Belgium Chocolate Matcha

After having quite a few of Red Leaf’s matcha’s, I’m learning that some really do need a much stronger flavoring than delicate. Lesson learned.

Size: Large (60g)
Quality: Classic
Type: Regular
Flavor: Delicate
Made with 8oz coconut milk, 1 tsp Truvia, and mixed with a chasen.
http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/belgium-chocolate-matcha.html

This smells like matcha to me out of the bag, even though I was hoping for something a bit more cocoa-like. Taste-wise, I wanted a whallop of chocolate flavoring, yet really only felt like it was somewhat cocoa-y at the very end of the cup, when it was more sweetened than the rest. I can tell it is a chocolate matcha, however I need to ramp this one up to robust next time. Good, and likely great with a different base or flavoring.

Matcha time! My friend came over and had tea with me today, and before she left she was lamenting about how much work she needed to do when she went home. I suggested that she try a matcha latte and see if that gave her a boost of energy. It must have worked, or it just tasted really great, because she is texting me right now picking what flavor she is going to buy, what size, what flavor level. I told her that picking the flavor is the hardest part for me because there are so many tempting ones.

This review will be about my latte, however, not hers! You can get the matcha right here:

http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/belgium-chocolate-matcha.html

I bought this one in Robust flavor level to mix with peanut butter to see if I could get a Reese’s peanut butter cup flavor, but I also wanted to try this one by itself as a hot cocoa substitute.

For this particular latte I made it the lazy way. I poured one cup of milk into a two cup Pyrex measuring cup. I added a spoonful of Turbinado sugar, which I am finding goes really well with the lattes. (I have to consume it all because I tried it in the kids’ drinks and they swear it tastes different from other sugar and they don’t want it in their drinks!)

When the milk was hot I used a plain kitchen strainer to sift 1/2 teaspoon of matcha into the cup. Then I just whisked it with a regular Kitchenaid brand metal whisk. I got a good froth, I suppose because it is milk instead of water. That helps!

This tastes good and creamy. I had to add extra milk because it was a little strong and you don’t want to add TOO much of the flavored matcha. The taste suffers. The good thing is that means you can use less and make MORE matcha lattes! It doesn’t taste exactly like hot cocoa, but it does taste like a hot drink that is chocolate, if that makes sense. This isn’t a kid’s kind of chocolate flavor, but rather a more adult one.

I do think I will order this in a milder flavor level next time, but for now I will just add more milk than usual to my lattes.

Having a cup of this right now, it is very YUMMY!!

Well, I’ve had this before as a matcha latte with a black base, but this is my first time trying it with the classic green base. We also went down a flavour level…pretty arbitrarily actually. I think I might have liked it better with the robust flavouring rather than the distinctive which I have.

The matcha flavour is very much stronger in this one, tasting ‘greener’ than the other, obviously, but a little greener than my other green matchas as well. I don’t know if the chocolate just doesn’t stand up as well to the matcha or what. It’s a little disappointing actually. Although I do want to try it again with a little raspberry matcha blended in too. I would go make it right now except for the blissfully purring old kitty on my lap who’s squinched his eyes closed and is shedding white fur all over my clothes, as always. Something about white kitties, they always seem to have really dense sheddy fur.

Anyway, while disappointing, this isn’t totally bad tasting. I still taste some chocolate, just not as strong as I like, and the matcha taste isn’t bad per se, just I prefer it more to be in the background. I think I’m still not up to drinking straight matcha, though some just arrived at my door today from Tealux. Off to the giant box of untried teas, goes that order. Except for the matcha which will, of course, go in the freezer.

You can find this tea here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/belgium-chocolate-matcha.html

Holds up to its name.

When I found out about this shop, all I can say is I was pleasantly surprised. With flavors ranging from Maca to cheesecake, to bubblegum and treats of the like, this company appeals to the matcha enthusiast who also happens to be a foodie (or in some cases, health nuts). The novelty of the flavors in itself makes Red Leaf stand out from other stores carrying the sophisticated green drink.

