Flavored matchas. . .through trail and error I have found that not all matchas are the same. I’ve had amazing matchas where I just can’t get enough and other matchas where no matter how I prep the cuppa, the matcha and I are just not going to be friends.
Recently Mantra Matcha reached out to us to check out their matchas and after checking out their site, I knew we had to check them out. The flavors sounded so intriguing- Cinnamon Goji Berry Matcha, Strawbery Lemon Matcha, Banana Cacao Matcha and so many more. I couldn’t wait for the goodies to arrive so I could check out these flavors first hand.
Strawberry Lemon Matcha was the first that caught my eye. This matcha’s ingredient list is simple: Organic Super Premium Ceremonial Matcha, Organic Strawberries, Organic Lemon Juice and Organic Maltodextrin. (Maltodextrin is added to prevent hardening of the matcha powder).
First up- I tried the matcha cold. I have several blender bottles that I use for protein powder and scooped two portions of the matcha with the scoop provided into my bottle and filled the bottle to the top. Shook the contents of the bottle for about 30 seconds and poured the matcha over a glass of ice.
Took my first sip and was greeted with an amazing burst of flavor- smooth vegtal notes with soft berry flavor and a lemon finish. Wonderful refreshing and the perfect companion to my afternoon. The matcha blended up beautifully for just being shaken in a bottle. No clumps, absolutely light and frothy, and smooth. I’m incredibly impressed.
Next was to try the matcha hot as a latte. I scooped two servings into my Breville frother, added oat milk, and let the frother do its thing. (Usually I do use my whisk and go the more traditional route but since I was up against a meeting, I went this route. ) A few minutes later, I was greeted with a delicious matcha latte that again was smooth, light, refreshing. Each sip was eagerly enjoyed.
I do think I enjoyed the matcha prepped more cold than hot but both were very enjoyable.
All in all, I’m very impressed with this matcha and am excited to make overnight oats or even oatmeal. The prep for this matcha is so simple and convenient, which is great for me when I’m in a ton of meetings but need that jolt to keep me going for the rest of the day. Highly recommend and can’t wait to check out their other flavors. Thank you Mantra Matcha!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Mantra Matcha
Description
This is what a lively sunny day would taste like if it was captured in a cup. Few things are more refreshing than a crisp, fresh-squeezed glass of lemonade, especially one infused with organic strawberries. When combined with fresh matcha, you’ll want to make our juicy lemon heaven your main squeeze everyday. This invigorating matcha blend provides a flavorful superfood kick that can brighten any day. Sip to restore, rehydrate, and energize naturally.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Iced Jasmine Matcha Latte Recipe. . . .
There has been a lot of talk recently about blending Matcha with other teas. I am a HUGE supporter of tea blending and Matcha is no exception! One of my favorite “hot weather” combinations is a Iced Jasmine Matcha Latte. It combines two of my absolute favorite green teas- Jasmine Pearls and Matcha. Add just a touch of sweet cream, or any other sweetener and a splash of milk (or milk substitute) and you have the perfect iced tea latte!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp Imperial Grade Matcha
4-5 tsp Jasmine Pearls Green Tea
10oz water heated to 175ºF
Italian Sweet Cream (optional)
16oz Cup (I’m using a glass) full of ice
Directions:
1. Heat the water to 175ºF
2. As the water heats- sift 1 1/2 tsp of Matcha into a Matcha bowl
3. Once the water is at the correct temperature, add 8oz of water to the Jasmine Pearls and let steep for 3 minutes- If you plan to use a sweetener add to the Jasmine now to allow it to dissolve
4. While the Jasmine is steeping prepare the Matcha
5. Once the Jasmine has finished steeping, add it to the cup of ice.
6. Optional- I like to use an electric whisk on my Matcha before I add it to my Jasmine. This gives my latte a nice foam at the top
7. Add Matcha to the Jasmine
8. Optional- Add a splash of Sweet Cream or any other Milk/Milk Substitute product you’d like to taste
Now Enjoy Your Iced Jasmine Matcha Latte!!
On Wisconsin from A Quarter To Tea. . . . Part Two
I have actually written a previous review about On Wisconsin by A Quarter to Tea, the tasty honey cheesecake tea. For that reason, this review is more about a tea experiment I did with On Wisconsin as opposed to the tea itself.
For a while I have been obsessing over iced lattes. I have tried and tried but can never get my iced tea lattes to be as rich and creamy as the ones you get at places like Starbucks (though I think that because Starbucks uses whole milk loaded with syrup). Instead mine are almost watery. As a result, I have been searching the internet, reading recipes and watching YouTube videos, trying to get new and inspiring ideas for iced lattes. I came across one video by The Domestic Geek called 5 Fave Iced Coffee Hacks which has 5 tasty looking ideas that could easily be adapted for iced tea lattes.
