What is Matcha?
Matcha is a different way of consuming the Camellia sinensis plant, which you may be familiar with in the form of green tea. Regular green tea is steeped in water, flavoring it and allowing some neat compounds like L-Theanine to seep into the tea. Matcha, on the other hand, is that same green tea leaf cultivated in a slightly different way to increase chlorophyll, and instead of being steeped, it is ground up into a fine powder that is dissolved into the tea, or in Tsujiri’s case, the ice cream, cheesecakes, lattes and more. Since this method allows you to consume the entire leaf, it boosts any of the health benefits already found in regular green tea.
Just like with anything, there are different grades of matcha. At many popular café chains that have included matcha into their coffee-dominated menu, you’ll get more bitter matcha that has to be sweetened. According to Ken, the owner at Tsujiri, along with his wife Karen, the higher quality of the matcha, the less bitter it becomes. Since Tsujiri procures its matcha from a Japanese farm with over 160 years of experience in matcha agriculture, Tsujiri can access some of the highest qualities of matcha that taste smooth, even without any sugar.
The locals you support
Ken and Karen opened their tea shop in May 2018, just over four years ago. The couple remains the only two employees of the shop, which makes the tea house feel relaxing and welcoming, and you’re sure to see the same faces each time you visit. They that they can deliver something that you don't see on every street corner. The more niche market means Ken and Karen have been able to develop strong relationships with many regular customers over the years, giving you that truly local feeling. New faces are always welcome as well, so heed down to Tsujiri Japanese Tea House (109 Street and 102 Avenue in the Capital Centre building - parking at Tsujiri available in the underground parkade) to try a tea that will give you your daily dose of caffeine along with so many other health benefits, plus, it tastes amazing!