Lavender Matcha made easy

I have been drinking matcha more and more.  I find I am really liking it.

Matcha is a stone ground green from the Camellia Sinensis plant- traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies. Matcha is an ancient way to make tea, it goes back over 2000 years and started in China, and the Japanese are the only ones still doing it this way today.

 Matcha is made from a specific tea leaf- not just not any green tea. The leaf is a little larger leaf- they allow it to grow a little larger (no buds or small leaves) but they don't want it to get too large and waxy or glossing and rough.

Matcha comes from tea leaves picked in Japan. They are plucked early to mid-May. 20 days before they pick the leaf, they start to shade the tea. This produces high levels of chlorophyll and theanine levels rise. This gives high level benefits. They steam it for 15 seconds to stop the oxidations and then they dry the tea. They then take out the stem and vein, you just have the meaty leaf- they make it uniform, and they try it again. The tea master tries the levels of tea and then makes his blend. They then grind into

matcha.  They grind with the stone mill. It is microfine. It takes a slow process.

 3 general grades of Matcha- ceremonial- has to to be stone ground, standard, and cooking- ice cream, dusting of truffles

 So many things affect the grade- if the leaf is not fully shaded for 20 days. If it is the second flush and not the first flush, how much attention to de-veining- stems and veins in the tea will affect the grade.

Matcha gives you 100% of the health benefits- you are consuming the leaf. With other teas you may get 20% of the health benefits. Matcha is 10-20 times higher in antioxidants than a really good green tea. High levels of Vitamin B&C and minerals. Theanines are the highest too.

Theanines are only in tea and one kind of mushroom.   Theanine is an amino acid found naturally in the tea plant.   Matcha has the highest levels of theanine. It crosses the blood brain barrier, directly affects your brain chemistry, it helps you to relax and controls stress. It helps your dopamine levels- improves your mood (calmness and happiness). Also stimulates alpha brain levels/cognitive function- makes you more aware, more creative, and lastly boosts immune systems.

I get 90% of my matcha from Ohio Tea.  https://www.ohioteaco.com/search.asp?keyword=matcha

However, one day I  was at Everything Surplus in Wooster and they had Chamberlain Coffee Matcha. https://chamberlaincoffee.com  I was not familiar with it so I did a quick google and decided it was good stuff!!!  They had the 1 oz of matcha for .99!!!  Those 1 oz tins sell on line for $24.  I have to admit I bought 10 tins of matcha.  Chamberlain matcha is from Japan and is a Ceremonial Grade A matcha. 

I take a teaspoon and fill it half way with matcha for an 8 oz cup of tea.

I then add just enough hot water to cover the tea.

I then whisk it together with a hand held frother.

I then fill the rest of the cup of with oat milk.

I then will add a flavor...sometimes it is fresh fruit and sometimes it is a syrup.  Today when I made it I used lavender syrup.

I then froth it all together.

I throw in some ice cubes and I am good to go!!

Psalm 96:3

Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples!