Sober Curious
The Sober Curious movement is on the rise, with many people monitoring their alcohol intake or completely turning their backs on the hard stuff. The focus of this column is to highlight alcohol free events and activities, showing you just how much fun you can have in our hedonistic city without getting inebriated. This month Discover meets the organiser of a Matcha Tea Tasting Workshop happening on Saturday, April 6th. This is the launch event with others planned over the coming months.
So what is Matcha and why is it good for you? Favoured by Samurai warriors before battle due to its calming effects, Matcha is powdered green tea from Japan and is derived from the same plant as the black tea. The leaf is picked fresh, steamed and processed immediately. Organiser, Nichphat, told us, ’There is a rising demand for Matcha which is why we have arranged these workshops to educate people. If I can make the comparison between wine and Matcha tea, this will give you a better understanding of the quality we work with. Just like wine there are many varieties of grapes and with Matcha there are also many varieties planted in different regions, with different soil types and altitudes. This affects the flavour and each tea farmer creates their own unique blends. There’s a lot of variety and nuance around the flavours. During our workshops we only use the highest quality Matcha.’
The benefits of drinking Matcha are plentiful, as a green tea it is high in antioxidants which may be good for your heart and weight. Studies have also shown it may help protect your liver, boost brain function and may even help prevent cancer. Nichphat revealed, ‘Matcha is different from coffee as it gives you an energy boost but without crashing after a few hours. The key difference is the way the caffeine is released from Matcha, it is slow release as opposed to one big hit. You would only need one cup of Matcha a day for this reason.’
During the workshop you will hear all about the history of Matcha and the philosophy surrounding it, the creation process and different flavours. Then you will try Matcha from different regions, similar to wine tasting but with Matcha instead. The flavours are extremely diverse, Nichphat explained, ‘Some may taste of seaweed, while another will taste of hazelnut. There are no flavourings used whatsoever.’
Words: Samantha Harman.
@harumatchastudio
