Cheesecake Matcha

MY MATCHA IS HERE! MY MATCHA IS HERE!! My cats are staring at me doing a dance around the house like, “WTF IZ U DOIN’?”

I was sitting at my computer doing some training manual prep for work, and I heard the mailman drop something in the box. So I trudged upstairs to see what bills we have…I thought briefly of the cheesecake matcha I ordered from Red Leaf Teas eons ago at the end of August, but I dismissed the thought because I had basically given up on ever seeing it.

(I would like to note here that I do not blame Red Leaf at all for the lengthy shipping time. In my limited experience, the customer service at Red Leaf is great. I once emailed the company about Amaretto not being listed as a flavour on the 2-in-1 custom matcha page – I didn’t realize that it was a new flavour – and I had an email back about it being corrected within an hour. When I ordered this matcha, I got an email confirmation that it had shipped the same day I ordered it, and the USPS tracking number indicates that it was shipped to the border in speedy time indeed.

So, Canada Post, where exactly has my matcha been in the two weeks PLUS since it crossed the border, hmm? Were you guys checking it for BOMBS, or something?!)

But now it’s here! It’s even here on the day that my mom is taking me out for Indian for my birthday. Since it got here in time for the birthday celebration, let’s just count that as arriving in time for my birthday. And it’s in my favourite birthday cake flavour!

Here was my order:

Cheesecake Matcha (Which you can get yourself here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/cheesecake-matcha.html)
Matcha Quality: Starter (Basic Grade)
Size : Small
Flavor: Robust

The small because I already have a ton of tea and just wanted to try it, and robust because I am so new to matcha and a little intimidated by how strong the flavour of it is. (Translation: I tried it straight once and nearly spat it out.)

I also separately ordered a little tin, because I had heard that the bag the matcha arrives in is not reseal-able. This is true, but, also true to what other reviewers have said, it poured from the bag with little trouble!

The scent of this tea is strong – the moment I snipped the packet open, I got a good whiff of delicious sweetness. Although to be honest, I’m not sure it actually smells like cheesecake – my first thought is more along the lines of buttercream.

The color of the matcha is not like the matcha I’ve had before (which is brilliant green) – there’s more yellow to it. I wonder if that is because of the flavouring changing the color?

I debated how to try this the first time, because I’ve not had matcha before without plenty of sugar and milk to tone down the flavour, but that doesn’t seem like a fair way to review it. I settled on a scant teaspoon of rock sugar and a splash of milk for this. At some point I will review it straight up, but I’m not brave enough to do that yet.

I got the rock sugar dissolving while I sifted a teaspoon of this into my bowl. I was surprised at how well it sifted…the matcha I’ve used before seemed somehow sticky, almost as though it was a bit wet, and tended to coat my strainer. This stuff all went right through into the bowl.

With water added, this matcha turns an amazing and hilarious swampy green. Why has no one mentioned this in other reviews?! It’s really quite a color; pretty cool if it doesn’t freak you out.

The flavour of this is so interesting…it’s definitely matcha, but also definitely cheesecake. It’s very creamy throughout the sip; you don’t get a nasty surprise at the back. It’s sweet with just the tiniest hint of a cheesecake tang to it…it may well be tangier with less sugar in it, it may be entirely my fault for overwhelming the flavour that the tangy note doesn’t come through as strongly as the sweet notes. So that gives me another reason to try it straight. The description mentions the matcha having a spiciness to it, which is absolutely accurate…there is indeed a spice to it which really lingers pleasantly on the tongue.

This is so good and warming, and probably just the kick in the butt I needed today, because I’ve been kind of sleepy after a long week. I will definitely be ordering more stuff from Red Leaf! (Especially since I noticed they sell my favourite Finum filters. Teaopia used to sell them, but now that Teaopia is no more – near me, anyway – I’ve been at a loss as to where to get them.) I also have told my coworkers and the girls at DAVIDs about Red Leaf – my tea came with a little brochure about the tea, so I will have to show that around.

Did I mention I got my key and a promotion to team lead? Oh yes, I did!

So: Promotion. Birthday celebration today. AND MY MATCHA CAME.