By the way, I went with the regular strength, delicate flavor option. It came in a gold package.
When I first tried this, it was after completing a five-mile run. Needless to say I made it as an iced latté. I added some (almond) milk and sweetener (fructose in this case) to bring out the silky, chocolaty texture.

And well, is it great! It smells and tastes like a box of chocolates! Yes, a box of chocolates. Reminds me of Rocky Moutain’s no-sugar-added line.
FYI It’s not just cacao or carob, it’s distinctively chocolate. I can’t wait to try the Maca one, which I also bought. I think these will be a nice addition to my matcha stash. I also look forward to the cheesecake flavor everyone is raving about.

Get it here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/belgium-chocolate-matcha.html

I smell the richness of chocolate when I open up my tin of Belgium Chocolate matcha. Boy it smells good. Typically chocolate flavoured teas are a real disappointment for me. I think that’s likely because you steep it in water and then strain it, so all you’re left with is a watered-down chocolate taste. Not very tempting. Matcha solves this problem, as you consume the tea and the flavouring without filtering anything out.

I bought the classic grade of matcha with robust flavouring at http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/belgium-chocolate-matcha.html. As with all the other Red Leaf matchas I’ve tried, I’m glad I got the stronger flavouring. I can definitely taste the chocolate in it, which is what I wanted. As another reviewer stated, this is an adult’s chocolate, not a kid’s milk chocolate taste. Just what I was looking for.

This doesn’t displace the caramel matcha as my favourite, but I can see this one as being more versatile. I think it would mix well with a lot of different flavours, and I may have to experiment with adding it to some desserts in the future. I make my own chocolates, and I think this would be a great addition to that.

Oh, and the little tins you can buy for the matcha are great. I love the screw-top lids and the fact that they don’t take up much space.

I need some whip cream. Currently drinking this cold because it’s warm out. Just threw 6 oz in the blender followed by 1tsp of matcha. Great chocolate smell emits itself from the package. The taste is also much better then I was expecting. Oh man…. I just had a great thought! Mix this with the orange matcha. Oh that is so happening!

Matcha TTB

Thank you Red Leaf Tea for giving us samples to add to the Matcha TTB.

I’ve been drinking a lot of matcha lately. I’ve been using cashew milk a lot which has worked very well. This is a nice creamy drink but it doesn’t seem as chocolatey as I expected. Usually I’m wow’d by the flavors from Red Leaf. I still enjoyed my drink but this wouldn’t be the one I would order in a larger size (although I certainly would drink up any samples sizes).

new score 70

i scored this tea too high in the original post, if you have not seen the original post, click here

http://steepster.com/teas/red-leaf-tea/19590-belgium-chocolate-matcha

Swap from Cheri

Oh. Em. Gee.

I found it. Liquid paradise.

This is so good. ^^
I made this as a hot milk-latte and it was like… I can’t even say it was like hot chocolate because it was like hot BELGIUM chocolate.

I mean when a drink says it’s flavor is “Belgium chocolate” I don’t believe it. I read that as “chocolate”. Because typically that’s all it is.
But I’ve HAD real Belgium chocolate before and it IS different from normal chocolate.

THIS is BELGIUM CHOCOLATE. And it’s delicious.

I … must… have this tea in my cupboard.

I will. I will own this tea.

Oh my goddess it was so good. I mean… just… perfect.

Thanks for sending it Cheri! I really love this one. ^^

In other news, my order from Misty Peak teas came in! It’s sample sized bits of the Autumn and Spring Yiwu Pu Erh. :D
This is the first time I’ve ever seen a Pu Erh in cake form. I can’t wait to try it!
It smells so fresh and the leaves are beautiful.

I can’t wait to try more Pu erhs in general.
The last week has been really busy for me but I want to drink more tea! MORE TEA!
I seriously need to invest in a good electric kettle so making tea would be quicker.

Btw, why can’t we input .5 tsp? Silly. I put 1 tsp/16 oz because I can’t put .5tsp/8oz. I really did the latter. :)