I’ve been wanting to try Matcha for a long, long time. But for whatever reason, I’ve been totally afraid of trying it. I kept thinking I was somehow going to screw it up, or that I would purchase poor quality Matcha and end up hating it. Finally, I broke down and purchased some moderately priced starter Matcha and tried it. I made lattes with it and it was okay, but nothing earth-shattering. So I decided to try a flavored Matcha, which brings me to this review for Caramel Matcha from Red Leaf Tea.
http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/caramel-matcha.html
I have always been a lover of all things caramel. I’ve probably tried every caramel cookie, cake, ice cream, tea, coffee, pastry, and countless other items that contain caramel. But I am very picky about caramel flavorings. Many of them taste too artificial, butterscotch-y, or are just too faint for me to enjoy. Happily, this Caramel Matcha did not disappoint me. When I received the package in the mail, I immediately knew my Matcha had arrived. There was a wonderful, strong smell of candy-like caramel coming from the package. After actually opening the package and smelling more caramel goodness, I knew I was in for a treat.
I decided to try this as a latte. So I prepared it using my usual method of 2 grams Matcha, 2 ounces of skim milk, 3-4 scoops of stevia, and 6 ounces of water. I whisked this up using my electric milk frother and tried it. It was very good, but a little strong. After adding another 2 ounces of water, it was close to perfection. This Matcha is very smooth and rich. Even though I used very little milk, it tasted so creamy. The caramel flavor is just right – enough flavor that you can definitely taste it, but not enough to outshine the flavor of the Matcha. This may be one of the best drinks I’ve ever made at home, and I’m actually kind of proud. I don’t have to make any more trips to Starbucks when I want a great latte. So I can save money, time, and calories. Hooray! I estimate that this whole drink took me 5 minutes to make, cost less than $1.00, and has about 25 calories. Plus I didn’t have to drive all the way across town to buy it. The only bad thing is, now I feel the need to try all of Red Leaf Tea’s other flavored Matchas. Oh well…
