Hi guys, I wanted to talk about my thoughts on something so sacred as matcha and the ceremony behind it becoming streamlined and mainstreamed. When the supply is so demanding, consumers demand the product, and disregard its history, the traditions, and the meaning behind it all. It is pretty mind blowing to grow up in America, and suddenly see matcha becoming so popular and readily available everywhere. It's not just a trendy, green, cute drink- but this drink was considered sacred for the preparation and ceremony in itself. It's very easy to just want a product, because everyone has it, and because of the alleged health benefits that come from drinking this. But matcha is something that was prepared with love and sincerity, as is the way of Japanese culture. I've seen people online talking about their cafe businesses, and bragging about how they pre batch their matcha before service, and it makes life a lot easier for them.
However, I believe- and most others would too- that they're truly missing the point of this drink. Without whisking it properly, what is this drink? And without understanding the cultural context of these now trendy foods from different countries, it's like erasing a vital part of history, like erasing a book.
So, my question today is- can we have trends that stem from something sacred? Can we streamline culture without it feeling watered down and disrespectful? Or is it inevitable that different cultures will create their own versions of things, as the Japanese did with curry that was introduced to them from the British from India?
However, one thing is certain- quality matters, and there is truly no better quality in this world than Japan's standards of goodness. Buy matcha! :)