Matcha

Yamasa regularly has cultural classes outside the regular language classes.

Today, there was a class on matcha, or tea made from powdered tea. This is the tea that is used in the formal tea ceremony, but we just learned how to make a bowl of tea for our own enjoyment.

Both my husband and I like matcha, so I wanted to learn how to make it properly, getting the proportions of matcha and water just right.

Sweets were included, of course.

We each had a tray with a tea bowl and whisk.

About this much matcha is enough for one bowl of tea.  It's two tea scoops or about 1 teaspoon.

Hot water is added, and the bamboo whisk is used to whisk the tea until a layer of foam forms on the top.  Whisk the tea briskly in a "W" shape, not around in circles.

Since it's February, the sweet has plum blossoms on it.  It's mochi (chewy sweet rice dough) with an (sweet red bean paste) inside.  Yum!

We also had some pressed sugar sweets, wrapped in paper.

The tea and the sweets reflect life -- a balance of bitter and sweet, if you do it right.

May you always have some sweet to offset any bitterness in life!