Matcha Preparation Ritual

I bought a matcha set with a bamboo whisk, a ceramic bowl, and a small scoop. Making a cup each morning has become the 5 minutes I look forward to most in my day. The powder is bright green and fine enough that it clumps if you don't sift it first. Whisking takes a specific motion: a quick W-shaped flick of the wrist that froths the surface into a pale green foam. Wide and shallow, the bowl lets you whisk without splashing. Warmth of the ceramic in my hands while I drink is part of the experience. The taste is vegetal and slightly bitter, with a sweetness underneath that coffee doesn't have. Caffeine hits differently too, slower and steadier, without the spike and crash. You can't rush matcha the way you can dump hot water over a teabag.