uniformity
Step 3
Boil water and bring down to 80 Degrees Centigrade and pour 70 Cc's into the bowl over your matcha
Step 4
Use a chasen (Matcha Whisk) [or a standard whisk] to mix and whisk the liquid until it foams.
Step 5
Enjoy your Chideno Matcha Tea
KOICHA RECIPE [Thicker] - Less Water / More Powder / More Mixing
To make Koicha, or thicker Matcha you follow the exact steps above but change the proportion of matcha and water. You should opt for 50 Ccs of water and approximately 4 grams of Matcha.
We really recommend you try both and see where you stand! We love both.
Chideno Matcha
A simple search of "Matcha" or "Matcha Green Tea Powder" in google and you find hundreds upon hundreds of private label brands. Quality, unknown! What can we look for to assess quality of matcha?
Most importantly, you have to try a few and see what you like, one thing's for sure and that colour matters! Matcha powder should be bright green! We weren't convinved by the packaging we saw in the US and Canada and so we set out to find a supplier who met the following criteria:
1. Origin: Should be Japanese
2. Farmed: Kyoto, where it was invented (for us this was a no brainer)
3. Organic
4. Certification from Japanese regulatory body (IOAS) [they have very strict guidelines on who they certify as these are exported
5. Majority of Japanese producers only sell what they market. They offer culinary grade, ceremonial grade, organic, inorganic, grade B, grade A...you name it! While many Chinese producers are willing to place an organic label or grade A label even though the product certainly is not, Japanese producers are proud of their product and only market what they sell!
After the craze began, and the science behind Matcha proved itself as a power drink, many suppliers tried to find less expensive product coming mostly out of China, the neighbour of the Matcha superpower, Japan. Matcha quality however, much like Persian Saffron really does depend on the soil quality and the history behind it in beautiful Japan.
The Chideno matcha is a certified Organic Matcha, cultivated, processed and packaged in Japan in Uji and is some of the highest quality in the market.
It took us some time to be able to find the perfect product we trusted our brand name on.
Our Premium Organic matcha comes in 30 Grams tin cans with an easy open seal, and is of the highest Grade A standard.
While there are cheaper Chinese alternatives on the market, cultivation method of the Japanese in Sencha and Matcha is not easily replicated.
Import Designation: Imported
Country of Origin: Japan
Farm: Uji
Weight: 30 Grams Net Matcha Green Tea Powder (Also available in 60/90/180 gr)
Grade: A
Sealed: Yes (Easy Open)
Organic: Yes
Certification: IOAS Certified Organic
Colour: Bright Green
Form: Powder
Use: As a hot drink, in dessert recipes as well as in frappuccinos and smoothies
Cultivation: Shade Grown, minimal processing
You can purchase our Matcha as 30 gr , 60 gr, 120 gr, 180 gr (30 gram tins). While matcha whisk is used in preparation and is preferrable you can also look for recipes on making matcha green tea without the traditional elements.
Lascia un commento