Gokou Matcha

Recommended for making usucha. Can be used to make a matcha latte.

How To Prepare Usucha (Thin Matcha)

1 tsp (2g) matcha powder
1/4 cup (60ml) water at 158-176F (70-80C)

1. Sift* the matcha powder into a bowl.
2. Soften the bamboo whisk by submerging it in hot water for 30 seconds before whisking. 
3. Add water to the matcha powder. Whisk vigorously** back and forth in a straight line until frothy and no clumps remain for about 30 seconds. (The placement of your whisk should be near the bottom of the bowl).
4. Lift the whisk near the surface and whisk in a zigzag direction for 10-15 seconds to break the big bubbles to create a microfoam.
5. Enjoy your bowl of usucha***.

Katelyn's Tips:
- For starters, you can prepare the matcha at 158F. If you prefer a stronger, more complex matcha, please try it at 176F. This matcha specifically has roasted notes that might be upfront at the beginning due to the roast applied by our tea master. Wait for 6-8 minutes for the roasted notes to soften. 
- *Sifting ensures a smoother texture since matcha has a tendency to clump. In the case you do not have a sieve, take the edge of your tea scoop or a spoon and draw vertical and horizontal lines across the powder to separate as many clumps as possible. Envision drawing a 4x4 tic-tac-toe grid. 
- **Whisking vigorously means to whisk at a fast pace so you can aerate the matcha. Keep the whisk in one plane as you whisk back and forth. Avoid pressing the whisk into the bottom of the bowl although gently scraping the bowl sometimes cannot be avoided. 
- ***Enjoy this matcha first as usucha to taste the matcha in one of its purest forms. This way you can distinguish the sweet, umami, aromatic, vegetal, bitter, and astringent notes. 

Matcha Latte Recipe:

1 tsp (2g) matcha powder
1/4 cup (60ml) water at 176F (80C)
1/2 cup (120ml) milk
1 tsp sugar (optional)

1. Do steps 1-4 above to first prepare the usucha with the exception that the water temperature is at 176F.
2. Mix sugar with milk until sugar has dissolved. 
3. Pour whisked matcha on milk and enjoy!

Feel free to adjust the amount of milk or sugar as desired. For a stronger matcha latte, double the matcha to 2 tsp and the water to 1/2 cup.

Osada Tea is a Japanese family-owned tea business in Shizuoka dedicated to sustainable farming and producing high-quality green teas. Natsumi Osada, an 8th-dan tea appraiser, is the head of Osada Tea and continues the family tradition of organic tea cultivation. Prioritizing relationships for decades, they work closely with tea farmers, particularly in the Isagawa region. Both a manufacturer and a wholesaler, Osada Tea is pioneering the way to make good matcha more accessible domestically and internationally. We are honored to partner with Osada Tea to offer you this matcha!

Gokou Matcha is a single-origin, single-cultivar matcha, which is rare as most matcha powders are blends from multiple origins and of different cultivars. The cultivar Gokou, traditionally used to create gyokuro and high-quality matcha, is known to have a strong umami flavor accompanied by a light sweetness.

The tea leaves are from the first harvest and have been shaded for 3 weeks. Because the tea farmers are dedicated to sustainability and organic farming, they do not use pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which makes the tea plants more resilient and stronger for the future.

Osada Tea has applied a high amount of roast to the tencha as a way to bring out fruity aromas and floral notes to complement the pronounced umami. For those unfamiliar with the upfront roasted notes that this matcha may have, please wait for 6-8 minutes before sipping for these notes to soften. 

Favorite fun fact: Gokou is not an officially registered cultivar, yet it is a highly desired cultivar for the tea plants' resistance against cold weather and the tea's savory, full-bodied character.