The Book of Matcha

Superfood Recipes for Green Tea Powder

English tea purveyors Louise Cheadle and Nick Kilby are naturally quite passionate about their products, but hold particular love for matcha. Their luminously photographed book expounds on the long history of this nutrient-dense green tea variety from its origins in China, refinement in Japanese Buddhist tea ceremonies, and incorporation in delicately flavoring all manner of beverages, baked goods, and other edibles throughout other cultures today.

Matcha tea plants are nutrition powerhouses because they are shade-grown, bursting with chlorophyll, amino acids, and antioxidants, and reduce the tannins that give other teas a bitter tang. The authors clearly and persuasively analyze the many health benefits that this dynamic ingredient holds, including warding off arthritis, diabetes, and cancer, as well as its helpfulness with—be still, a gastronome’s heart—weight loss! They make an alluring case for falling in love with this gorgeously green beverage and cooking ingredient.

Having alleviated any possible food guilt, our cheerleaders tempt with a parade of easy-to-prepare, umami-laden recipes: Matcha Lemonade or a Matchatini for a sultry day, Matcha Croissants for Sunday brunch, or Mexican Chicken with Matcha Guacamole for dinner. Advanced cooks will want to try their hand at more complicated recipes like Matcha Macarons or Matcha Mochi Ice Cream Balls. With Cheadle and Kilby as guides, it is a snap to sample this superb ingredient’s many charms.

Reviewed by Rachel Jagareski

Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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