Life is good.

stay up until 2am reading fic = cheesecake matcha for breakfast
everybody knows that.
thank you CHAroma!! this was cursing good!!

(i wonder how much longer i’ll be able to hold off ordering some matcha for myself)

After reading everyone’s matcha reviews, I just couldn’t resist anymore. So I had to order my first matcha!! And what a way to start off…….cheesecake matcha. I LOVE cheesecake. So I ordered:

Cheesecake Matcha
Size : Small
Flavor: Distinctive
Storage : Add Small Metal Tin Container (Holds up to 45g)
I added this tin because I knew that I wouldn’t have anything to put it in at home. And from reading everyone else’s reviews prompted me to order this!

I actually received my package on Friday, and it has been torturing me in my tea box since then. I worked all weekend, and really didn’t get any chance to give this the proper time to try this. So I saved it to try today.

So matcha……no idea what I’m doing. I don’t have any matcha tools. So I just used a regular soup bowl and a metal whisk. I sifted ½ teaspoon into the bowl and added ¼ cup of 80degree water. And I whisked and whisked, and I thought it seemed alright so I added another ¼ cup of water. And whisked some more. It had some foam, so I tasted it. It was a little bit vegetal with some bitterness. So, I whisked it some more. It was pretty good with nice and creamy cheesecake flavour.

But then I had an idea, Magic Bullet! I threw this in there, and wow foam, now this is how it is supposed to taste! With about ¼ cup of milk, this is a creamy dessert.

But, I knew I wanted to make this into a smoothie. Here is what I used:
½ cup water
½ cup milk
large scoop of no fat greek yogurt
large handful of frozen strawberries
and of course 1 tsp CHEESECAKE MATCHA powder sifted
I blended this up in my magic bullet. WOW WOW! This is delicious cheesecake goodness! Did I mention that I love cheesecake…….lol. It is sweet enough that it does not need any extra sweetening. And since I have a smoothie every day that I am not working, this is such a great tea for me!

Next up for me is the Bavarian cream when that arrives hopefully sometime this week!

Thank you to Red Leaf Tea for making such an amazing incentive program for trying matcha. Honestly, I might not have ever tried matcha if it weren’t for this promotion. I hope to order more very soon! Here is where you can get his amazing tea:
http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/cheesecake-matcha.html

Well I have felt lethargic and blah all day, maybe from the fast food for lunch or the late night. I had a small nap but don’t feel any more rested. My stomach has been finnicky today as well. So time for some matcha to straighten me out. I was going to make one of the ones I had already open, but I got looking…they have been open for around 10 months and every time I was making them, they smelled good but tasted bland. And I had a dew servings of each. So I made an executive decision to get rid of the last bits and open this final pack, which has waited patiently for 10 months lol.

So the dry smell is tangy, not overly cheesecake like in my opinion, but a sweet tangyness nonetheless. I made half a tsp with just hot water, my standard method. Whisked it up, and it smells kind of the same as the dry, maybe a bit more green tea. Not as crazy good smelling as previous ones.

As for the taste, I get a generic kind of creamy sweetness, not readily identifiable as cheesecake, but it is a different creaminess than the french vanilla. Interesting, and the flavor is growing on me. I went into it expecting a crazy cheesecake flavor, but now that I am accepting it’s more mellow, I am enjoying it. It should be much easier to get through 1 package of matcha than 3 open at a time haha. And this one will go down pretty easy I think, if I keep up drinking it! Happy to have tried this flavor, another good one by Red Leaf!

Mmmm, this smelled like cheesecake as soon as I opened the package. This is the first matcha I ever bought to prepare at home – I’ve had it in lattes and ice cream, but that’s all – so I’m kind of excited.

I used 1 chashaku scoop to about 4oz water. My scoop seemed pretty big? Next time I’ll just measure by weight to see how much 1 gram is on the chashaku. I added water a little at a time, starting with the matcha as a paste to get rid of any lumps since I wasn’t using a strainer – this worked quite well! I had a nice froth going for awhile too, but then I added more water and it never really came back, so I might have had my proportions off.

