Vanilla Raspberry Matcha Latte: A Sip of Memories

By: Monique Brown-Carey

Before my family and I moved to Washington, we lived in a small apartment in Oakland, California. As a homeschooled student just entering the 5th grade, I recall my dad and I walking to the small urban strip by a freeway. On that strip were countless coffee shops, a couple of restaurants, a beauty supply store, and at the center of them: a quaint French-style patisserie. We would go there every Tuesday and Thursday, right before I started my online class sessions. We’d always get a fresh, round loaf of sourdough bread, and sometimes cookies or muffins. Between those decadent sweets, I would always grab a small to-go cup of cold milk. But one day I decided to be bold and get a different drink to pair with my sweet of choice.

On the menu, newly added, was an odd yet colorful looking concoction; a matcha latte with fresh raspberry syrup and vanilla. I had never previously heard of matcha, but the pretty green and bright red layers intrigued me. After begging my dad to let me try the drink (which he insisted I might hate), I walked out with a small ice-cold cup of my matcha latte. I didn’t hesitate to take my first sip, and of course being the silly kid I was, I was hit with a pure sugary shot of raspberry syrup since I didn’t mix my drink up. But the second sip was something incredible. A slightly bitter, earthy taste, but it was masked by the sweet and tart embrace of raspberries, with the slightest note of honey and vanilla. It quickly became a favorite drink of mine, being ordered almost every trip to the patisserie.

Unfortunately, after moving to Washington shortly after, I never got a chance to taste it the same way again. Later on, I started making drinks at home, and as the interest in matcha began to resurface, so did my memories of that French patisserie’s nostalgic drink. I started to go through attempts at recreating it at home, and though I could never make it as perfectly as they did, I still was able to make a drink reminiscent of those sweet childhood memories of spending time with my dad and going on fun outings across the Bay Area with him.

Ingredients:

*Raspberry syrup

1/3 cup fresh raspberries
Honey (to taste)

*Matcha latte

2 teaspoons matcha powder (ceremonial grade preferred)
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk of choice
Ice

Directions:

Prepare your syrup by combining raspberries and honey in a microwave safe cup. Heat until raspberries are broken down, about 1- 1 ½ minutes (times vary by microwave wattage). Use a fork to crush any remaining chunks of raspberries, set aside to cool.

Make your matcha by combining warm water and matcha powder in a small cup or bowl. Using a whisk, thoroughly mix for about 1-2 minutes, or until a smooth consistency is reached and no matcha clumps are present. Add vanilla extract and mix lightly.

Assemble the latte by adding ice to a cup. First, add cooled syrup to the bottom of the cup, then pour milk on top. Top it off with your matcha. Serve immediately.

Coug Eats