Nothing says spring like a strawberry matcha — admittedly my favorite thing to order from any cafe. This week, I tasted strawberry matcha specials from two student hot spots in Hamilton: Flour & Salt Bakery and Café and Fojo Beans. And I can’t get enough.
I was inspired by Flour & Salt’s rotating and recently updated specials menu. When I walked in for my weekly study session, I was overjoyed to see my favorite drink as the frontrunner of the spring specials.
Flour & Salt is a master of the staple beverage. I wanted a reliable favorite, and they delivered. In fact, I’ve already been back for more.
The drink is admittedly milky, but cute and classic nonetheless. Mostly, it tastes like strawberry milk, with a hint of bitterness to balance out the sugary flavor. For those new to matcha or apprehensive about its potentially grassy taste, Flour & Salt’s special is the perfect place to get started. Their recipe is a fun, fresh foray into the world of powdered tea. Colgate University sophomore Martyn Dahl reflected on the delicious balance of the drink.
“The strawberry’s very prominent, and the matcha isn’t super strong,” Dahl said after sampling the drink. “It’s very sweet.”
Flour & Salt co-owner Britty O’Connor ’12, MA’13 discussed the popularity of the special matcha drink at the cafe.
“The strawberry matcha has always been crazy popular,” O’Connor said. “[Flour & Salt employee] Natalie just told me on Sunday that she makes one basically every other drink.”
Flour & Salt uses Jade Leaf Matcha, which is all-natural and sourced from Japan.
“We switched to Jade Matcha a couple of years ago, and it was definitely worth the change — we love that brand,” O’Connor said.
A week after trying Flour & Salt’s strawberry matcha — plenty of time to cleanse my palate — I visited Fojo Beans to taste their take on the same drink.
Fojo’s version of the strawberry matcha has flair. The matcha itself is bold and bright, and it doesn’t hide behind the sweetness of the strawberry. If anything, the tart berry flavor elevates the earthy matcha and brings it to center stage. Fojo’s drink is bold. It demands attention. It wakes you up. It’s a must-try.
The strawberry matcha isn’t on Fojo’s official menu, but that doesn’t mean you can’t order it. Instead, it’s considered a secret menu item.
Fojo employee and sophomore Veronica Cordero made the recipe from assorted ingredients found at the coffee bar.
“We’re encouraged to make new drinks, so I like to experiment. There’s a bunch of ingredients at Fojo, you’ve just got to be creative about it,” Cordero said. “Strawberry matcha reminds me of spring. It’s nice and refreshing — and the perfect shift away from hot drinks.”
Iced or hot, it’s delicious. To try something new, I suggest you start at Flour & Salt for the beginners’ strawberry matcha; then, advance to Fojo’s more intense matcha experience. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.
