The Matcha Fair

I stepped inside my local shopping mall today, and found the place absolutely packed. It was the Mother's Day holiday (the birthday of Queen Mother Sirikit, who is recognized as the "Mother of the Thai Nation" and a symbolic mother to all Thai people). That meant that a lot of people were off of work, despite it being a weekday.

The mall was hosting a giant matcha tea festival in the main lobby area. Matcha is a finely ground powder made from specially grown and processed green tea leaves, traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies but popular worldwide for its vibrant flavor and health benefits. Unlike regular green tea, where leaves are steeped and discarded, matcha involves consuming the entire leaf, providing a concentrated dose of antioxidants and caffeine.

The fair was made up of dozens of small pop-up shops were selling fresh matcha, imported Japanese matcha powder, and various accoutrements like chawan (matcha bowls), chashaku (bamboo scoops designed to measure out the exact right amount of matcha powder), and chasen (traditional whisks made out of fine bamboo).

My wife is obsessed with Japanese matcha, and bought a bag to bring back home.

I'll be going to Japan myself in just a few weeks, and the fair made me feel excited about all of the amazing tea that I'll be drinking while I'm there!

In general, I'm a black tea drinker, but I do enjoy a good cup of matcha, and I can't wait to participate in a Japanese tea ceremony soon!