Apparently my Yaki Yaki Bo review caught the eye of some Craft Tea people at Craft Tea Fox .... and before you know it, I got some bottles of Matcha and Houjicha Lattes at my doorstep, without me even asking for it.
Wah. Not bad sia. I guess I can be quite Craft Tea too.
(I was honour-bound to seek revenge for the pun on the card. And all the puns on their site. And those of their packaging. So, anyway, this post is technically sponsored since free samples were provided)
Staying Eco Friendly
If you've taken the deep dive into eco-friendly plastics, I'm sure you know by now that most of them are rubbish. Another unfortunate reality is that styrofoam boxes are still one of the best ways to transport cold items, like freshly made Craft Tea Fox Matcha and Houjicha Lattes.
The upside is that they use glass bottles instead of plastic ones, and they do take both the styrofoam box and glass bottles back so that they can be reused. They'll not take back dirty bottles though, so make sure you wash them first!
Each used glass bottle undergoes thorough sterilisation via industrial-standard heat and chemical treatment in their ISO22000/HACCP certified facility in Singapore, so you can be sure that these recycled bottles are safe to be reused.
Matcha Latte
I like teas, plain, unadulterated.
You know. Teh-O Kosong. Diao Yu. Ayataka. You get the picture.
I do occasionally drink the sweetened green teas. I'm o-k with Pokka's green tea, but if there's one I absolutely hate, it's the taste of Yeo's green tea. Unfortunately for me, this Matcha Latte kinda reminds me of Yeo's green tea.
Don't get me wrong. Craft Tea Fox's Matcha Latte tastes really good. It's smooth, creamy, light and unbelievably fresh. Also it is *NOT* too sweet at all, as it is only very lightly sweetened. This is more of a personal preference, and I'm sure I'd love this if they had a sugar-free version.
Thumbs up for quality. Just not.. (sigh..) my cup of tea.
Houjicha Latte
Now, this is more up my alley.
Aromatic. Smooth. Fresh. Light. Earthy.
In case you're unfamiliar, Matcha is made only from young tea leaves that are stone-ground into a fine powder, while Hojicha uses mature tea leaves, stems, and stalks that are roasted at ~200°C. just like Matcha, the roasted tea is then left in loose leaf form or stone-ground into powder.
This is probably what gives the Houjicha Latte its earthy taste, and with the milk, it makes this taste almost.. chocolatey.
Luv it.
Whisked High-Grade Powders for Smoothness
What sets Craft Tea Fox's Tea Lattes apart, and what makes them so, so smooth, is that they don't simply dump and mix the tea powders into their drink. Instead, extra effort is used to 1. Sieve the powders through a fine filter removing clumps, 2. whisk the sieved powder with some warm water, and 3. only make them in small batches, otherwise it would clump again again and defeat the purpose of doing all that.
This is important because, unlike 'normal' green tea powders that dissolve because they are essentially dehydrated teas, Matcha powders do not dissolve. They are finely-ground tea leaves, and they become a suspension in liquids. So, if you don't want to have that powdery texture in your drink, you'll need to do the extra steps outlined here.
And what powders are used? Only 'Barista' grade powders, straight from the farmers in Uji, Kyoto, Japan.
Vegetarian / Vegan Version
Not a fan of moo-moo's milk? Then you're in luck! Craft Tea Fox's Lattes also come in vegan-friendly versions that uses Oat Milk instead.
Haven't tried it, so I can't really say much for now (*ahem*)(no cough because Covid).
DIY with High Grade Powders, Kits & Easy Guides
Craft Tea Fox is not only about selling tea lattes. They're also about bringing the art of good quality green tea appreciation into Singapore. To that end, Craft Tea Fox's site is full of easy to understand articles to kickstart your journey into appreciating the finer details about Japanese Green Tea.
And, if you're ready to take the next step, they carry high quality Matcha & Houjicha powders as well. Add them to your own creations for cakes and stuff, follow their recipes, or, with their full range of traditional accessories, whip up your own drinks.
They're reasonably priced too, so thumbs up.
Support Local Craft Tea-ness?
I'm a bit half/half when it comes to the 'support local' bandwagon. Of course I'd gladly support local where I can, however, blind patriotism is not the way to go.
That said, if there's a local company that you should consider supporting, Craft Tea Fox is it.
You can tell that they love what they do, and they're trying to make the slightly esoteric world of Matcha appreciation more accessible to 'normies' like you and me.
Only thing missing? Sugar free versions of the Matcha/Houjicha Latte. They are already not very sweet as it is, but I'm sure there will be those of you who'd prefer sugar/free vesions. And, ironically, those dried sweets served with Ceremonial Matcha. I remember loving them a lifetime ago in a quick stopover at Tokyo. I still think about them sometimes.
So. Be sure to remember the Craft-Tea people at Craft Tea Fox for your high-quality Matcha needs.
More Info.
Buy Online: craftteafox.co
Stockists: craftteafox.co/pages/stockists
Guides: craftteafox.co/blogs/articles
Recipes: craftteafox.co/pages/matcha-hojicha-recipes
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