green tea latte

yes, i am still thinking about the color green. thank you for asking. and my love of green tea is well known. so naturally it follows that one of my favorite breakfasts these days is a green tea latte. similar to one i had at le pain quotidien recently. i love that chain. do you have one near you, yet? if you don't, i am confident you will soon. they are taking the world by storm. each one seems like a handmade charming wholesome european coffee/tea/pastry/sandwich shop. you would never guess it was a chain until you look around and notice all the branded products, teas, honey, jams, mustard, etc. they are originally out of belgium and make the very best brownies (shaped like a little round chocolate tart) i have ever tasted in my (increasingly long) life. we have two near us in connecticut for example. having also sampled their wares in belgium, france, and new york, i can tell you they were all consistently charming to be in and delicious.

back to the green tea latte. the color is incredible. so green. very photogenic. i could photograph it all day. this green tea latte is made with organic soy milk. i like it best this way. it is the fastest breakfast i know how to make. plenty of protein. a good start to my day. i usually just nibble on a little fresh fruit as i heat and stir. takes about 3 minutes which includes getting things out of the refrigerator and gathering the needed accessories. like spoons and cups.

i make it with ito en matcha green tea powder. a very special finely ground green tea. you can find various brands available from numerous japanese sources. it is often kept in the freezer and has a short shelf life. matcha is very handy in that it can easily be whisked into a foam when mixed with hot water, or as you see here, warmed soy milk. whisked just as they do in the beautiful ritual that is the japanese tea ceremony. (which starts with making your own ceramic tea cup out of clay). i bought my tea cup. but maybe one day i will get back to kyoto and enroll in just such a tea class.

i had never thought of making a green tea latte at home until i saw one on one of my favorite reads, lovely blog out of the uk, quaint living. really great photography, food, travel, that sort of thing.

green tea latte

preparation

i use a heaping teaspoon of matcha to one and a half to two cups of soy milk. i heat over the stove or in the microwave. good results with both. whisk while hot. serve immediately. brilliantly simple, fast and delicious.