My first impression on sipping was “oof, bitter” frankly, but then… the bitterness never really materialized? It’s more like it tastes like it ought to be bitter, but it’s only a flavor not actually the mouth-scrunching sensation. (Keep in mind, I’ve never had matcha straight before – I have no idea how normal this is). And then the aftertaste is pure cheesecake.

And now I’ve finished the whole bowl. That didn’t take long! And I kind of want more, so I think this stuff must be growing on me. My stomach is not as happy as my mouth though, so matcha may not become a regular first-thing-in-the-morning ritual for me.

I was still excited about the new tea though, so I decided to make some cold to take to work with me. This was a fantastic decision. I used the method described here (http://blog.mellowmonk.com/2010/07/cold-brewing-matcha-in-bottle.html), and accordingly used much less matcha than I would have tried without instruction – about 1/2 teaspoon to 16oz cold water. It worked out perfectly though – cold, mild, and refreshing, yet sweet and rich from the cheesecake flavor. The cheesecake flavor itself is pretty good, too. Cream, sugar, a slight tang from the cheese, a hint of graham cracker crust are all distinguishable. At this rate, I should get 15-30 servings out of the 30g packet, which is more than I would have guessed – a little bit of tasty cheesecake matcha goes a long way!

I think I liked this better cold than hot, and it was easier to prepare and drink through the day. I suspect it will do very well blended with other things, like milk, or ice cream. Maybe even my herbal coffee substitute? Clearly I’m not cut out to be a traditionalist with my matcha, but with flavors like cheesecake, cotton candy, and English toffee to try, who cares?!

You can buy this from Red Leaf Tea at: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/cheesecake-matcha.html

I got the small packet, starter quality green matcha (I do want to try the higher grades now), and distinctive flavoring (will definitely play with this).

My second Red Leaf order is finally here! I swear, the post office at my apartment is cursed or something. My first order, which went to my house, only took 3 days to get to me! This one? Well, it shipped on Saturday and I got it today. Even with the post office holiday, that seems like a LOT longer when I am only 60 miles from my house. Ugh, I was worried I wouldn’t get it in time for the Bavarian Cream sale! But, here it is, and of course I started diving in about 5 minutes after my order came.

My matcha is as follows:
Size: 30g (small)
Flavoring: Distinctive
Base: Basic

I went for a bit more flavoring than in my caramel matcha, since I wanted a little bit more oomph but didn’t want to overwhelm the matcha. It seems like most people go with Robust, which I was tempted to do but I REALLY like the taste of matcha. Maybe robust next time, but for now I want to go up in flavor slowly.

Of course I was tempted to start off with a mix of caramel and cheesecake, but I need to try this one on its own first! The smell coming out of the bag is sooo good, it’s got that creamy aspect but also tang! I feel like a lot of cheesecake teas miss out on the tangy aspect, so it’s nice to see it up front and present from the beginning here. I sifted it into the mug (a little bit more than usual, because I am feeling really tired and need to wake up!) and added 2 ounces of hot water—around 185, though I think you can use boiling? I’m not entirely sure, but I’ve been playing it safe since I’d hate to ruin some of this godly stuff. I have been thinking about getting a real matcha whisk—so far I’ve used my little baking one and it’s worked fine, but there’s only a little bit of froth. I added a little sugar too. Hey, it’s cheesecake! It needs to be sweet!

I tried it “straight” (well, as straight as it gets with sugar added haha) and it was sooo good, but really strong. I definitely prefer lattes, so I poured in some ice cold milk and whisked a little more. I feel like that fish in Finding Nemo. “Bubbles, the bubbles!” I’m so enchanted by the whole process! Once completed, I think I gulped this down in roughly 30 seconds. I try to savor, but it’s too tasty!

The cheesecake taste is spot on. Creamy, sweet and delicious! And of course, that wonderful tang is present, which really is what makes it cheesecake for me. I swear, I can taste a little bit of the buttery crust as well! Of course it doesn’t overwhelm the matcha, which I think keeps this from being overly dessert-y. Don’t get me wrong, I love dessert teas, but given the caffeine content in matcha I tend to drink it in the afternoon or early evening and I don’t really like dessert teas unless it’s right before bed. So this is perfect! It’s like a slice of cheesecake in a cup without the calories or guilty feelings, plus it gives a nice energy boost. I am SO in love with Red Leaf’s matcha, it’s perfection. I got 2 more flavors in my order and I am sure I will try them both before the day is up!

