The Pursuit of Matcha Anonymous

Sitting down in the authentic-looking Japanese restaurant, rated 4.5/5 stars on TripAdvisor, I find that my hopes are up. I sip my matcha latte and my mind buffers. After another sip, I ask myself, Do I taste the authentic matcha magic? Or does the sugar overpower the subtle taste? I finish the rest. Hmm, not really the flavor I was looking for. Then, my friends and I try the four matcha desserts, which fall just short in texture, density, creaminess, and sugar content.

Another contender is crossed off my list. But I don’t lose hope.

My search for perfect matcha lattes began in middle school. I began ordering matcha lattes whenever they appeared on cafe menus, but many tasted like sweetened milk. Aspiring to find the optimal ratio of matcha powder and sugar to balance out the inherent bitter notes, I started spending hours researching and cataloging matcha places, both locally and internationally. But after hundreds of close-but-not-quite attempts, I decided on a different approach: saving up to purchase the best matcha powders so I could craft alchemically ideal matcha myself. After a summer of feverish brewing, though, I still couldn’t get it right.

And so, the quest lives on.

Futile though it may ultimately be, I have sown...