In Japan, tea is celebrated at formal ceremonies, and matcha sits at the top of the tea chain. Matcha Source owner Alissa White wants people to know that fact, so the Mid-City matcha specialist will gladly prepare three grades of matcha at her airy shop, free of charge, in the interest of tea education.

Matcha Source carries tins of Gotcha, Morning, and Kama, which are all shade grown for the final three weeks before harvest. At that point, leaves have to work harder to undergo photosynthesis, increasing chlorophyll, a natural detoxifying agent, while increasing amino acids, which helps mouth feel and mood enhancement. The ceremony grades, instead of blending grade, are picked young, with stems and veins removed.

White dry-strains the matcha powder into a bowl to separate clumps. She adds fresh filtered water, hot, not boiling. She whisks the tea with a bamboo whisk, ideally with at least 100 prongs, crafted from a single piece of bamboo, until frothy. Whisks run from 60 – 120 prongs. Under 100, and the matcha tends to stay clumpy. Try to stick with triple digits.

Kama is smooth, and the lower grades, Gotcha and Morning, have more astringency. However, as White said, “It’s really like Christmas wine, or wine for spaghetti sauce, it’s all good.” That was certainly my experience.