Yesterday I attended a Matcha Masterclass presented by Ippodo Tea in New York City.
The experience was advertised as a tea workshop, where participants would be “tasting 4 different types of Matcha and learning how to prepare Matcha.”
Matcha Pictures
Tasting Menu
Ippodo: Kafu Matcha, Uji
Tasting Notes: Creamy and verdant with a slight umami tang
Kettl: Hibiki Matcha, Fukuoka
Tasting Notes: Intense aromatics and profound, lingering umami
Nishio Matcha: Classic Matcha, Nishio
Tasting Notes: Light body with a poignant astringency
Nakahigashi: Fukuoka Kyuen – Uji (Wazuka)
Tasting Notes: Light body with a long lasting natural sweetness
My Notes
- The class started at 3:00pm at the Saikai Dining Bar, located near my apartment on Greenwich Avenue in the West Village.
- My friends Jonathan Wegener, Tyler Vawser, and Ramit Sethi joined me because they also like workshops and tea.
- I wish I could take this matcha to Central Park for a picnic. Speaking of which: the best Picnic Spot in Central Park is still Sheep Meadow.
- For the first 45 minutes we learned about what makes Japanese tea special, and the history of tea and how it came to Japan. Then we drank matcha.
- Matcha is finely ground special green tea. As opposed to steeping the leaves like most teas, with matcha you are actually consuming the leaf (in powder form). So it does tend to be stronger and more intense.
- Preparing matcha is sort of a pain in the ass, in as much as you need a specialized instrument (a whisker, to whisk the matcha) and a bowl.
- Drinking matcha is an acquired taste. One time in Budapest with Tynan, I sipped a bowl of very fine matcha. It tasted like yard clippings. Surely NOBODY has their first cup of matcha and says, MMmmmm! That’s delicious!
- We tried four different types of matcha. It was very hard for me to tell them apart with discernible tasting notes.
- The cost of the class was $40.
- In addition to sampling 4 types of matcha, we also got a small Japanese sweet paste-like cake which I neglected to document. It was delicious and I think had almonds in it.
I enjoy learning about green tea and consuming it as a stimulant and hobby. I have a lot more to learn.
