Strawberry Matcha Latte Recipe
Some flavors are a perfect pair.
Why is that?
Why do peanut butter and chocolate work so well? Why is ginger so often combine with turmeric in many parts of the world? Why do sour patch kids bring you so much joy? Think along the lines of contrast and harmony.
Pairing flavors is more art than science, but a big part of that art is understanding how tastebuds, scents, mouthfeel and our perceptions of flavors all works together.
Sweet and sweet is just fine, but sweet and salty or sweet and sour really starts to sing. You're activating different parts of your mouth and your mind. We associate flavors and smells with some or many memories and emotions built up over our lifetimes. Sometimes a new flavor pairing hits us at the right time in both our day and our life, cementing it as a favorite.
Perhaps that explains the sudden rise in popularity of the combination of strawberry and matcha. As a search term, "strawberry matcha" has risen steadily over the past five years.
This seems to follow a familiar trend for many burgeoning beverage flavors. Start popping up in a few coffee shops here and there, spurred by adventurous baristas. A visit to a coffee shop is often a treat, so immediately, the consumption of fresh strawberries with ol' standby matcha lines up to be a positive experience for customers.
Suddenly more and more places start adding in strawberry syrups in the event someone wants a pump in his or her matcha. Then strawberry matcha makes its way onto the menu and suddenly it becomes all the rage.
And finally, you land here. Wondering, how do I make a strawberry matcha at home? How do I capture that pleasurable, new flavor which has now been burned into my brain?
It's easier than you think and well worth the effort.
Making a Strawberry Matcha Latte
Ingredients
- 1 serving of Blossom’s matcha latte mix
- 1 cup of fresh strawberries, top chopped off and halved
- 8 oz water
- Ice (optional for iced version)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine your strawberries with 1/2 cup of water. If you'd like a more intense strawberry flavor, add more strawberries or less water.
- Bring the strawberry water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the strawberries to release their juice.
- Place a cheesecloth over a bowl (or use a fine sieve) and pour the strawberry mixture over it to strain out the berries. Let the juice cool slightly. As the strawberries begin to cool, make sure to wrap the cloth tight and give it a few good squeezes to extract as much juice as you can.
Note: this can get messy! Don't wear white and be careful to let the strawberries cool. - Pour 4 oz of the freshly prepared strawberry juice into a mug.
- Add one serving of Blossom’s matcha latte mix to the mug and froth the mixture until it's well combined and creamy. The latte mix contains oat milk powder, so you’ll naturally get a creamy, latte-like texture.
- Add 4 more ounces of hot water to the mug and finish frothing.
If you'd like to have this iced, simply let cool a bit more and then pour over ice.
Health Benefits
Strawberry juice:
- Immune Defense: Strawberries are quite rich in vitamin C, a vitamin widely regarded as a vital part of immune support.
- Antioxidant Rich: Strawberry juice is packed with antioxidants like flavonoids and polyphenols, giving you a boost to fight off inflammation and keep your blood flow strong.
Matcha Benefits:
- Brain Function: Numerous studies have found that some of the active ingredients in matcha can help enhance brain function, including one study that demonstrated regular matcha consumers improvements in attention, reaction time and memory compared to the placebo group.
- Even More Antioxidants!: Matcha contains almost 15x as many antioxidants as wild blueberries.
Blossom’s Superfood Ingredients:
- Guarana: Known for its natural caffeine content, guarana helps to boost energy and focus.
- L-Theanine: Found in tea leaves, L-theanine promotes relaxation without drowsiness and enhances focus when paired with caffeine.
- GABA: An amino acid that helps with relaxation and stress relief.
