Matcha

Stone-ground green tea, made from leaves shaded for the final weeks before harvest. The shading raises chlorophyll and amino acid content, which is why matcha is greener and more intensely flavored than ordinary green tea.

Two grades matter in the kitchen. Ceremonial is whisked with water alone and should not be cooked. Culinary is for everything else — desserts, ice creams, and the finishing dust on a tiramisù.