Nearing the end of a productive day, and I’m feeling the need for a Vanilla Matcha Latte. Our kitchen is a Zen place, and we prepare matcha accordingly. We begin by warming the bowl, then wiping and preparing the bamboo scoop and whisk. We froth our ceremony-grade matcha in the Usucha style–thick on the tongue and meant to be finished in three sips. It can then be served directly in the bowl.
To transform Usucha Matcha into a Vanilla Matcha Latte, we steam local milk with a drizzle of house-made vanilla syrup, pour over the tea, then grate a single spray of nutmeg. The “O” shape of the tea in the bowl represents the Zen symbol for the “Void,” or clear mind.