What is Matcha Latte?

Matcha latte is actually matcha-flavored milk. Firstly, Matcha is not to be mixed up with green tea. Matcha is the finely ground powder form of specially grown and processed green tea leaves. Latte was originally called latte, which actually means milk. Therefore, matcha latte really is just matcha, with the addition of milk. Don’t get misunderstood, it’s not that baristas don’t know how to make coffee. Matcha latte really just does not need a single drop of coffee.

 

If you order a latte in most countries, the barista will make a coffee latte for you by default. Matcha Latte does not contain any coffee at all. If you are in Italy, Spain and other countries, and you ask for another latte, the barista will definitely serve you a glass of milk.

 

Many of the drinks currently in cafes, such as matcha latte, black tea latte, pumpkin latte, red velvet latte, do not contain a drop of coffee. Perhaps, a matcha latte recipe will aid your understanding of what matcha latte actually is.

 

Background of Matcha

Contrary to popular belief, matcha originated from China, not Japan. Not only has it been loved by the Japanese people for thousands of years, it's also very popular in Europe, America and many other countries. In recent years, it has become trendy on many social media platforms, especially among teenagers and young adults. The most attractive and hyped up version among them are "Japanese Matcha". More and more famous matcha shops are also sought after by everyone. So really, matcha originated in China but became famous in Japan. In fact, the origins of matcha date back all the way to the Tang dynasty in China, which spanned from the 7^th to 10^th century.

 

Origin of Matcha: China

Matcha was called "powder tea" in ancient times, which originated in the Tang Dynasty. Back then, royal families appreciate the culture of grinding green tea leaves to make matcha. At that time, this tea-eating method became highly regarded. However, the ensuing Song Dynasty, which reigned from the 10th – 13th, is largely credited with making this form of tea preparation popular. Eisai, a Japanese Buddhist Monk, spent a large portion of his life studying Buddhism in China. After a period, Eisai returned to his home country, Japan, taking the knowledge of Zen Buddhist methods of preparing powdered green tea. Eisai planted these tea seeds on the temple grounds in Kyoto. Due to the limited quantities, these ‘green tea seeds’ were extremely highly regarded, one made for the royalties. Soon after, Zen Buddhists came up with a new way of cultivating the green tea plant, developing Tencha, by growing the green tea plant under specific conditions, which brought about the best health effects of matcha.

 

Matcha or… green tea powder?

Some people think that green tea is ground into powder to be matcha while

some people think the difference between matcha and green tea powder is just the difference in thickness — The finely ground is matcha, the coarser is green tea powder

Some even call matcha "green tea powder". Matcha and green tea are quite different. Although derived from the same plant called Camellia Sinensis, matcha is entire green tea leaves ground completely into a fine powder form, making it much more concentrated than green tea. When consuming matcha, you consume the entire tea leaf. Green tea is only an infusion.

 

So, why matcha latte?

As mentioned earlier, matcha latte is simply matcha-flavoured milk, where matcha, in powder form, is whisked in hot water, before being mixed with milk. Compared to close substitutes like coffee, matcha offers a plethora of health benefits. Unlike other types of tea, matcha has more antioxidants, and contains L-theanine and caffeine. L-theanine relieves stress and anxiety, slowing down the absorption of caffeine. This translates into longer lasting and more focused energy boost as compared to that of coffee.

While it is traditionally consumed as tea, where it is whisked with water, matcha has become known to the younger generation today in the form of Matcha Latte or in desserts due to its unique, rich taste.

 

How do I prepare matcha latte?

Making matcha latte is simple. Here are some basic ingredients you may need.

1.    Matcha

2.    Milk

3.    Sweetener

4.    Water

Matcha powder will be whisked into the water before sweetener is added. This mixture will then be mixed into milk. There you have it, your matcha latte recipe. But that isn’t it…

Good matcha latte requires precise and accurate measurements and ratios. Adding these ingredients in wrong ratios could vary the taste of matcha tremendously.

Ingredients:

• 4 tsp of matcha
• 200 ml milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• 60 ml of hot water

Directions:

1. Add matcha, sugar and water into a bowl and use the bamboo whisk to whisk it until a smooth texture is formed
2. Prepare a glass of milk
3. Pour the matcha mixture into the glass of milk.
4. Add ice cubes

 

There you have it, a perfect glass of matcha latte. Much easier than you think, isn’t it? The convenience, along with many other health benefits, has made many people shift their eyes towards matcha latte rather than coffee, and matcha tea, rather than other types of tea.

 

 

Matcha Latte in a nutshell

Having read about what Matcha Latte is, along with its origins and recipes, we believe you have probably grasped a much greater knowledge on matcha. The next time you try matcha latte, just remember, you could have made one yourself at home so much more easily, at a much lower price, and with a taste that suits your personal taste buds.