Scoop large mounds of the meringue, spaced out from one another, on the prepared trays. Bake for 1 hour 30 mins, then turn the oven off, leaving the meringue to dry out for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 140°C/120°C fan/gas mark 1 and line two large flat baking trays with baking paper.

Taiki means “great vitality” in Japanese. The name reflects the qualities of our premium organic matcha which provides energy and clarity of thought without the same side effects as coffee. Qualified chef, recipe developer and food writer, Liz O'Keefe is the home economist on LandScape magazine, writing 21 seasonal recipes per issue, and the former cookery editor of national foodie magazine, eat in. She has also travelled the world writing about food for business magazine Fresh Produce Journal and spent five years cooking in hotels and restaurants, before retraining as a journalist, and later studying food styling at Leiths.Liz published her fir st cookery book all about commercially growing, eating and cooking British peppers, The Great British Pepper Cookbook (Redshank Publishing), in November 2014. And her next book, provisionally titled The Mushroom Book (Lorenz Publishing), is set for release in autumn 2016. Here at Taiki HQ, we don’t believe that there is a right or wrong way to drink matcha, just like there is no right or wrong way to get dressed in the morning. Whether you like it warm straight from your favorite mug or mixed with your morning smoothie, it really doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you enjoying your matcha experience. Neal Gruer is a photographer and writer, currently based in Glasgow. Formerly a lawyer in London, he is now a full-time creative; appearing on Sky Arts' "Master of Photography" television competition in May 2016, writing freelance about films, and penning his first novel. A travel enthusiast, he first came across matcha tea on a trip that took in several parts of the far East. Particularly after experiencing its delicious versatility it in sweets and ice creams, he became a big fan, so is delighted to be part of Taiki Tea. He is also an excellent whisker, so is the person to ask if you want a nice bowl of bubbly matcha. To see examples of Neal's photographic and written work visit www.momentousecho.com and www.godontgo.com.​

Our first question is ‘why should I use a matcha bowl’, well before we answer that question, let us refer you to the top of this post. You should drink matcha however you want to and out of whatever vessel you wish to choose. But for blog and time purposes, we will move on to the question at hand Add 100g of roasted hazelnuts, 150g of dates, 1 large heaped tablespoon of cocoa and 1 large heaped tablespoon of coconut oil to a blender. Sieve the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl and add the matcha. Rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. In a clean, glass bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk for 1-2 mins until all the white is fluffy and silky. Very slowly, add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, with the whisk on its slowest setting. Whisk for 3-4 mins until the mixture is stiff and flossy and forms ridged peaks without slipping in the bowl. Whisk in the matcha powder for 30 seconds only.grams or ½ teaspoon, which is what I use in my lattes has 68mg of caffeine, almost the same as a single shot of espresso 64mg. From this info alone you would have thought that they would have similar effects on energy levels. However, Matcha contains another component that coffee does not, called L-Theanine. L-Theanine is an amino acid or protein molecule that has a calming effect on the body, with the effect that the caffeine gives a sustained energy boost for 6-8 hours. On the other hand, coffee can raise adrenaline, cortisol and insulin levels, which in turn create jitter, nervousness. Matcha's L-Theanine promotes the GABA neurotransmitter pathway that can enhance mood, improve memory, and promote better concentration. At Taiki Tea we're creating a fusion of "East meets East End", taking the traditional ceremonial elements of matcha tea and adding more than a smidge of East London's distinctive vibe and energy. We're working with new and emerging talented ceramicists on our matcha bowls to ensure that they equal the quality of our tea whilst also bringing the tea ceremony bang up to date. Anti-oxidants are molecules that protect us against damage to our cells, which means protection against disease on larger long-term scale. A varied high anti-oxidant diet reduces risk against everything from cancer, to heart disease, to Alzheimer’s. On a more immediate basis, it supports liver detoxification that keeps everything in tune, from your hormones to healthy skin and prevents oxidative stress which can lead to injury and illness.