Matcha Latte
Make sure you've tried and like matcha lattes before committing to making it at home. You will need to buy a few things before-hand including a matcha kit, matcha powder, and maybe a frother if you like foammy lattes — so there's some barrier to entry. But if you have tried and liked matcha lattes, here's my take on them and a simple recipe to follow as a baseline.
What is matcha? Matcha green tea lattes have become popular as another method of getting that craved caffeine. The main difference with matcha, compared to coffee, is the slow release of caffeine instead of the instant hit with coffee.
Can I alter this recipe? Yes. This recipe is a great standard matcha latte recipe that is easy to make once you have the tools, but it's also easy to alter. I often switch between drinking hot matcha or over ice, as well as changing up the type of milk. My preference is almond or coconut milk, but if I'm the mood for more of a "treat" and lots of foam I'll use regular dairy milk. You can also add the amount of matcha powder that you prefer, to taste.
Where do I buy matcha powder? There are many brands of Matcha, and you want a middle-of-the-road matcha powder that is not too sweat (AKA cheap), yet doesn't have to be top of the line since you will be sweeting it in latte form. I recommend Encha Latte Grade Organic Matcha Powder on Amazon.
Do I need a matcha kit? Yes. There are plenty of matcha kits on Amazon and most come with a bowl, spoon for handling the powder, bamboo whisk, bamboo whisk holder for storage, and a strainer. The two most important things are (i) the bamboo whisk for mixing and (ii) a strainer to break up the green tea clumps. Here's an example of a complete kit on Amazon, but I purchased one without a strainer since I already had one, and I also didn't need a special bowl since I already had large mugs.
How can I add foam to my hot matcha latte? I alternate between using a battery operated hand frother (like this), or more frequently my Nespresso milk frother which heats/steams and froths the milk at the same time.
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon Navitas Organics Matcha Powder
1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
3 tablespoons hot water
Sweetener, to taste (I use Stevia)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Add hot water and matcha powder to a large mug or bowl, and mix for 1 minute in a fast left to right motion with the bamboo whisk. Add sweetener and mix for a few more seconds.
2. Pour steamed and frothed milk over the matcha powder mix and drink immediately, or serve over ice for an iced latte.