Back in 2014, I leapt on the Matcha tea bandwagon – since then it’s a regular part of my diet. Tea Pigs, or more recently Kiss Me Organics, are my usual go to buys, for quality and taste, and it not only ends up in a shot or a smoothie, but sometimes baked into cakes or protein fudge, or one of my favourite ways, is in a latte with soy milk.
So an email talking about purple matcha had my attention immediately. Said to be smoother and gentler on the palate than green matcha, with a nuttier flavour, so perhaps one for those who find the green too astringent for them to enjoy.
Williamson Tea have been specialising in growing tea in Kenya since the mid 19th Century. I’ve been a big fan of their Duchesse Earl Grey and English Breakfast tea and every sale of their Elephant tea caddies ensures a £1 donation is made to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Another bonus in addition to their bush to cup transparency.
So what’s the purple matcha like?
Williamson recommend warming your cup with a little hot water, before discarding it, before adding 3 grams (about half a teaspoon) to your cup, and adding more hot water. You can then whisk away with your bamboo whisk to create a gentle froth. It’s then ready to drink.
As expected it still has that bitterness associated with Matcha tea, but gone is the higher, more acidic astringent note, the tea is heavier, deeper and nuttier, which in some way seems to enhance the bitterness for me.
Of all the ways to drink it, the latte worked the best, the nuttiness of the tea with the soy milk (you can of course use dairy or other milks to your preference) worked beautifully and the soy gentled the bitterness, making it more pleasant than even a green Matcha latte.
Matcha isn’t for everyone, but I’ve found it a great metabolism boost, and has been proven good for your skin, and can help in weight loss (see my Kiss Me Organics review for the article links).
Purple Matcha may be a little less purple than it sounds (it does look more brown than purple), but I think I’m going to enjoy playing with it in the kitchen, as the nuttier flavour means it could be a great addition to my baking.
I’m thinking cocoa matcha brownies and maybe digging out my protein fudge recipe. Watch this space.
With thanks to Williamson for the sample to review.