The Perfect Matcha

Last month, I attended the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas on a mission to find the perfect Matcha tea. Full disclosure: I drink, sell, and love everything tea. Walking into the expo was a treat in itself. At first glance, there was the World Tea Expo with vendors everywhere, but at second glance, the Bar & Restaurant Association was in full swing in the same hall! A double treat! If you've ever paired tea with other delightful tastes, you will understand the immediate smile on my face. Let's say I knew the event would be entertaining.

The World Tea Expo is the go-to event for tea growers and businesses and a unique networking opportunity for tea sellers everywhere. If you want to speak to Japanese tea farm owners without traveling to Kyoto, it doesn't get any better than this.

Nothing is too good for my customers, and I was determined to find the perfect freshest-tasting, best-quality, organic green powdered deliciousness I could purchase at an affordable price. Since I don't own a tea farm in Japan, tasting all the tea at the expo would be necessary (Yes!).

Matcha is Tencha green tea powder produced utilizing a more than one thousand-year-old Japanese cultivation and harvesting tradition. It is the main tea used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, a centuries-old practice celebrated to promote, among other things, inner peace. Often confused with Sencha green tea powder, it has an earthy yet sweet taste all its own.

Matcha is heart-healthy, can aid in weight loss, particularly ridding its consumers of belly fat, and is high in antioxidants that can help fight disease. Studies have shown it may also help boost brain function. The health-conscious choice is to drink this potent green tea in moderation, with a maximum of two teaspoons (or no more than two cups) daily; however, check with a health professional if you have a health condition or are at risk of disease in any way.

Matcha is versatile and often used in baking desserts and creating shakes, smoothies, lattes, and cocktails. You can mix Matcha tea, hot or iced, with various flavors, including vanilla, strawberry, caramel, or chocolate, and create innovative drinks like Matcha Boba Tea. It has been used widely in the United States in recent years as an addition to more savory dishes enhancing the flavors of soups, sauces, and meat dishes.

This year's World Tea Expo was a great learning experience. I found the ideal company match for the perfect Matcha tea, and learning more about its traditions and health benefits was priceless. Here's to hoping you'll find your own perfect cuppa Matcha love, too!

This article first appeared in the Traveler Weekly Newspaper April, 2024