Strawberry Matcha

Matcha!

Been a while since I had any in my collection. The only matcha I have ever bought and personally owned was from Teavana, though I’ve sipped it in restaurants and other places. This, then, I will only really be able to compare to Teavana’s matcha in terms of the quality of the powder.

Not an easy prospect, because of the way in which this is blended with the freeze-dried strawberry powder. The resulting color of the matcha is pretty dark…more like a drab, olive green khaki color than that electrified, super-saturated emerald-green that I’ve come to equate with good, un-diluted matcha powder. I will have to give them the benefit of the doubt as far as that goes, and assume it’s because of the muddying of the strawberry.

There’s really no mistaking the scent, either. Anybody to have bought cereal with freeze-dried strawberry in it, or tins of unsulfered, completely dried fruit will immediately recognize the smell, sweet and, to me, slightly starchy or bready in some way.

I decided, since I haven’t had matcha in a while, to have it this morning in my very favorite way to have it: as a latte. Taken this way, it’s quite a treat!

For reference: 2 1/2 cups water heated over medium heat on the stove in a pot, until steaming but not simmering or boiling. Add 2 rounded teaspoons of matcha, sifted (I use a wire teapot infuser basket and grate it through with the end of the teaspoon). Whisk! Added 1 cup whole milk, whisked until foamy and fluffy and steaming again, then poured into a cup.

Usually my proportions here are different, and usually when it’s regular matcha I add a blob of honey, but I didn’t want to tamper with the flavor of the strawberries. I’m glad that I didn’t — that starchy, powdery aftertaste of the dried strawberry goes really well with the creaminess of the milk.

Taken this way, the matcha tastes essentially the way that it smells, but less sharp, which may very well owe itself to the milk. I like that the matcha isn’t crushed out by either the milk or the strawberry, too…it’s a really decadent trifecta of flavors. It has me thinking that it would make a really delicious ice cream.

Disclaimer: This was my first matcha experience. Because of this and other factors I am not rating this tea because well, it would be entirely unfair to grade this poor tea based on what I did to it.

I got this matcha a little while ago but held off making it because well, I was intimidated. The whole process sounded so complicated, and I don’t own a single proper matcha-making utensil. So I was planning on doing a little research, figuring out the exact specifications of water, tea and temperature, and maybe running down to the Asian grocery in search of one of those little whisk thingies. In essence trying to make it “properly”. Instead I made this at midnight, in a *#$f&! mood after hours of studying, and based on some vague memory of seeing “1 tsp matcha to 8 oz. of water” somewhere. So much for research.

As for taste…I was disappointed. But then I don’t know what I expected, for it to taste like green tea ice cream? It was a little bit bitter, but I imagine that’s because the water was too hot, and a little weak tasting, either because my unrealistic expectations or because I should make it thicker next time. It tasted like a sort of fuller green tea, or maybe a green tea with creamy notes?

At first I didn’t taste the strawberry at all, though as it cooled I caught hints of strawberry randomly, though when I really tried to pin them down they vanished. I found I enjoyed it more as it cooled (more indication that I started waaay too hot), and I think I’d actually like it better if it was thicker, as towards the bottom of the cup I was picking up more creaminess (I think how I perceive the “matcha taste”), and strawberry notes.

So…good? I think? At least I’m definitely inspired to do it properly next time. Oh, and I apologize to 52teas and matcha lovers everywhere for butchering this ancient and honored elixir.

I’m glad I have this, but I think it’s best mixed in smoothies and desserts and such. On its own, I find it a bit too bitter and tart. I don’t detect much strawberry, drinking it neat. I taste more citrus than berry.

But I have it mixed in my smoothie now and it’s pretty good!

Steep Information:
Amount: 1/2 tsp
Water: 12 ounces boiling
Tool: aerolatte
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: wild strawberry (not sweet store kind), vegetal
Steeped Tea Smell: vegetal with a hint of berry
Flavor: thin, stirred more, chalky, hints of berry
Body: Light, stirred then Full
Aftertaste: vegetal
Liquor: opaque murky olive green

I keep trying and wanting to like matcha, sometimes it’s good – usually when someone else (a tea shop) makes it for me, but even then not always.

This was OK, I don’t think it’s the matcha’s fault I think it’s mine.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/08/52teas-loose-leaf-matcha-green-tea.html

Based off of a comment here, I decided to try this in some Chick-fil-A lemonade. It was a hot day, so I hit it up before coming home from some meetings. I added a small scoop of strawberry matcha to a medium lemonade. A quick stir turned the whole lemonade a sickly shade of pea green (not unlike matcha itself); the deep matcha taste played well off the lemonade, although I wish there was more of a strawberry flavour. Ah well.

This is a chunkier matcha than any other blend I’ve used. There’s always at least one largish lump (bigger than a pinhead, smaller than a pea) floating around in the tea, no matter how much I whisk away. I usually just end up fishing it out, but I’m curious why I can’t seem to break the darn thing.

The balance of strawberry and green tea is nice; the bitterness of the tea still comes through pleasantly, and the strawberry adds a sweet note that isn’t cloying or overwhelming.

The flavor is generally weaker than the Strawberry Matcha au Lait blend from Lupicia, which is how I usually get my Strawberry Matcha fix, and in color Frank’s tea is a much yellower shade.

So First time with matcha. Thought i’d go a little easy on my self and mixed it with some lemonade. I balked at the color of my concoction, and almost I threw it out, but i made myself try some.
Wow! It really tastes alright. Perhaps this is cause i put 1 tsp for 2 cups of lemonade, but the lemon covers up the bitterness of the green tea, and there is a nice subtle strawberry flavor. The green tea makes the leamonade less sour and smoother to drink.
Now to just get over that gross green color.

I forgot to review this tea! I received this tea from a swap eons ago from AmazonV. This was my first time making matcha. A nice refreshing smell of strawberry. The matcha was just ok. I usually like matcha mixed with genmaicha or sencha. I mixed the matcha with some coconut ice cream and made a shake. The matcha wasn’t as upfront as I have had. The strawberry came at a little. I drank it plain, too. I wasn’t a fan of the matcha. The flavoring was ok.

This mixed with banana would probably be good. It just wasn’t me.