Tag: Matcha

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Naked Teas Galore’s Earl Grey Matcha

Earl Grey Matcha by Naked Teas Galore
Green Tea (Matcha) / Flavoured
$14.95 for 227g ($3.25 for 25g sampler)

First Impressions

I picked up a sampler of Earl Grey Matcha when I popped into Naked Teas Galore a few months ago. I’m a fan of Earl Grey, and a fan of matcha, so would I be a fan of the combination? The sampler came in a resealable silver foil pouch. the label on the front tells me the name and ingredients, a label on the back provided me with the instructions for preparing it both hot and cold.

Earl Grey Matcha consists of organic sugar cane, organic matcha, organic flavouring and citric acid. The aroma of the powder blend is bright and citrus-y, I can see the cane sugar granules and smell the matcha base. It’s lightly grassy with a strong bergamot aroma.

Preparation

Naked Teas Galore suggests a cold preparation with the matcha in a shaker cup with ice and milk – and to shake it. The hot preparation is matcha with hot milk, and to stir. I opted to do the cold preparation. I don’t have a shaker cup, but  prepared it in a glass with cold, unsweetened soy milk. I opted to blend Earl Grey Matcha with a handheld milk frother.

First Taste

Earl Grey Matcha blends to a pale green colour, the aroma is a mix of bergamot, matcha, and soy. The taste is pleasant, I liked the Earl Grey notes, and there are grassy and vegetal notes from the matcha. I found it to be very pleasant and enjoyed the ease of mixing it up.

A Second Cup?

As this is a matcha preparation, there are no resteeps possible.

My Overall Impression

I loved Naked Teas Galore’s Earl Grey Matcha. I enjoyed the aroma of the powder, and the combined flavours of Earl Grey and matcha that made it quite pleasant to drink. I found it easy to prepare, I’m sure the hot preparation is just as easy as the cold (it certainly sounds like it is!). I loved the flavour and think it’d be a great matcha option for on-the-go or at work since it’s easy to make.

Curious about the cup rating system? Click here to learn more.

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Matcha Lemonade

When life gives you lemons, you make a Matcha Lemonade! This makes for a fun twist on an iced matcha that is refreshing, delicious and perfect for the summer – so why not give it a try? I love nice icy drinks in the summer, and having a little something that incorporates tea just makes it all better!

Matcha Lemonade Recipe – serves 2

Lemonade
2 tablespoons Simple Syrup (see recipe below)
2 tablespoons lemon juice¹
700ml (3 cups) water

4 teaspoons matcha²
125ml (½ cup) warm water
Ice cubes
1 lemon (for garnish)

¹ 1 medium size lemon yields approximately 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice. I used lemon juice but you can use either.
² Because you are blending it with lemonade, I would not use the most expensive matcha from your tea stash for this drink. I used a lower grade matcha that’s still meant for drinking, because I knew I would be blending it with lemonade. A good quality matcha is typically $1 per gram, and do not use a matcha that has other ingredients in it besides matcha.

Mix Simple Syrup, lemon juice, and water in a pitcher – set aside.
Sift the matcha into a bowl – this helps get rid of the clumps.
Whisk with the warm water, add a little bit at a time. First you create a paste with the matcha and then thin it out with the remaining water.
Fill each glass with ice cubes.
Add half of the lemonade to each glass (350ml/1½ cups).
Add half of the matcha to each glass (62.5ml/¼ cups)
Garnish the rim of your glasses with a lemon slice or wedge.

Tea Tip! Pair your Matcha Lemonade with a paper or reusable glass or stainless steel straw.

Simple Syrup Recipe

1 cup water*
1 cup sugar*

* You can make more or less Simple Syrup depending on your Matcha Lemonade needs. I used organic cane sugar for my Simple Syrup in this recipe. The basis of a Simple Syrup is a 1:1 ratio of sugar and water.

Super Simple Simple Syrup Method

Combine equal parts sugar and boiled water from a kettle in a bowl.
Mix until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Set aside to cool.

Less Simple Simple Syrup Method

Combine all Simple Syrup ingredients in a saucepan, and place over medium heat.
Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Allow syrup to simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Pour Simple Syrup into a jar or bottle and refrigerate.

The Simple Syrup will keep for at least 2 weeks in the fridge – don’t forget to label with the date!

If you make this Matcha Lemonade, I’d love to see your photos! Be sure to tag me on Instagram (@onemoresteep #onemoresteep) or comment below with a link to the photo!

Pin this recipe for later!

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Naked Teas Galore’s Matcha Latte

Organic Matcha Latte by Naked Teas Galore
Green Tea (Matcha) / Flavoured
$3.25 for 25g sampler or $14.95 for 227g

First Impressions

Organic Matcha Latte was a little packet I picked up when I was at the Naked Teas Galore retail location in Langley, BC some time ago. I really appreciated that their flavoured matcha selection was available in both sample packets as well as much larger bags (25g vs 227g!). I opted for a few 25g packets so I could get a couple cups to try before committing to a larger bag or tin. Organic Matcha Latte comes in a sealed, resealable foiled bag. The front label tells me the name and ingredients, the back provides preparation instructions.

Organic Matcha Latte isn’t as green as I expected, nor bright. The colour reminds me of a shade of green I might find in some moss or something like that. There is a considerable amount of cane sugar granules, so I really wasn’t able to sift the powder when preparing it. Organic Matcha Latte consists of: organic cane sugar, organic matcha, and citric acid. The powder blend smells a bit sweet, I can’t really smell the matcha.

Preparation

Naked Teas Galore provides preparation instructions for making this either hot or cold. For hot, it’s mix with a hot milk of your choice. For cold, it’s to add the powder blend to a shaker cup, and then add ice and milk. I didn’t sift the powder, because the cane sugar granules are so large, and I mixed this with heated unsweetened organic soy milk directly in the cup.

First Taste

Organic Matcha Latte doesn’t really colour the soy milk too much – soy milk is naturally a bit of a cream colour, and the Organic Matcha Latte just gives it a slightly dull green colour. Organic Matcha Latte does taste sweet – I can taste all that cane sugar! I found that the matcha flavour was very mild – I didn’t note any grassy or umami flavour notes in the profile of the drink, with just a hint of matcha flavour at the tail end of each sip.

A Second Cup?

As always, matcha cannot be ‘resteeped’ because you drink everything all up.

My Overall Impression

I didn’t like Naked Teas Galore’s Organic Matcha Latte. I think this blend was just disappointing to me from the get-go. From the lack of green in the powder, to the colour of the drink after mixing it – it just wasn’t what I was expecting it to smell, look, or taste like because it lacked the flavour profile of matcha for me.

Curious about the cup rating system? Click here to learn more.