Ceremonial vs Culinary Matcha: Which one should you pick?
From Lattes to cakes and cupcakes to different drinks and desserts, Matcha has taken over the world by storm, to the point that it extends towards people own home recipes. If you were one of the very many that considers adding Matcha into their drinks and desserts, you might come across the terms Ceremonial and Culinary-grade Matcha. These two terms are the easiest ways to categorise Matcha by their taste, purpose, and quality, allowing customers to easily identify what type best works.
Product in feature: Matcha Society's Daily Uji Matcha 50g
What is Ceremonial Matcha?
What makes ceremonial matcha so good for drinks is it’s process. The tea leaves used to make ceremonial matcha are from the first harvest during spring, when the leaves are young, wherein the tea leaves are jam packed with nutrients and have a more balanced flavor with a natural sweetness. Ceremonial Matcha tends to be milled very finely, allowing for silky smooth drinks. Speaking of, this type of matcha is typically used for drinks, as it carries a balanced flavor, perfect for blending in with different syrups, jams, or other drinks, or even drunk on its own.
Product in feature: Matcha Society's Ceremonial Uji Matcha 30g
What is Culinary-grade Matcha?
After the first harvest is picked and milled comes the second harvest, harboring what we call Culinary-grade Matcha. Due to its longer exposure to sunlight and longer time spent developing, it acquires a more astringent taste, losing the natural sweetness Ceremonial-grade Matcha has. In addition to this, Culinary-grade Matcha is usually milled quicker, allowing the final product to feel gritty at times. With these different qualities in mind, Culinary Matcha is sold at a cheaper rate and is most often used for desserts.
So what should you pick?
To sum it all up, the type of matcha you should use depends on your intended purpose. Culinary-grade Matcha works best for desserts due to its lower price, allowing customers to buy as much as they need for their different cakes and cookies. On the other hand, Ceremonial Matcha has a balanced flavour, with a natural sweetness and hints of umami, making it the best option for different drinks.