Matcha is definitely my go-to drink. It’s creamy, a tiny bit sweet (depending on your taste), and refreshing. It’s also high in antioxidants and has numerous other health benefits, which, I think, makes it even more appealing. In the last year, I’ve noticed that matcha’s popularity (especially among young people) has spiked significantly. However, I like to call myself an original matcha fanatic.
I first discovered matcha about four or five years ago at my favorite cafe, Tao Natural Foods. Now this isn’t any ordinary cafe. Tao is basically my second home, as I go there multiple times a week and love everything about it. So, naturally, Tao was the place of all places where I was going to try something new. One day, instead of ordering a smoothie like I had in the past, I decided to try the Earth Potion. Yes, it sounds fancy but it’s really just matcha green tea with coconut-cashew milk, vanilla, and honey. This was the moment I fell in love with matcha.
Unlike coffee which is high in caffeine, matcha green tea has a much smaller caffeine concentration, which is another reason I found it more appealing. I definitely don’t drink an iced matcha latte every day, but if I’m out and about, I’ll order one. My go-to places are Tao Natural Foods (of course!), Starbucks, and Fairgrounds, which is another small cafe in Minneapolis.
While in quarantine, I haven’t been out and about, and I’ve noticed that my matcha cravings have spiked. After picking up some matcha powder from Trader Joe’s, I decided that I wanted to make my own matcha latte.
I followed this recipe from pinchofyum.com:
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder
1 cup Almond Breeze Almondmilk Unsweetened Vanilla
1–2 teaspoons agave or honey (more to taste)
(I added a splash of vanilla too)
Instructions:
In a glass jar, mix the matcha green tea powder with a little bit of water – just enough to form a paste. Stir it up until there are no clumps. Add the milk. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously until incorporated. Let sit for a minute so any remaining clumps settle to the bottom. Carefully pour into a glass with ice and enjoy!
Unsurprisingly, the latte that I made wasn’t as good as the lattes I’d had in the past, but it was still pretty good. If you have a spare few minutes, and you are wondering what to do, grab some matcha powder (Trader Joe’s is good), any milk of your choice, vanilla (optional), honey (optional), and ice, and make your own matcha latte. Try it with different kinds of milk and ratios and find out which way you like it best. I’ve found that I like my latte best with 2% milk, no honey, and a higher concentration of matcha powder. I hope you all give matcha a try! Maybe it will become your new go-to drink.
