DoMatcha

Welp, here it is, the long-awaited DoMatcha-tini trial!

Went through two iterations of this and I am just going to have to pronounce it meh. I mean, maybe it’s my not particularly rad drink mixing skills (it probably is that), and maybe I’m just not that big of a fan of vodka-base drinks (also quite possible, I’m more of a gin person) but I didn’t really feel that the ingredients fit together particularly well (ok, mostly it was the cognac) I assume that what is going on here with the creme de cacao and cognac is an attempt to create a smooth alcohol combination with a vodka base in order to complement the smooth creaminess of the matcha but…I’m just not feeling it. I think if I were to make continued attempts at this (and I might, because I kind of like the idea), I’d probably skip the cognac altogether.

I also tried this with preblending the matcha in water and with just dumping the matcha straight in, but neither attempt really seemed to result in the matcha really settling in with the other ingredients. There wasn’t that magical alchemy that goes one when I mix matcha with latte mix and let it sit for a while, or the nice melding that occurred with the juice. Also, clearly I didn’t buy enough alcohol for this because this note is waaaaay too coherent, and that’s Just Wrong.

After all that, I guess I should end with a caveat that I’m not exactly the most trusted source when it comes to mixed drinks since my drink of choice (as implied above) is the venerable gin and tonic. According to…most people that I meet this makes my tastes pretty suspect.

Backlogging from yesterday.

Took an iced matcha latte with me to a lecture. VERY effective at keeping me awake (not to rag on the lecturer but it was kind of..disjointed) and focused on figuring out how exactly idolatry, orientalism, and the debate between monotheism and polytheism fit together. (I figured it out eventually, but only at the very end).

Edit: Oh yah, I have bought the necessary booze for a matcha-tini, so I should have my (hopefully coherent :P) impressions of that up tonight!

Moar experimentation with Matcha!

I tried “Master Handa’s Juicy Matcha Recipe,” which is the first one on the DoMatcha page here: http://domatcha.com/recipes/
Now, the recipe states that you pour the matcha on top of a thick juice (I used Odwalla’s Mango Tango) in order to achieve a lovely two-layered effect maybe with a little path running down the middle (a path! a path!) Wait sorry, wandered into a Monty Python and the Holy Grail sketch there. Just a two-layered effect with no path. Now the whole “achieving layers” thing is actually a bartending skill that takes some practice (or so I’m told) and therefore I failed at it miserably, achieving more of an “impressionist painting complete lack of” layer effect. So…I ended up just mixing them together.

The result: A fruity, puddingy, really fresh tasting concoction that I wholeheartedly approve of. The matcha has really smoothed out the tanginess of the Odwalla, while bringing a cool, refreshing taste that I am really tempted to use the word “verdant” to describe. It would go really well with strawberries I am thinking and now I am bummed because I totally could have gotten the strawberry Odwalla instead. Next time, definitely!

This is also really filling. I was kind of wanting a snack before, but not anymore! Man, if I could afford the Odwalla juice on a regular basis I would totally have this for breakfast everyday. But alas, no.

Next up: DoMatcha-tini! (well not RIGHT next, but I’ve gotta admit I’ve been really curious about it :D )

Warmed up the latte mixture for this this morning and increased the amount of Matcha that I used. At first I thought I’d STILL gotten the proportions wrong because the flavors just weren’t blending properly, but then, I set it aside for a while (so I could concentrate on other people’s tea notes) and now it’s perfect! The tea and the latte mix have blended together really well and created this absolutely amazing undertone of I don’t even know what but I like it.

It’s lovely and warming, too (having one of those chilly, foggy Santa Barbara days).

Trying out a matcha latte today, using up some of the HUGE amount of 52teas latte mix that I made up. I think I made the matcha a little too strong this time around because the kind of seaweedy flavor is dominating a bit more than I would have liked. I really like how the creamy texture of the matcha interacts with the creaminess of the milk so I’m definitely going to try this again. Damn my low tolerance for sweet things!

Wewt! Got my tin (I was one of the 10 winners) today, and, of course, immediately had to try it despite saying I was going to avoid caffeine for the next few days. What I actually meant when I said that was “I am going to avoid caffeine unless something interesting and caffeinated shows up.” And it did! Hilariously, it came with a bamboo whisk and I had just gotten back home from buying one in anticipation of its arrival. Whoops!

For my first try, I just made it straight. Half a teaspoon, add water and make into a paste, add a bit more water and whiskity whisk whisk. Wow! This is REALLY good stuff. It’s so smooth and creamy – I don’t think I’ve had a matcha quite like it! It’s got just the right amount of vegetal undertone and it balances quite well with the creaminess. Yum! I could really get used to this.

I’m so glad I got the opportunity to try this – can’t wait to try the different variations on the DoMatcha site!

Very economical for how good this is. Smooth, vegetal, eternal lingering sweetness. My personal new favourite matcha for both its price and its quality.

Delightful! This may very well be the best Genmaicha tea I’ve ever tasted – certainly the best Genmaicha with Matcha! The Genmaicha base is smooth with a sweet, nutty contribution from the toasted rice. Pleasantly sweet – it seems to happily glide across the palate! The flavor is much less vegetative than bancha based genmaicha teas. The matcha adds a pleasantly sweet note. There is very little bitterness to this cup.

I adore this tea!

Yes, I’m still enjoying my yellow buds, but, in between infusions, I decided to really treat myself today (I must really be liking me today) and make myself some Matcha! Not just any Matcha – but some DoMatcha-awesomeness!

Lovely!

I love the Ceremonial Grade DoMatcha – it is so pleasantly sweet, with less bitterness than other Matcha teas I’ve tried. Delightful.

This tea is pure, clean-burning fuel. I like adding it to my banana-yogurt-soymilk shakes for a healthy midday treat. I also like sprinkling it on my ice cream and yogurt. That’s the great thing about matcha in general—because it’s in powdered form, you can add it to pretty much anything, to boost the flavor and antioxidants :)

This matcha is the ideal balance between creamy dark chocolate and oceanic seaweed that I’m always looking for in a good matcha. It’s a great tea to start the day with, since it never fails to give a healthy energy boost!