How is matcha grown and produced?Updated a year ago

Matcha is derived from the same tea plant as all other types of teas — camellia sinensis. The leaves undergo a shading process before they are harvested. Once harvested, the leaves are steamed for 15-20 seconds to retain their natural vivid green color. Post-steaming, the leaves undergo a drying and destemming process to filter out only the finest parts of the leaves, which is called the tencha. The final step of the matcha process is the grinding of the tencha leaves into a powder. Using a traditional stone grinder made from granite stone, the tencha is ground into a fine powder to produce the matcha powder ready to be brewed.