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

Apparently I forgot to review this tea until the last cup as I’ve been drinking it off and on for months. So, this is a sipdown and I have mixed feelings about this matcha blend. It is quite tasty as a stand alone flavored matcha, but in comparison to the French Vanilla, it is missing something. It has the tangy notes that I associate with cheesecake, but even as a chilled latte, I would not have guessed cheesecake unless I read it on the label. I don’t think it is the flavor level itself as it was ordered as robust, but rather that it just lacks the buttery creaminess that I associate with cheesecake. I think the caramel matchaccino may have also spoiled me to some extent. While I wanted to love this one, but I am not sure it will be a reorder unfortunately.

I’ve heard great, great things about this matcha and I couldn’t wait to try it. But real life stepped in and I didn’t have the time to give it the attention it deserved, so, well, I had to wait to try. But I wait no more! Today I got to mix up my first frothy cup of cheesecake matcha goodness. I was stuck at the location I hate at work, so I desperately needed a thermos of matcha comfort and boy oh boy was I not let down! This is amazing stuff. Creamy and just that touch of tang found in a good cheesecake….yum. One of my specialities around this time of year is a pumpkin cheesecake….nom. I can’t wait to mix this (found here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/cheesecake-matcha.html) with a touch of Pumpkin Pie matcha and see how they go together.

Oh cheesecake, I have missed you desperately. Cream cheese is one of those things I absolutely cannot have or I’ll be ill for days, so cheesecake is, unfortunately permanently off my menu. But with a little beauty like this in my tea cupboard, I find I don’t mind nearly as much! I want to try mixing this with all of the flavors in the Red Leaf Tea catalogue, and I’m sure every one of them would be delicious!

I’ve had my eye on Red Leaf Tea’s Cheesecake Matcha for some time now. Amanda was generous enough to send me a sample of her’s – which I immediately fell in love with. I believe her’s was “delicately” flavored. There was a nice tang to the matcha which was consumed – in record time – as an icy latte.

When I got around to finally placing my order for this, a month later (gasp!), I had a very difficult time trying to figure out which matcha base to go with. I knew I already liked the regular ol’ starter matcha, but would I branch out and try the white or red base? I probably placed each version in my cart at least 3 times before the basic grade finally became my choice. Seriously, it was a really hard choice to make!

So as a frame of reference my order was comprised like this: small, starter matcha with robust flavoring (found here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/cheesecake-matcha.html ) and a small metal tin, which I’ve come to really like! The tin is a nice size for a small matcha and doesn’t hog my precious refrigerator space. When I find myself in between matchas, I like that I can reuse the tins to take small samplings of loose leaf tea when I travel. I’m a sucker for small, reusable items!

Anyway, the smell of the matcha is tangy and slightly sweet, even though there’s no sugar added to the flavoring. I prepared this my usual way – cold latte style. Two ounces of warmed water with a teaspoon of matcha and a half teaspoon of super-fine sugar – wisk until blended. I didn’t try sifting the matcha this time, and it frothed up very nicely without any clumping. Six ounces of cold, creamy whole milk (yes, I’m naughty!) and the taste was so smooth and creamy with a bit of tang – just how I like my cheesecake to be!

After my first cup as a cold latte, I went for a second cup – this time as a warmed, straight matcha. The tang and creaminess are much less noticable the second time around, but the matcha base is much more prevalent. As the cup cools, the tangy taste comes to the forefront with the matcha and the creaminess lags behind. It’s kind of like having two very different teas, which is pretty awesome for just buying the one! A creamy, dessert-like cup of tangy cheesecake with milk/dairy alternative or a green tea with a little tang – it’s up to whatever kind of mood you’re in!

~ 1 tsp Cheesecake Matcha + ~ 1 cup dry pancake mix + ~ 3/4 cup of milk + blueberries = the BEST pancakes I have EVER made, EVER. MAN OH MAN.