Matcha Roundup
A collection of my favorite matcha tips and recipes!
When I first tried matcha it wasn’t my cup of tea… but after discovering the right brands, products, and techniques, a good cup of matcha has become an obsession!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my links, at no cost to you.
What is matcha?
Matcha is finely ground, grown-in-the-shade tea leaves. It has an eye-catching bright green color and a slightly bitter vegetal taste. While a cornerstone of Japanese tea ceremonies, it is popular in every-day life for its health benefits, flavor, and as a coffee alternative.
Why matcha instead of coffee?
Matcha delivers a myriad of health benefits without the anxious energy of coffee!
Energy Booster - without the jitters + crash, half the caffeine as coffee
Calm Focus - rich in L-Theanine, an amino acid that soothes stress + anxiety
Gut Health - improves digestion, supports detox, reduces inflammation
Glowing Skin - antioxidants + polyphenols promote a healthy glow from within
Understanding the different types of matcha
Not all matcha powders are created equal, and each type or grade delivers a different range of colors, textures, and flavor profiles.
Culinary Grade Matcha ranges from a deep shade of green to brown shades of green since it is from later tea harvests. It tends to have a bolder, more bitter flavor that needs additional ingredients to balance it. It is often offered at a lower price point as well.
Ceremonial Grade Matcha has a bright green color, subtle sweetness, and less bitter taste. It offers the highest quality and smoothest flavor. Because it is made from the first harvest of tea leaves, it contains the highest amount of l-theanine, chlorophyll, and caffeine. The flavor and quality are worth the extra few dollars!
My favorite matcha
After trying dozens of brands and grades of matcha at all different price points, I have found a brand I absolutely LOVE!
Miaroo Tea offers organic, ceremonial matcha and matcha blends that are delicious, pack in the health benefits, and are kinder on the wallet.
Use code HOW2HAILEY for 15% off!
Every flavor and blend are incredible! The original matcha is my all-time favorite, with chai matcha as a close runner-up for a cozier warm matcha latte. The matcha lemonade offers a refreshing, quick cool drink in the summer - I send a bag of this with my husband to the office!
Tried and true matcha recipes
A local coffee shop once had this spin, and I fell in love with the romantic floral additions. So I created a similar simple syrup for an easy matcha latte.
Reminiscent of the pistachio-mushroom matcha latte at a cute cafe in the Venitian while in Las Vegas for work. I love the rich nutty flavor it adds to the drink!
Skip the coffee shop matcha latte and make it yourself with 3 simple ingredients! The taste is incredible and its blood-sugar-friendly with added protein.
More recipes to come!
As I experiment with different recipes and techniques I will be adding them to this page. Keep checking back!
