Morning Rituals: Iced Matcha Latte
1 serving Rishi matcha (passed through a small sieve)
Water, heated to 165 (no more than 180)
8 oz Milkadamia Barista (unsweetened)
2 oz Califia Better Half (unsweetened)
What can be said about a matcha latte that hasn’t already been?
Because I was a chef for many years, I am predisposed towards efficiency. Even when I’m only making one of something, my epigenetics were warped in commercial kitchens, thereby making it very hard for me to do things slowly. Every time I get a Yogi Tea bag with the following fortune, I cringe, even though I believe it to be true: Lao Tzu: “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished”.
As you can imagine, efficiency and speed have some negative consequences, particularly for my nervous system. However, they have numerous advantages, particularly in our modern, fast-paced world, where time often feels in short supply. I am incredibly efficient in the kitchen, and all my thousands of hours of experience are now available to you, so that you too can avoid spending more time in the kitchen than you’d like to.
Now back to Matcha. I got off on a tangent, but it’s related: I don’t use a bamboo matcha whisk. I probably should. It forces you to add water drop by drop. Too much and your matcha is lumpy. Too little and you also can’t whisk it properly to break up the clumps. But old habits die hard, and one thing that’s hard to do when you are moving fast is pour water by the drop. This is where the handy milk frother comes in, all-forgiving as it pulverizes every tiny clump of matcha suspended in the 165° water, regardless of how much water you put in. Would my ritual be more meditative if I learned how to use the bamboo whisk properly? Yes. Have I tried many, many times without success? Also yes.
One of the tenets of my work with clients is understanding and accepting your limitations to work around them, instead of banging up against them and not getting anywhere. In that vein, I have accepted my inability to whisk match like a tea master. Perhaps when the kids have moved away & my days are more spacious, I will take up the challenge again.
Now that we’ve gotten that settled, on to other matters. Dairy does not agree with me, nor does it agree with many of us. It’s taken a while, but I’ve found a great combination of non-dairy milks that give my morning beverages good viscosity and flavor. It’s 3 parts Milkadamia Barista (unsweetened) to 1 part Califia Better Half (unsweetened).
Once I’ve blended the matcha in hot water completely to remove all lumps. I add the milks, froth again, and finish with a handful of ice cubes.
If there is time, I will take my drink, like a cat with her prey, to some quiet corner of the garden to drink in peace.
