The reason why Matcha is so expensive is because of its strict cultivation methods and complex and sophisticated production techniques. A spoonful of matcha goes from the field to the table. If there is a mistake in some link, it can be said that the difference is a thousand miles.

▼?

Covering cultivation

Covering cultivation is a biological intervention on the growth of tea trees. Generally, a scaffolding is built for the tea trees one month before harvest, and is covered with tea trees for sunshade (traditional scaffolding uses straw or reeds, and modern industry uses black sunshade nets).

The purpose of this is to prevent the tea trees from getting enough sunlight during their growth, so that the tea trees will spontaneously produce more chlorophyll. In terms of shape, in order to absorb more necessary elements, tea leaves are also larger, thinner and more tender than ordinary tea.

The tea leaves cultivated in this way give the raw materials a unique emerald green color, and are sweeter and less bitter than ordinary tea.

▼

Tencha

Tencha is a semi-finished product made by finalizing and drying raw materials. "Tencha" is cured using the "steaming" method. Compared with frying, the temperature is higher and the time is shorter. The chlorophyll is better preserved and the color of the finished product is more emerald.

After being steamed, Tencha still needs further processing: the petiole and veins are removed, leaving only the mesophyll part. The matcha made in this way is less rough in the stems and has a more delicate flavor.

▼

Stone Milling

Stone milling is the final shaping stage, but it is also the most demanding part.

Due to the delicate nature of matcha, it is easy to undergo chemical changes due to small temperature changes during the grinding process, thus affecting the taste.

Therefore, matcha is generally ground using a stone mill at a speed of about 60 times/minute to control the temperature while ensuring the fineness of the powder.

So even with today's advanced technology, the efficiency of matcha production cannot be fundamentally improved. "Slow work produces careful work", so it is no wonder that the price of high-quality matcha remains high.

WeChat public account: The meal is ready