Photo Jason Leung on Unsplash
It’s the color of forests, it tastes of plants and fresh air. When it hits your veins a sense of well-being that’s almost indescribable infuses your existence. I can’t remember where I was exactly, the first time I had Matcha Tea. I have a vague memory of being with my son who had just gotten off work from his barista job at Starbucks. Maybe we were on the way to the movies and decided to go through the drive through. He ordered a Matcha.
I asked for a taste and that was the beginning of a journey to experience Matcha in as many forms as possible. I’m not the only one, the obsession seems to be taking over. There are tea rooms everywhere now. In SoCal we started with traditional English style tea rooms. Lots of chintz, hats and lovely floral porcelain tea cups. This has morphed into modern, bright tea rooms with a health vibe where amazing creative menus are filled with Matcha, Boba and Salt Cream teas. You can also put Matcha in your ice cream, pastries and cakes and also cook savory dishes with it if you so desire.
Meeting Matcha wasn’t a dramatic event. Just a delicious surprise. It was like meeting a person that you get along with instantaneously and you always want them around from that day forward.
Matcha isn’t new, it’s an ancient tea. It’s origins are rooted in Japan somewhere between 1100 and 1200 AD. Since it’s discovery it’s been treasured for it’s health benefits. What makes Matcha so healthy? Well, it’s the very definition of green. The plant leaves are grown in the shade, which slows the plant’s growth. This results in increased production of theanine, which is reported to work on serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain and helps your body to manage stress. Growing the plants in the shade also results in higher levels of chlorophyll which has been shown to reduce the risk of disease, detoxify the liver and speed healing.
Once the tea leaves are harvested, they are ground slowly to preserve the flavor of the tea. The best Matcha has a deep, sweet flavor. There are three grades; Ceremonial, premium and culinary. Most of all, it’s just delicious and the sense of well-being that hits your system is amazing and joyful.
I’ve had some interesting Matcha of late on my Tea Travels. I was in Los Angeles, just off Melrose Boulevard and I stepped into ALFRED’S TEA ROOM to sample their wares. ALFRED’S is located on Melrose Place; the part of Melrose that is less than funky, but filled with gorgeous creative higher end boutiques. ALFRED’S is tiny and it’s all pink and it’s quite lovely. The hostess suggested their Coconut Matcha which comes in a real coconut. It’s cold, refreshing and I literally had a high, but relaxing, energy level for the rest of the day. It’s fun to sit at the petite counter and watch the fashionistas strutting and take in the beautiful art work that adorns the walls.
More recently, I stopped in a DING Worldwide Teas near University of California, Riverside, in my home of homes, The Inland Empire. DING TEA is known for having harnessed the essence of nature and it’s tea is grown in high altitude tea gardens in Taiwan. It was a rainy day and packed full of students. The host was extremely friendly and helpful.
I had a Red Bean Matcha Latte. Again it was delicious and energizing. It’s fun to grab a seat at the student tables and listen to the gossip in just about every language of the world.
I think that Matcha is a great tea for travelers and you can get prepackaged single servings that you can easily mix into a water tumbler. It’s relaxing, refreshing and keeps your happy vibe rolling while out and about.
With that sweet sentiment, I’m sending you on your Tea Travels with this beautiful pic of SoCal’s Inland Empire Apoppylypse. Remember to head over to Victoriagoodsandtradingcompany.com to purchase your ownf lovely Matcha Making Set and your own personal set of Stainless Steel Save The Sea Turtles Straws-great for drinking Matcha. We will be traveling soon to Paris for more Tea Travels and will have inspired posts galore about Tea Travels and Tea discoveries in Paris.
