So I first tried this one on Saturday. We made it thick, with hot water and no additives. It is a dark green color, and smells heavily of mandarin and matcha. The main thing I got out of it was thick and bitter. Which it should be, mandarins are not always sweet, but the thickness of it was off-putting. So I decided not to rate it based on this (because it would not be good) and would try it again.
Tried it again on Sunday, using less matcha with more water. The color and fragrance were the same, but the matcha was definitely better. It was not as bitter, and if flowed more easily. The matcha flavor is strong and tends to overpower the mandarin a bit, I think I need to adjust something.
Today, I decided I did not want to be bothered with making the matcha in the bowl with this whisk and went straight to my smoothie:
1/4 cup of frozen mixed berries (no blackberries this time, avoiding the seeds)
1 tsp. Mandarin Matcha
Pinch of Splenda
3/4 cup of water
The frozen berries helped to keep this thick. I did not want to mix citrus with milk, so I used all water, in hindsight, I could have used orange juice, but I did not have any. I added the splenda because that is what I usually do make sure the berries do not make it bitter, this was especially important because I find the Mandarin matcha to be bitter.
The smoothie was the best way I enjoyed this. The Mandarin actually contrasted the sweetness of the the berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) and then the Splenda helped to brighten the flavors.
I would love to get this right as a straight matcha, if you have any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.
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Your smoothie sounds great! I could use one right now. :)
why not make a latte?
Mmm, smoothie….
How much matcha did you use? I tend to do 1-2 chashaku scoops for 3-4 ounces.
@mattscinto I would be afraid of a latte because of milk with the orange, I would think the combination of the milk and the citrus would put me off to it. Have you tried it?
@shanti I use less matcha when I am adding berries. For this one specifically I used 1 tsp. If it was straight matcha (no mandarin) I would have probably used 1 to 2 tsps. I am going to try this again with more mandarin matcha because I think I can creep up the amount without hurting the smoothie.
I am in awe of your smoothie making skills :) I’ve been saving your recipes in my online recipe box so I can try them someday!
By the way, 1-2 tsps is a lot, even for thick-style matcha! One chashaku scoop is about 1/4-1/2 a teaspoon. It seems like Mandarin Matcha isn’t a very high grade of matcha, so it’s not really good for thick style, anyway. Maybe you’ll like it thin style?
Maybe, that might be the difference, I just usually use a LOT of matcha when making it in the bowl, I especially use a lot in protein shakes or you lose the flavor, so I guess I am just used to lots of matcha.
True that a higher grade I would be able to use less, but still, I would probably use a lot of it unless it was the really really expensive stuff.
Oops, I actually meant the opposite—usually you can use more high-grade matcha than low-grade matcha because the higher grade matcha is more sweet and less bitter. That’s why the more expensive matcha is used for koichha/thick style. Alas, I am poor, so no thick-style matcha for me! :’(
By the way, have you tried those yogurt/berry frozen mixes yet? I see them in the store and they look yummy and easy, but I figure I might as well just add my own liquid yogurt in.
Cinoi, RE: your milk concern- if you like dreamcicles or orange yogurt you should like it latte style. The orange isn’t nearly as strong as yogurt or dreamscicles but there is that feel to it.
@shanti, no I have not tried them, I avoided milk with the Mandarin Matcha, but Cofftea has convinced me it should be OK, I don’t know how I could have forgotten about creamcicles. I will make something tonight and let everyone know how it goes :)
Sounds like it might be good! But as I mentioned before, I’m the queen of making awful, yucky smoothies, so I could be wrong! :)
Cinoi, as far as straight matcha goes I like both the 1 scoop/3oz water and 1 scoop/8oz water ratios. Let me know which one you prefer:)
Shanti, are you really interested in trying those smoothie mixes? I saw them on Biggest Loser last week. They seem kinda stupid IMO. How hard is adding your own yogurt, fruit, milk, honey, etc into a blender? That way you can have it exactly the way you want. I have not gotten to the store to check out the nutritional info yet, but I’d also think it’d be a lot healthier to make your own (and you can actually pronounce all the ingredients!). Maybe I’m wrong though.
Well, I’m not sure if I’d buy it myself, but it sure is a lot easier (and perhaps cheaper) to throw a single bag of frozen strawberry, mango, pineapple, and yogurt together with milk than it is to find each of those individual items fresh (or even frozen…I’ve never seen frozen pineapple or frozen mango at the store), cut and prepare them, freeze them in advance, and then blend them up. I’m not sure why it’d be a “lot” healthier to use your own frozen fruit than pre-frozen…
I was thinking because you could control the amount and what sweetener you use. You also have the option of using fat free yogurt and milk (or yogurt w/ lots of fiber). So I guess it wouldn’t always be healthier, but I’d think it sure could be. I personally prefer to use organic, in season, unsweetened fruit, but if you have a hankering for say mangos this time of year, then yeah this may be the way to go. Shrugs- idk, just some initial speculations when I saw it.