One hack that really caught my attention was the third hack for Inside Out Lattes. For this hack, The Domestic Goddess made ice cubes out of coffee and chocolate syrup. She filled a mug with the coffee ice cubes and topped it with milk. Since I don’t drink coffee, I followed her lead but made my ice cubes out of a concentrate of On Wisconsin tea. I made the cubes by steeping the tea per the recommended parameters but using about 3-4 times the amount of leaf suggested. I then poured the concentrate into the ice cube tray and left them to set in the freezer overnight.
Once the cubes were set, I took the hack a step further and decided to blend my tea ice cubes with the milk. I used about 5 cubes to about a 1/2 a cup of milk but it was too thick so I added about another 1/2 a cup of milk. Then something weird happened as the icy milk foam separated to the top of the glass and the milky tea separated to the bottom. After some aggressive stirring to combine the foam and the tea, I was still surprised at how loose the tea tasted. I expected a smoothie-like or iced Aroma type consistency and instead it tasted like cold, milky tea. Personally I blame my ratio of cubes to milk but also the use of the On Wisconsin tea which has a strong honey flavor that competes with the milk as opposed to mixing with it.
Ultimately the experiment turned out good but not great. I think next time I need less cubes but also I think a different tea would improve the results drastically. My guess is a chocolate tea would suit this type of thing better. Though this is definitely an improvement from other iced lattes I have tried in the past as milky tea in an iced latte is better than watery tea in an iced latte so at least I am working in the right direction.
Pumpkin Chai Latte from the Spice and Tea Exchange
I love all the pumpkin spiced things that come with it. When I saw the first few samples of Pumpkin Chai Latte hit the shelves at the Spice and Tea Exchange, I had to give it a try.
This is a great pumpkin tea to keep in your fall roundup. Where most pumpkin spice teas have lots of caramel, this tea features cacao shells and maple crystals. Pumpkin Chai Latte is still plenty sweet and perfectly spiced with warm cinnamon, but the more robust and earthy flavors of raw chocolate and molasses give richness and body to the brew.
There is also a surprising amount of a bright produce-like flavor, which I can only assume comes from the many chunks of dried pumpkin in the dry leaf. I almost thought there was something like orange peel in the blend, the tart pop of freshness was so noticeable, but there are no orange peels listed in the blend. Perhaps an ingredient like the dandelion root is adding a nice vegetal tartness against the sweet flavors.
In case all of these tasty autumn flavors weren’t enough, there is added whipped cream flavoring included as well to add to the decadent dessert feeling one wants with a good pumpkin spice tea.
If you love pumpkin spice and feel like you’ve tried everything, don’t miss the chance to try a creamy and chocolatey take on the classic fall tradition. From one pumpkin-spice-head to another, I know you’ll love Pumpkin Chai Latte from the Spice and Tea Exchange in your mug.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Chai
Where to Buy: Spice and Tea Exchange
Description:
Whispers of spice merge with the flavors of a mid-autumn harvest. A steaming glass of this chai tea is the perfect companion for crisp mornings and cool nights.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Isla de Coco from Pacific Tea. . . . .
Isla de Coco from Pacific Tea just conjures images of tropical islands, palm trees, and coconuts. While there is coconut in this blend, it’s not the pina-colada herbal tea you might expect!
Isla de Coco has an unusual mix of spices, with chai flavors like ginger, cardamom, and clove, as well as more dessert-like flavors like cocoa shells, cocoa beans, and licorice root. The result is an amazing, sweet and savory, cookie-flavored blend.
The cocoa shells are surprisingly nutty, almost salty like the sweet-and-salty mix of caramel corn. These flavors pair especially well with the buttery coconut pieces. As for the other spices, there is a little heat from the ginger on the back of each sip, and the licorice and cloves add their own herbal sweetness and silky mouthfeel.
Despite all the cocoa shells and cocoa beans, this blend is not dominated by chocolate. There is just a hint of cocoa powder, mainly adding to the warming, bakery notes of the overall blend. In fact, vanilla almost ends up being the strongest flavor, between the creamy coconut and smooth vanilla bean. No milk or whipped cream needed to get that smooth vanilla taste (though, you can’t really go wrong with adding whipped cream to a tea latte).
This is a great blend when you’re tired of the usual chai, but still want a fun herbal tea with a variety of herbs and spices. Not to mention it has a much-need hint of chocolate to reward yourself on those especially long days.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Pacific Tea
Description: Live life a little less ordinary with a grounding melody of coco-cocoa, vanilla perfection. This caffeine-free herbal blend entices with ‘natural-sugar, spice and everything nice’.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!