My First Matcha

A few weeks ago, I posted about the challenges and benefits of going vegan- since then, it has gotten so  much easier, and best of all, more fun. I am going to posit that going vegan seems easier in the summer, due to the constant availability of fresh and in-season produce. So I've really been enjoying it, while I generally miss dairy and chicken. I'm not a strict vegetarian, but I have really come to like - not love - the substitutions available (i.e. almond milk instead of milk). Actually, finding a way around my usual half-and-half creamer that I put into my morning coffee was very difficult.

I had heard about matcha lattes (aka green tea lattes) from one of my best Siena friends, and was immediately curious about this peculiar green coffee. This site does a beautiful job of explaining what it is (and how to make it), but to get to the point, matcha lattes are antioxidant-packed drinks that are experiencing quite a heyday on instagram right now. There's a little caffeine in matcha lattes, but after doing my reading I found that most people say that matcha leaves one relaxed rather than jittery. There is a tiny bit of caffeine, but overall it's a really delicate and light tasting latte, with a  soft taste of green tea. They can also be made with almond milk!

So since I am in California for a few weeks I decided to try it at The Source , my favorite cafe in the area. It never disappoints (except that finding seating is always difficult). I decided to go during the lunch hour, and splurged on a spicy veggie wrap to accompany my all-green matcha. You might think it an odd combo (it probably is), but it was aces. The matcha latte is definitely, in my own words, airy. It has a light and foamy quality, so much so that it almost doesn't taste like a latte at all. Aside from being beautiful, it's such a graceful little midday pick-me-up.

ciao! xo