Matcha, also spelled maccha, refers to finely milled or fine powder
green tea. The Japanese tea ceremony centers on the preparation,
serving, and drinking of matcha. In modern times, matcha has also come
to be used to flavour and dye foods such as mochi and soba noodles,
green tea ice cream and a variety of wagashi (Japanese confectionery).
Matcha is a fine-ground, powdered, high-quality green tea and not the
same as tea powder or green tea powder.Blends of matcha are given poetic
names called chamei ("tea names") either by the producing plantation,
shop or creator of the blend, or by the grand master of a particular tea
tradition. When a blend is named by the grand master of some tea
ceremony lineage, it becomes known as the master's konomi, or favoured
blend.It is used in castella, manjū, and monaka; as a topping for
kakigori; mixed with milk and sugar as a drink; and mixed with salt and
used to flavour tempura in a mixture known as matcha-jio. It is also
used as flavouring in many Western-style chocolates, candy, and
desserts, such as cakes and pastries (including Swiss rolls and
cheesecake), cookies, pudding, mousse, and green tea ice cream. The
Japanese snack Pocky has a matcha-flavoured version. Matcha may also be
mixed into other forms of tea. For example, it is added to genmaicha to
form what is called matcha-iri genmaicha (literally, roasted brown rice
and green tea with added matcha).The use of matcha in modern drinks has
also spread to North American cafés, such as Starbucks, which introduced
"Green Tea Lattes" and other matcha-flavored drinks after matcha became
successful in their Japan store locations. As in Japan, it has become
integrated into lattes, iced drinks, milkshakes, and smoothies. A number
of cafes have introduced lattes and iced drinks using matcha powder. It
has also been incorporated into alcoholic beverages such as liqueurs
and even matcha green tea beers.