Spiked Matcha Latte

This month at Umami Mart, we are waking up to spring. That means many of the things that inspire us this month come from things that make us bright-eyed and bushy tailed. No we aren't referencing Easter... but we are celebrating green tea and cherry blossoms.

The brewer from Maruishijozo in Okazaki, Japan visited us in January and brought us a bottle of their Matcha no Miwaku sake. It is a sake infused with matcha (the same matcha that Haagen Daz uses for their matcha ice cream in Japan).

The taste is smooth, with a hint of matcha bitterness and sweetness from the sake. I couldn't wait to try this with some milk. I had a hunch that making a Spiked Matcha Latte would be a fitting cocktail for this month as we enter spring.

This recipe is very simple, you just need the Miwaku no Matcha, ice, milk and a shaker. When I made it on my own, I just stirred the sake, ice and milk together, but Kayoko really brought it all together, when she introduced the Boston Shaker into the mix.

The shaking adds a texture and froth that mixing didn't. It also created a nice layer of foam that separates from the main drink. The result is a creamy matcha latte that still has a solid sake flavor to it. I suggest serving this as a dessert or as a daytime alternative to ice cream.

INGREDIENTS

1 oz Miwaku no Matcha sake
2 oz Whole milk
Ice

TOOLS
Boston Shaker
Jigger

METHOD

1. Using a jigger, measure the milk and pour into the Boston Shaker tin.

2. Add plenty of ice (about 6 ice cubes).

3. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds.

4.  Pour into a Rocks Glass.

5. Serve immediately as the foam will settle quickly.

Kanpai!