Matcha and Sparkling Water

Milk rounds matcha off. That is usually what you want, and sometimes it is not.

Sparkling water does the opposite. It carries the tea rather than covering it, and on a hot afternoon it is the drink we make most often.

It is also the least forgiving. There is nothing in the glass to hide behind, so use a tea you actually like on its own.

What you need

• 2 g matcha, sifted
• 40 ml water at 70–80°C
• 200 ml chilled sparkling water
• Ice
• A wedge of lime or lemon, optional

HATSUKOI is the gentle one and the easiest place to start. KISEKI is a single cultivar from Uji and the one to use if you want to taste the tea by itself with nothing softening it.

Method

1. Sift, then whisk the matcha into a smooth paste with the warm water.
2. Cool the paste for a minute.
3. Fill a glass with ice and pour the chilled sparkling water in first, slowly and down the side, so it keeps its bubbles.
4. Add the paste last, over the top.
5. Squeeze the citrus in if you are using it, and stir once — gently. Stirring hard flattens the water and you lose the thing you came for.

Notes

On citrus. A small squeeze lifts the aroma. A large one takes over. Start with less than you think.

On carbonation. The colder the water, the longer the bubbles hold. Chill it properly and pour it straight from the fridge.

On what this shows you. If a matcha tastes harsh here, it will taste harsh in anything. This is a useful way to find out what you actually have.