When it comes to matcha, I like to think of myself as an early adopter of what is now one of the hottest global food trends. My love for this distinctively vibrant Japanese green tea started over 15 years ago during a visit to Japan when I had the opportunity to visit the Hibiki-An Team Farms of Uji in Kyoto. A stunning site with rows upon rows of tea plants spread over rolling hills, Uji is considered to be where the tradition of Japanese green tea originated more than 1,000 years ago.
Fast forward to present, having an energizing cup of matcha in the morning remains one of my favorite rituals both for health and taste.
Matcha madness has hit the U.S. with specialty shops and at Extraordinary Desserts, I’ve incorporated this tea to create some exciting new recipes.
1. The Matcha Misu at Extraordinary Desserts: Featuring matcha green tea-soaked ricotta cake layers between Italian mascarpone rum custard and whipped cream, and finished with matcha powder and matcha caramels, this delicate looking cake packs a flavorful punch.
2. The Magic Matcha Smoothie at Trilogy Sanctuary: One of my favorite spots in San Diego to get my matcha fix. A blend of almond milk, banana, mango, lime, spinach, and matcha green tea, this smoothie is delicious and is perfect any time of the day.
3. The Matcha Sky Pafait at Gashoan’s in Tokyo: Always ahead of the trends, this incredible matcha creation is billed as “Japan’s tallest matcha parfait.” This stunner features layer upon layer of goodness from the top down: a crispy wafer, a whole chestnut, a layer of whipped cream, a green tea sablé shortbread cookie, a scoop of matcha ice cream, another layer of whipped cream, mixed berries, plain and matcha-flavored shiratama rice dumplings, a waffle cone, another layer of whipped cream, corn flakes, mixed berries, another layer of whipped cream, and finally, matcha kanten jelly! Whoa.
4. Hibiki-An Tea Farm of Uji in Kyoto: Where my love of matcha started nearly 15 years ago. This super premium grade matcha is simply the gold standard when it comes to Japanese green tea and we’ve been using it at Extraordinary Desserts for 10+ years.
5. Matcha Pesto at Extraordinary Desserts: This fresh take on pesto has quickly become a favorite in the restaurant and is delicious as a dip with veggies or on sandwiches. Made with kale, basil, almonds, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, parmesan, matcha, and lots of garlic, all you need to do is blend and enjoy!
6. Matcha Crème Brûlée: A unique twist on a classic – Matcha green tea flavored creme brulee with a dark chocolate ganache bottom. Finished with chocolate tipped whipped cream and a mini matcha truffle.
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