Since everyone has been posting about this, I broke my own rule and opened this one up without finishing the appropriate teas in line and…I’m SO GLAD I DID!
I like matcha, and as we know from my previous posts, I really like to put my matcha in anything that is not water: yogurt, ice cream, protein shakes, milk, juice, so on and so forth. However, I always try it in water before experimenting.
I made this one in my new fancy matcha bowl with whisk, hot water, no additives, 1/4 teaspoon matcha, 4 ounces of hot water, whisked one minute. Did not get this one to foam up in my matcha bowl, but let’s be honest, I am probably doing it wrong. Anyway, no worries, the matcha itself smelled deliciously like strawberries and barely at all like matcha. First sip: oh there is the matcha, it tastes mostly like typical, with a kick of the usual vegetal green and bitter matcha, then there is the sweet soft flavor of strawberries. Fantastic. I usually drink these pretty fast so that they do not settle too much, but I definitely enjoyed it.
Second bowl: made with Vanilla Soy milk. I used the same amount of matcha (1/4 teaspoon, I do not have the fancy matcha spoon/scoop thing) with cold Soy Milk. This is easier with room temperature soy milk (as in just opened the box) because it does not clump as much, but with the appropriate amount of whisking, cold soy milk is not an issue. I whisked this close to two minutes, and it foamed! Yay! The vanilla in the soy milk definitely makes this a sweeter matcha, the milk also makes it thicker than when it is made with water. Overall, this is how I am going to enjoy more of this.
I am really enjoying the flavored matchas, this one is my new favorite, I found the matca to be a little too bitter and was hesitant to mix it with my dairy products, of course I found out that it was fine to do so, but I am just more comfortable mixing strawberries with creaminess from varied dairy.
I have a freezer full of frozen berries, and one cup of plain yogurt in the fridge next to my premade protein shakes (vanilla and strawberry). Will definitely be making these over the next few days and let you know! Enjoy!
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I haven’t opened up mine either thinking I needed finish up some teas first, too! Thanks for this detailed review!
It seems that everyone is on the strawberry matcha bandwagon! I’m almost tempted to order some myself. Everyone keeps logging great things! Really interesting that you made it with milk, it sounds even more delicious that way!
Stephanie – I know how you feel, but I submitted to the peer pressure that I put on myself. Haha.
Kathryn Ann – It really is better, especially the strawberry with the cream/dairy, I really do not enjoy matcha with just water, I almost always make it with something else and think it is significantly better!
I need some soy milk! Had it with some half and half today and it was quite delicious. I had it plain, but the extra milk just makes it that much better. Though I also added a bit of sweetener =x
Using the flavored soy (I have vanilla at all times) negates the need for sweetener :) especially because I usually make it cold.
What sweetener do you use? I just feel like anything granulated would take too long to dissolve or interfere with the foaming so I have shied away from sweetening it. I would love to sweeten the mandarin though…
I have some plain classic syrup from Starbucks (basically just sugar + water). It’s like $5 for a bottle. I would have used Melon syrup, but unfortunately I am out of it and I believe they’ve discontinued it. It was what they used for ice passion tea lemonade and the green tea latte. I actually wonder what they use in place of that now. Hmm, I should probably ask them. I use to use a squirt or two of it in smoothies in the summer as well. What shall I do when summer comes around!
I never thought of syrup! What a great idea! Now I feel sheepish for not ever having thought of syrup…silly me always trying to dissolve sugar crystals…haha
Sugar is too much work. You need hot water and stir stir stir. Syrup works well with anything and blends very nicely. Two to three pumps of syrup and I’m done, no need to mess with opening the sugar jar and spooning out a few teaspoons and spilling some sugar over the counter.
Agave nectar tends to sit at a better spot (lower) on the glycemic index, and is still essentially just sugar, and liquid. The downside is that it can be somewhat expensive. I tend to use honey with matcha, personally…I like the flavor it adds, but to each their own!
you could just make simple syrup and keep onhand instead of trying to dissolve granulated sugar in your cold drink: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Simple-Syrup/Detail.aspx
Sophistre I have never actually had agave nectar, definitely should give it a shot.
Janefan, yea, I should just make some simple syrup, I always do for my chai. :)
Thanks for the ideas everyone, I will definitely let you know how it goes
I haven’t opened up mine either thinking I needed finish up some teas first, too! Thanks for this detailed review!
It seems that everyone is on the strawberry matcha bandwagon! I’m almost tempted to order some myself. Everyone keeps logging great things! Really interesting that you made it with milk, it sounds even more delicious that way!
Stephanie – I know how you feel, but I submitted to the peer pressure that I put on myself. Haha.
Kathryn Ann – It really is better, especially the strawberry with the cream/dairy, I really do not enjoy matcha with just water, I almost always make it with something else and think it is significantly better!
I need some soy milk! Had it with some half and half today and it was quite delicious. I had it plain, but the extra milk just makes it that much better. Though I also added a bit of sweetener =x
Using the flavored soy (I have vanilla at all times) negates the need for sweetener :) especially because I usually make it cold.
What sweetener do you use? I just feel like anything granulated would take too long to dissolve or interfere with the foaming so I have shied away from sweetening it. I would love to sweeten the mandarin though…
I have some plain classic syrup from Starbucks (basically just sugar + water). It’s like $5 for a bottle. I would have used Melon syrup, but unfortunately I am out of it and I believe they’ve discontinued it. It was what they used for ice passion tea lemonade and the green tea latte. I actually wonder what they use in place of that now. Hmm, I should probably ask them. I use to use a squirt or two of it in smoothies in the summer as well. What shall I do when summer comes around!
I never thought of syrup! What a great idea! Now I feel sheepish for not ever having thought of syrup…silly me always trying to dissolve sugar crystals…haha
Sugar is too much work. You need hot water and stir stir stir. Syrup works well with anything and blends very nicely. Two to three pumps of syrup and I’m done, no need to mess with opening the sugar jar and spooning out a few teaspoons and spilling some sugar over the counter.
Agave nectar tends to sit at a better spot (lower) on the glycemic index, and is still essentially just sugar, and liquid. The downside is that it can be somewhat expensive. I tend to use honey with matcha, personally…I like the flavor it adds, but to each their own!
you could just make simple syrup and keep onhand instead of trying to dissolve granulated sugar in your cold drink: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Simple-Syrup/Detail.aspx
Sophistre I have never actually had agave nectar, definitely should give it a shot.
Janefan, yea, I should just make some simple syrup, I always do for my chai. :)
Thanks for the ideas everyone, I will definitely let you know how it goes