I’ll confess: I’ve been drinking this as a latte.
Someone else (Ricky? Cofftea, perhaps?) was posting about matcha lattes, and since drinking a cup of just plain matcha doesn’t often appeal to me (sometimes it does, but only very selectively and only every now and then, as with almost all green tea) I thought I would give it a try. I haven’t the first idea what the temp or steep time are. My method is to mix water and milk (I use 2% for almost everything) at a 1:1 ratio in a pot on the stove, heat it until it’s hot but not so hot that it seems likely to bitter the powder, then I sift the matcha through the bottom of one of my mesh basket infusers to reduce it to fine powder and clear lumps, whisk it, and pour it into a cup into which I’ve already added a tiny bit of raw honey. The results are delicious. It’s a non-standard way to drink matcha, obviously (though my Japanese friend tells me that taking matcha with milk is pretty common in Japan, so I don’t feel like an utter heretic), so I’m going to avoid trying to review this matcha as compares to other matchas (especially as I’m hardly a connoisseur)…but I do like it. It seems tolerant of the method of preparation; I have yet to make a bitter cup. The caffeine content is fair, the color of the powder is rich and bright enough to promise that whatever their processing methods or sources are, they’re (more or less) legitimate, the aftertaste is sweet and grassy. No complaints.
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That’d be Ricky- I’m the Matcha Drinking Chocolate girl:)
I’m loving all the Matcha love. lol.
I love the idea of using a mesh basket infuser to sift the matcha. That would make things so much easier!
Huh. I might need to try that some morning.
It is handy! I just use the teaspoon to do it. Works like a charm. :D
this sounds like a great way to prepare it! I’ll have to try it. I drink teavana matcha with milk & a pinch of sugar too, but your ratios and prep method sound ideal. thanks for sharing! I’m really starting to understand and appreciate the versatility of matcha.
Hahah, yeah, I always drink matcha as a latte. Guilty! Cofftea is the one who prepares it traditionally =P
Is there a difference with the stove versus microwave to warm up the milk? You know… one day I’ll just make two cups of latte and see what the difference is. I always crave a second cup of matcha latte after the first anyways.
@Ricky: Knew it was one of you. ^^ I’ve never tried microwaving it, so I have no idea! Presumably not. I tend to prefer normal heat sources instead of microwave generally (when I’m not feeling lazy)…it may be that there’s not really any difference. If you find that there is one, you’ll have to let me know.
@JF/tak: Hope you like it. It’s pretty good with turbinado sugar, too, in a pinch. And matcha is awesome for cooking purposes. One of these days I’m going to make a huge batch of ice cream. :D
Ricky, the difference between microwave vs stove is the microwave is MUCH easier to scorch the milk. It seems to go from cold to a sticky film all over your cup and microwave instantly.
What I need is a nonstick pan to heat the milk. It’s either I hate cleaning the pot afterwards or it leaves a sticky film on the bottom. I think it might be because I mix the whole mixture into the pot and heat it. I don’t remember.
I mix it all into the pot and heat it, too. The trick is just to put water into the pot immediately afterward. You do have to probably sponge the bottom, but it’s not that bad…and really, the heat should only ever go up to moderate heat, so it doesn’t scorch the matcha; that helps keep the bottom of the pot from gumming up too badly…a quick pass with a sponge is really enough. :D
That’d be Ricky- I’m the Matcha Drinking Chocolate girl:)
I’m loving all the Matcha love. lol.
I love the idea of using a mesh basket infuser to sift the matcha. That would make things so much easier!
Huh. I might need to try that some morning.
It is handy! I just use the teaspoon to do it. Works like a charm. :D
this sounds like a great way to prepare it! I’ll have to try it. I drink teavana matcha with milk & a pinch of sugar too, but your ratios and prep method sound ideal. thanks for sharing! I’m really starting to understand and appreciate the versatility of matcha.
Hahah, yeah, I always drink matcha as a latte. Guilty! Cofftea is the one who prepares it traditionally =P
Is there a difference with the stove versus microwave to warm up the milk? You know… one day I’ll just make two cups of latte and see what the difference is. I always crave a second cup of matcha latte after the first anyways.
@Ricky: Knew it was one of you. ^^ I’ve never tried microwaving it, so I have no idea! Presumably not. I tend to prefer normal heat sources instead of microwave generally (when I’m not feeling lazy)…it may be that there’s not really any difference. If you find that there is one, you’ll have to let me know.
@JF/tak: Hope you like it. It’s pretty good with turbinado sugar, too, in a pinch. And matcha is awesome for cooking purposes. One of these days I’m going to make a huge batch of ice cream. :D
Ricky, the difference between microwave vs stove is the microwave is MUCH easier to scorch the milk. It seems to go from cold to a sticky film all over your cup and microwave instantly.
What I need is a nonstick pan to heat the milk. It’s either I hate cleaning the pot afterwards or it leaves a sticky film on the bottom. I think it might be because I mix the whole mixture into the pot and heat it. I don’t remember.
I mix it all into the pot and heat it, too. The trick is just to put water into the pot immediately afterward. You do have to probably sponge the bottom, but it’s not that bad…and really, the heat should only ever go up to moderate heat, so it doesn’t scorch the matcha; that helps keep the bottom of the pot from gumming up too badly…a quick pass with a sponge is really enough. :D