@cinoi I’ve never tried mandarin matcha with milk, however I love plain matcha with milk. I feel like it would taste amazing with milk… sort of that orange and creme taste. I’m imaging some silky soy milk with the orange taste… ahhh. TRY IT please.. for me? haha
Your smoothie sounds great! I could use one right now. :)
why not make a latte?
Mmm, smoothie….
How much matcha did you use? I tend to do 1-2 chashaku scoops for 3-4 ounces.
@mattscinto I would be afraid of a latte because of milk with the orange, I would think the combination of the milk and the citrus would put me off to it. Have you tried it?
@shanti I use less matcha when I am adding berries. For this one specifically I used 1 tsp. If it was straight matcha (no mandarin) I would have probably used 1 to 2 tsps. I am going to try this again with more mandarin matcha because I think I can creep up the amount without hurting the smoothie.
I am in awe of your smoothie making skills :) I’ve been saving your recipes in my online recipe box so I can try them someday!
By the way, 1-2 tsps is a lot, even for thick-style matcha! One chashaku scoop is about 1/4-1/2 a teaspoon. It seems like Mandarin Matcha isn’t a very high grade of matcha, so it’s not really good for thick style, anyway. Maybe you’ll like it thin style?
Maybe, that might be the difference, I just usually use a LOT of matcha when making it in the bowl, I especially use a lot in protein shakes or you lose the flavor, so I guess I am just used to lots of matcha.
True that a higher grade I would be able to use less, but still, I would probably use a lot of it unless it was the really really expensive stuff.
Oops, I actually meant the opposite—usually you can use more high-grade matcha than low-grade matcha because the higher grade matcha is more sweet and less bitter. That’s why the more expensive matcha is used for koichha/thick style. Alas, I am poor, so no thick-style matcha for me! :’(
By the way, have you tried those yogurt/berry frozen mixes yet? I see them in the store and they look yummy and easy, but I figure I might as well just add my own liquid yogurt in.
Cinoi, RE: your milk concern- if you like dreamcicles or orange yogurt you should like it latte style. The orange isn’t nearly as strong as yogurt or dreamscicles but there is that feel to it.
@shanti, no I have not tried them, I avoided milk with the Mandarin Matcha, but Cofftea has convinced me it should be OK, I don’t know how I could have forgotten about creamcicles. I will make something tonight and let everyone know how it goes :)
Sounds like it might be good! But as I mentioned before, I’m the queen of making awful, yucky smoothies, so I could be wrong! :)
Cinoi, as far as straight matcha goes I like both the 1 scoop/3oz water and 1 scoop/8oz water ratios. Let me know which one you prefer:)
Shanti, are you really interested in trying those smoothie mixes? I saw them on Biggest Loser last week. They seem kinda stupid IMO. How hard is adding your own yogurt, fruit, milk, honey, etc into a blender? That way you can have it exactly the way you want. I have not gotten to the store to check out the nutritional info yet, but I’d also think it’d be a lot healthier to make your own (and you can actually pronounce all the ingredients!). Maybe I’m wrong though.
Well, I’m not sure if I’d buy it myself, but it sure is a lot easier (and perhaps cheaper) to throw a single bag of frozen strawberry, mango, pineapple, and yogurt together with milk than it is to find each of those individual items fresh (or even frozen…I’ve never seen frozen pineapple or frozen mango at the store), cut and prepare them, freeze them in advance, and then blend them up. I’m not sure why it’d be a “lot” healthier to use your own frozen fruit than pre-frozen…
I was thinking because you could control the amount and what sweetener you use. You also have the option of using fat free yogurt and milk (or yogurt w/ lots of fiber). So I guess it wouldn’t always be healthier, but I’d think it sure could be. I personally prefer to use organic, in season, unsweetened fruit, but if you have a hankering for say mangos this time of year, then yeah this may be the way to go. Shrugs- idk, just some initial speculations when I saw it.
@cinoi I’ve never tried mandarin matcha with milk, however I love plain matcha with milk. I feel like it would taste amazing with milk… sort of that orange and creme taste. I’m imaging some silky soy milk with the orange taste… ahhh. TRY IT please.. for me? haha