Making matcha properly, without the full ceremony

Matcha is intimidating – wrongly so. No need for a Japanese tea room: three simple steps are all it takes for a creamy cup with no bitterness.

1. Water at 75 °C, never boiling. This is the most common mistake: above 80 °C, matcha turns harsh. Simply let the boiled water rest for two minutes.

2. Sift the powder. One chashaku scoop (or a level teaspoon) into the bowl, a quick sift, and you get rid of lumps before you even start whisking.

3. Whisk in a W, not in circles. With the bamboo whisk – the chasen – draw quick Ws from the wrist for 15 seconds. It is this movement that builds that lovely fine foam, the sign of a successful matcha.

You will find the bowl, chasen and chashaku trio among our matcha accessories – and my advice in the shop on rue de la Cité.

Eliane