How to Enjoy Matcha Tea with Food

Have you ever had Matcha tea? It took me a long time to give it a try because I didn't quite understand how to prepare it. It's also a little expensive. But there are two things I realized. First, that it's well worth the effort to buy it and prepare it because it is so delicious and second, that there is more you can do with this than simply drinking it.

I didn't realize it until after I prepared it that it is actually the same stuff that is used in the traditional tea ceremony. Remember that beautifully cheesy scene in the Karate Kid 2? I know, I do too. That whole ceremony was done with Matcha green tea. Remembering that scene just adds to the allure, doesn't it? At least it does for me.

What is Matcha tea?

Matcha tea is simply green tea that comes in powdered form. As mentioned, it is an integral part of the tea ceremony. You can also drink it without the ceremony. I have included a video on how to prepare it as a beverage - there is a trick to it.

The process of getting it into powdered form is actually rather intricate. The tea leaves are covered while still in the ground a few weeks before harvesting so that they turn darker. The leaves are picked and dried and the veins and stems are removed. They are then ground into a fine powder, packaged, and sold.

What can you do with it?

There are two basic things you can do with it.

• Drink it as a beverage. You can prepare it and drink it either hot or cold. Follow the instructions in the video in order to do so.

• Enjoy it with food. You can cook with it, sprinkle it on things, add it to smoothies, etc. One of my favorite treats is green tea ice cream. Matcha is what you should use to give it its richest flavor possible.

It is worth your while to include Matcha and other forms of green tea in your diet. It's rich in antioxidants and super good for you!

Once you prepare Matcha as either a hot or cold beverage, what is it best with? Well, for me, I drink green tea or Matcha tea whenever I want. I feel like it goes with everything. But here are some things that stand out.

• Dessert. I particularly love to pair my dessert with this beverage. I especially tend to reach for it with chocolate chip cookies and brownies.

• Japanese food. I love to drink it with all Asian food but it tends to suit Japanese cuisine best. Maybe because I know it is a traditional beverage with Japanese food?

• Breakfast. I am not a huge coffee drinker but I love to have something hot in the morning. Matcha tea is just perfect!

These are just a few suggestions. I know that you can have it with nearly everything. Those are my top three situations, though.

One of my absolute favorite things to do with Matcha is to cook with it. You can certainly use your imagination if you want to begin experimenting! Here are some ideas to get you started, though.

• Sprinkle it. You can use it as a flavoring sprinkle on pretty much anything! Try it on popcorn, ice cream, yogurt, cereal, etc.

• Soups. This makes a good addition to any soup broth. One particularly tasty combination is Miso soup with seafood and and Matcha tea.

• Dessert. Matcha pairs well with things like ice cream and cheescake. There are tons of green tea ice cream recipes out there and most of these use Matcha. You can also add some Matcha to any cheescake recipe. Also, you can do the same for cake icing - just add some Matcha to regular icing.

• Smoothies. One of my favorite uses for Matcha is to add it to smoothies. Whenever I make smoothies I always like to include something green. Matcha offers a way for me to boost the antioxidant content of my smoothie and give myself a mild pick-me-up from the caffeine.

Do you have any ideas on how to use Matcha in food? I would love to hear them in the comments!