Strawberry Matcha

I hated matcha the first time I tried it. It was uber BITTER, foul, and disgusting. I couldn’t even bring myself to rate it because I didn’t want to do that to 52 Teas.

I’d been thinking about the matcha since then. I was sad I didn’t like it at all. I had wanted to like it. I’d even thought about trying it again on a few days but pushed it off when the time came. Finally, yesterday evening I gave it another go.

I followed Cofftea’s recommendation using a very rough conversation from weight to volume. I figured it would at least be a place to start. All was pretty much the same as far as smells and looks until my first sip. ??? Was this the same tea I used the first time? I CANNOT believe the difference in taste using 1/4 the amount of matcha and nearly double the amount of water. I had thought no matter what I did it would still be horribly bitter.

The Strawberry Matcha was smooth, light, definitely green, and strawberry. Like “Hey! I’m GREEN! You want to make something of it?”. Unlike the smell, the strawberry wasn’t kiddie breakfast cereal marshmallows. It was distinctively strawberry and I could noticeably taste it. Last time, I could barely tell it was there. It was a little weak and there was lots of matcha sediment towards the bottom so maybe I need to whisk it more or perhaps use a bit more matcha. I have rated it but I suspect the rating will go up as I refine how I like it.

So complete 180. Matcha is good!

1/4 tsp in 8 oz water.

Okay I’ll admit it I’m a virgin. A matcha virgin that is :) that is until today. I was so excited to get in my 52Teas order so that I could try this and I researched how it was to be prepared and all I can say is that I think I am on Team Chrine on this one.

I prepared it according to Wiki (One flat teaspoon to 2.5 ounces of water) all I can say is that I don’t think I am going to end up finishing this bowl. I seriously think this is an acquired taste. I can appreciate foods/drinks that are acquired tastes I mean I love raw oysters, boiled crawfish but I don’t see myself acquiring a taste for this ANYTIME soon.

It is strong like BLECH what was that, strong!!!!!!! I do pick up on the strawberry and that was the part that I think I liked. I am going to hold out on rating this tea in order to try it latte style and to try much less matcha to water ratio.

In the words of my son’s teacher DO NOT DO RESEARCH VIA WIKI. :)

Go TEAM CHRINE!

PART TWO: (My Second attempt at Matcha)
I would have posted the picture from flicker here __________________ but my 14 year old still has not taught me how to do this. LOL I can post pictures, send pictures I don’t know why I cannot paste a link here?! (aggravated) BTW I also have my after picture up on flicker of my before/after tea cupboard cleanout.

Anyway it’s round 2 Me (Soccermom VS 52Teas Strawberry Matcha) yesterday depending on how you look at it Matcha might have won it kicked me in the mouth and I threw it down the drain! Today determined to tangle with this wild drink and win I made another bowl of it and followed Shanti’s advice I started out with way less than a teaspoon and about 8 ounces of water. Did I mention I love the strawberry smell from the pouch? Well I do. I do not have exact measurements of anything used today I eyeballed it I didn’t have time to put on my fighting gloves in other words measure. I had to look this tea straight in the eye and try to intimidate it. I definitely did better this round as I didn’t get punched in the mouth like yesterday but instead we are fighting a fair fight Shanti’s advice was like having Freddy Roach in my corner I’m forever grateful for it. It tastes nice and mild actually I don’t know if I’ll be craving this but I wouldn’t mind stepping back in the ring for another round or two with this fruity but strong competitor.

Guess what arrived today! I was very surprised (happily so!) to receive my package from 52Teas!

The strawberry flavor is a bit tart. Or it could be that the slight bitterness from Matcha brings out the tart of the strawberry. The sweeter strawberry flavor arrives on the palate in the finish as sort of a low note. The strawberry flavor is a really nice addition to the flavor of the Matcha. I think I like the mandarin matcha a little better though. Overall a very pleasant Matcha.

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!

Wohooo, second to review this! This tea arrived in the mail yesterday and I couldn’t wait until this morning to try it out. Unfortunately I realized I didn’t have a bamboo scoop so I couldn’t figure out how much matcha to use. Anyone know what one scoop equivalent to a teaspoon is?

My matcha turned out pretty dark compared to others that I’ve used. I might have used too much matcha. Drank this one plain and it was a weeee bit bitter. Again, too much matcha? I tasted the strawberry at the beginning of my sips. Hmmm, I guess the beginning and the end is fairly similar seeing as they were just tiny sips. Honestly, I never have much to say about matcha. Matcha is matcha and there hasn’t been a matcha I haven’t liked. I really need to figure out the matcha / water ratio.

No mandarin matcha for me, so I can’t compare. Someone, ahem, Shantea, stole all the bags =P.

This is…get ready for it….the first time Jill’s ever made matcha!

I’ve had it often enough in latté form or the traditional form in various cafes and restaurants, but I’ve been too intimidated by all the equipment and preparation needed to try making it on my own. Then I saw this tea for sale on the 52Teas website and it sounded so awesome that I bought it on impulse, even though I have no matcha bowl, whisk, sifter, etc.

I let it hang out in my cupboard for awhile until I finally got tired of staring at it today and went for it. I decided to go with Chrine’s recommendation of 1/4 tsp in 8 oz of water just for starters. In lieu of a matcha bowl I used a ceramic cereal bowl (don’t laugh) and a little metal cooking whisk (is that sound I hear the matcha purists gasping in horror?). ;)

The matcha powder smells very strawberry-y with a bit of the green, grassy scent of matcha. When I added the water it turned into a colour that wouldn’t be amiss coming out of a swamp. The metal wisk and cereal bowl combo seemed to work okay for my purposes, although the matcha tended to settle quickly and I kept having to whisk it up again.

