The full ritual, with the sieve, the whisk, and water at exactly 80°C, is lovely when you have the time and the space. Most weekday mornings, you have neither.
The good news is that a very good cup of matcha doesn't need a kitchen. It needs the right amount of powder, water that isn't too hot, and a way to break up clumps. Here's how to do it with whatever you have.
At your desk
What you need: one single serve stick, a mug, and the office hot water.
- Pour a small splash of cold water into your mug first, about a tablespoon.
- Empty the stick into the cold water and stir with a spoon until it forms a smooth paste with no dry powder left.
- Top up with hot water. Office dispensers usually run close to boiling, so the cold water you started with helps bring the temperature down.
- Stir well and drink.
Making a paste with cold water first is the trick. Matcha dissolves much more easily into a small amount of liquid than into a full mug, and this step replaces the whisk.
In a hotel room
What you need: one stick, the room's kettle, and a cup.
Boil the kettle, then leave it for three to five minutes before pouring. Use the same paste method as above: a little water first, stir it smooth, then top up.
If there's milk available at breakfast, take some back to your room. A hotel room matcha latte is better than most hotel coffee.
Iced, on the go
What you need: one stick and a water bottle with a secure lid.
- Fill the bottle with cold water, leaving some space at the top.
- Add the stick.
- Close the lid and shake hard for 20 seconds.
Cold water is the easiest way to make matcha without any tools. It won't taste bitter, because there's no heat involved, and shaking disperses the powder almost as well as whisking.
A few small things that help
- Keep a few sticks in your bag. They're sealed, so they stay fresh until you open them.
- Skip the paper cup if you can. A ceramic mug holds the temperature more evenly.
- Don't add it to coffee-machine water without checking. Some machines dispense water hotter than a kettle.
It won't be the full ceremony. But it will be a proper cup of matcha, made in two minutes, wherever your morning happens to start.