How to care Matcha bamboo whisk
It takes so much effort to hand-craft a Matcha bamboo whisk. You don’t want to ruin it so please read carefully so that you can use it for a long time, even in Japan, it is recommended to change it after using it for 10 times. For sure, I was using it more than 10 times, as it is quite old (more than 25 years old). You can see the photo. The one on the right is old and the left is new.
I would like to emphasize to not wash in the dishwasher.
Making of Matcha bamboo whisk
The photo above shows how one bamboo stick becomes a whisk from the left to the right. Source
The material used to make the whisk is pliable type of bamboo. The bamboo is cut in its third year during the winter. Then it is dried and stored for around one year.
Check out this video how a Matcha bamboo whisk is hand-crafted.
Before first use
Here is how to care your bamboo whisk before first use.
- Remove the plastic in the middle if there is
- Prepare a big bowl with water
- Wash the whisk inside the bowl and soak it for a few minutes (first and second photo below)
- Fill a Matcha bowl with hot water
- Whisk back and forth inside the bowl (third photo below) – make sure that all the bamboo strands are fit in the bowl not leaving some outside of the bowl
- Shake the whisk to remove the excess water
- Dry it naturally without direct sunlight
After each use
- Wash with warm running water until you see no green attached on the whisk.
OR
- Wash the Matcha bowl and fill warm water in the bowl and whisk inside to wash it until you see no green attached on the whisk.
Shake the whisk to remove the excess water then dry it without direct sunlight. Make sure it is completely dry before storing it in your kitchen cupboard.
You can see from the photo above that the curls became straight and the middle part is opening up.
Do not put it back in the plastic cylinder to store. The container is to avoid damage during transportation. It might increase the possibility of creating mold on the whisk if you store it after washing it.
Use a Matcha Whisk stand to store Matcha whisk if possible. the stand will keep the shape of the whisk.
Avoid direct sunlight and dry it at a well-ventilated place.
Tip to make delicious Matcha tea: Putting hot water in a Matcha bowl to warm the bowl and putting the whisk in a warm water is an extra step which would make your Matcha more delicious.
By warming the whisk, the whisk becomes softer and it will whisk Matcha better. Warming the bowl will prevent from Matcha tea becoming cold quickly.