Taste-wise it’s a little watery for my liking, though not bitter at all, which is certainly appreciated. It has the powdery-textured, green flavour I usually associate with matcha with a hint of fruity strawberry lingering in the background. I kind of expected the strawberry to be stronger given how the powder smelled, but that may be due to the amount of water – next time I think I’ll reduce the quantity I add a bit.

Not bad for a first try, though it definitely needs some tweaking. Stay tuned for more!
:D

_{Thank you Ricky for this sample and for being a very patient swap buddy :)}

I love the smell of the strawberries in this mix…it’s like strawberry milk or strawberry ice cream. Yum. Unfortunately, my matcha is a little affected by the smell/taste of some of the other teas in the box, so I’m not sure how much of the mellowed, milky flavor is from the matcha itself and how much is from the other yummy teas Ricky sent me. :)

This matcha, like 52teas Mandarin Matcha, has a kind of strange sharp, sour note. I’m not sure why…I assumed in the case of the Mandarin Matcha it was the acidity of the orange, but the same sourness is in this matcha as well. Maybe its a preservative or a flavoring thing? Or just the quality of the matcha itself? Who knows, but it’s keeping me from really loving this.

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.

I found this to be ok. The matcha was in charge and at the end I tasted a bit of tartness from the strawberry but it wasn’t strong, I think I will try this again and hope if I play with the measurements the strawberry will come through better.

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.

I went with a flat 1/2 teaspoon of matcha to 3/4 cup of hot-ish water. As I also don’t own a thermometer I poured the water when it was steaming but before I saw any bubbles in hopes that might be somewhere around the proper temperature. I just dumped in the powder, no sifting, and attacked it with my electric frother. It didn’t froth much, just producing a little pile of loose bubbles that disappeared quite quickly but it did suspend the powder decently.

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.

MATCHA MATCHA MATCHA MATCHA MATCHA!!!

Ok… back to acting like a 24 year old…

My matcha finally came today. Now this is not the matcha I ordered the day it came out- this is my replacement. I still have no clue what happened to that 1st package… and it’s not so much my not getting it that bothers me… it’s the thought that no one will ever enjoy it and that makes me want to cry.

I didn’t try this the moment I got it in the house because just as I came in my boyfriend called. I hadn’t talked to him all day and some things (people) come before matcha.

The matcha looks like the Mandarin- a fine olive colored powder. When I finally opened the package I could smell the strawberry instantly. It smelled like strawberry bubble gum.

As soon as I get matcha, especially a flavored one, I always think more, not thicker, is better so I made this just the way I did the 1st time I tried Mandarin Matcha- 2 scoops of matcha w/ 16oz of water (the full capacity of my chawan).

Like the Mandarin, it instantly mixes with the water and froths even before I whisk it. Under the light colored foam is a dark, but not electric, green liquor.

Oh WOW! The strawberry is definitely there… and it tastes like I used strawberry jello water (jello before it solidifies) to make it. Now yes, I know I’ve always said “liquid jello” like it’s a bad thing when it comes to tea, but this ABSOLUTELY works. I think it’s because of the texture- like the Mandarin, it’s thick, and smooth, and creamy. But I also think it’s because there’s much more to the flavor profile. Unlike some fruit tisanes and even some decanted fruit flavored true tea (fruit flavored whites are especially notorious for this), there is ABSOLUTELY the rich, vegetal, sweet, slightly astringent flavor that matcha is famous for. Truly amazing.

And what’s even MORE amazing is… my mom actually tried it! While I was making it, I asked her to “just smell it” and I wouldn’t make her have any. Well she thought it smelt VERY GOOD… so i asked if she wanted some and she was like, “eh… I dunno… it’s green…” So I asked if she just wanted a spoonful… she was still unsure. Once I had it whisked I told her to “come humor me” and told her this was pay back for making me try really gross foods as a child (lol!) and I gave her a soup spoon full. I could tell by her facial expression that she was absolutely shocked that it wasn’t completely vile. Infact her exact words were “Wow, that’s actually pretty good”. I’ll never make her a bowla and I don’t think she’ll regularly try mine, but now I do have hope of her trying my Mandarin and even plain matcha. And an extra bonus- all that yummy matcha in my stomach was enough to cut my hunger so I only had 2 very small pieces of flat bread pizza for dinner.

Just a packaging suggestion Frank: Since this was only an ounce it looked like I was cheated based on the packaging used (I, of course, know I wasn’t) so you might want to have your packaging in direct proportion to the amount of tea to prevent doubt and skepticism from your customers.

I want to THANK SoccerMom for this sample! :)

Now that I have had one positive matcha experience I want to have more. I like Strawberries and some of the reviews on this flavored matcha got me wondering…

First, I have to say this smells AWESOME!!!! Reminds me of Strawberry Cheesecake!

The color is a brownish-green and VERY murky (but then again it’s a matcha!) I will saw that it dissolves VERY quickly!

The actual taste of this is good. But I can’t say I like it better than my Den’s Matcha Experience…that still takes first! BUT…I will say that I would drink this again! So…all and all…it’s pretty good.