I just got home from an epic adventure, and by epic adventure I mean I went to Target! So, fun story, I have special needs when it comes to body care products, specifically I need ones without aloe because of my stupid allergy. EVERYTHING HAS ALOE, so the hunt for specific aloe free products is a pain. I need special shampoo, the selenium kind for my sebhorrheic dermatitis, and half of the blasted things have aloe, but you know in hair and skin care I kinda get it. What I do not get is why wipes have aloe, I spent a good 20 minutes checking and double checking all the wipe brands till I found an aloe free one…and you can bet I bought extra refills. I really do feel like I am on an epic quest whenever I have to buy body care stuff.
So, it is Monday, meaning it is MATCHA TIME! Woo! Today we are taking a look at Red Leaf Tea’s Rose Matcha, from their flavored Matcha line. This one is made from basic grade (classic) delicate flavor and regular non-organic Matcha. They have other flavor and grade options, and one day I would love to try the different flavors with a higher grade, but I am super cheap, so for now this is what we got. The aroma is super rosy, which is good, because I love roses in my food. It borders between rose perfume and a full bloom rose garden, mix in the fresh vegetation and grassiness and you have a Matcha that smells like summer in an English garden, memories of childhood tea parties in a rose garden while wearing Victorian dresses pop into my head.
I decided to pull out my tiny Chawan to have this traditionally first. Whisking it was a bit of a pain, but I did get a bit of a froth after a while. The color is not the prettiest, but since it is basic grade that is not too surprising. The taste is not too bad, it is a touch bitter like kale, but after an initial hint of bitterness it explodes into oddly fairly mellow rose. Let me explain, the rose takes over as the main taste and it is very distinct, but it is not like taking a drink of rose perfume. The rose lingers for quite a while as an aftertaste.
Next is the obvious latte, the real way flavored Matcha shines. I find that mixing a bit with water making a paste and then mixing with milk and if needed sugar makes for a much easier blend, especially if you do not feel like breaking out the hand mixer (I am lazy) Also I apologize for the awful cup, I just today decided to get a nice clear glass one to make it prettier. The taste reminds me of one of my favorite drinks, rose milk, an Indian drink mixing Rooh Afza Rose Syrup and milk, it was a delicious summer favorite that I miss drinking (I ran out of the syrup and never replaced it) basically it is roses and milk, what makes it different from the Indian drink is it has a grassy undertone and is not as sweet (could of changed that if I wanted to, but I liked it not so sweet) and with a slightly nutty finish. The rose lingers in the back of the mouth and in the nose for quite a while, and it has a slight dryness at the finish. I am curious to see how these would be baked into cookies with some saffron and cardamon, like a Matcha Falooda blend!
For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/06/red-leaf-tea-rose-matcha-matcha-monday.html
