Matcha has recently taken the world by storm. Three years ago, matcha was around. It was in Starbucks, it was bottled in grocery stores, it was in small cafés... but the craze that has swept through the West since last year in particular (in tandem with a production shortage) has carried into this year and made matcha a common household term and ingredient. So what is matcha? What does ceremonial grade mean? Is Uji matcha the best matcha? Lots of questions, so let's get into it!
First, matcha is a type of green tea from Japan that is ground into a fine powder which can be subsequently dissolved into water and drank. The process of producing matcha includes a shading process that the plants go through to boost the chlorophyll content in the leaves, creating a vibrant green colour. By the time the plants are harvested, steamed dried and cut to create tencha, they are then ground down (usually using a stone mill) into a fine powder.
Okay, well what does "ceremonial grade" matcha mean then? Matcha is often broken down in terms of grades these days. This is to discern the top grade matcha - ceremonial grade - with the bottom grade matcha - culinary grade. You might also hear the term "latte grade" which is also a lower quality grade. Basically speaking, ceremonial grade is meant to be reserved for matcha bowls with no milk or sugar whereas other grades are cheaper and more one dimensional and therefore better suited for lattes and cooking.
Last but not least, is Uji Matcha the best matcha? Well of course this answer depends on preference, but Uji certainly leads the way in matcha production. When travelling to Uji, it's hard not to be absolutely immersed in all things matcha from ice cream, to cocktails to ramen. At the moment, Uji produces much of the highest quality matcha on the market and therefore comes with a bit of prestige and of course a price tag to match. Other areas such as Shizuoka are starting to ramp up their quality to meet the massive increase in demand, but it's generally considered not quite there yet. For now, Uji still seems to be king of matcha producing regions, however innovation and demand will likely very quickly change this reality.
If you want to try Uji matcha for yourself from a third generation tea farmer, click here