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Mmmm, this smelled like cheesecake as soon as I opened the package. This is the first matcha I ever bought to prepare at home – I’ve had it in lattes and ice cream, but that’s all – so I’m kind of excited.

I used 1 chashaku scoop to about 4oz water. My scoop seemed pretty big? Next time I’ll just measure by weight to see how much 1 gram is on the chashaku. I added water a little at a time, starting with the matcha as a paste to get rid of any lumps since I wasn’t using a strainer – this worked quite well! I had a nice froth going for awhile too, but then I added more water and it never really came back, so I might have had my proportions off.

My first impression on sipping was “oof, bitter” frankly, but then… the bitterness never really materialized? It’s more like it tastes like it ought to be bitter, but it’s only a flavor not actually the mouth-scrunching sensation. (Keep in mind, I’ve never had matcha straight before – I have no idea how normal this is). And then the aftertaste is pure cheesecake.

And now I’ve finished the whole bowl. That didn’t take long! And I kind of want more, so I think this stuff must be growing on me. My stomach is not as happy as my mouth though, so matcha may not become a regular first-thing-in-the-morning ritual for me.

I was still excited about the new tea though, so I decided to make some cold to take to work with me. This was a fantastic decision. I used the method described here (http://blog.mellowmonk.com/2010/07/cold-brewing-matcha-in-bottle.html), and accordingly used much less matcha than I would have tried without instruction – about 1/2 teaspoon to 16oz cold water. It worked out perfectly though – cold, mild, and refreshing, yet sweet and rich from the cheesecake flavor. The cheesecake flavor itself is pretty good, too. Cream, sugar, a slight tang from the cheese, a hint of graham cracker crust are all distinguishable. At this rate, I should get 15-30 servings out of the 30g packet, which is more than I would have guessed – a little bit of tasty cheesecake matcha goes a long way!

I think I liked this better cold than hot, and it was easier to prepare and drink through the day. I suspect it will do very well blended with other things, like milk, or ice cream. Maybe even my herbal coffee substitute? Clearly I’m not cut out to be a traditionalist with my matcha, but with flavors like cheesecake, cotton candy, and English toffee to try, who cares?!

You can buy this from Red Leaf Tea at: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/cheesecake-matcha.html

I got the small packet, starter quality green matcha (I do want to try the higher grades now), and distinctive flavoring (will definitely play with this).