Everyone knows that matcha is gaining in popularity, one of the reasons is its unique versatility. I had the pleasure of visiting a few of my favorite local snack shops recently, and matcha was the name of the game! I popped into Suzy Q, where lo and behold they were serving up some fantastic doughnuts with a lovely matcha and genmaicha icing, 
which of course, as is their custom, had the best name and label in the display case! They had incorporated the matcha into a delightful icing to top their doughnuts, and then sprinkled some genmaicha on top for added flavour and flourish! I’ve always been a big fan of Suzy Q and their doughnuts, but what I’ve liked the most about their shop is that they are always experimenting with new and interesting flavour combinations, so it was no surprise to see that they had come up with a way to use one of the up and coming ingredients in food fads. Although matcha has been around for a long time, it’s only recently been utilized as an accent for dishes outside of the traditional beverage.
The next stop on my matcha adventure was to a Little Jo Berry’s coffee shop, where I grabbed myself an almond milk matcha latte. They’re a little vegan shop that just recently opened in Ottawa, 
and let me tell you, they have some fantastic delights! I have to admit that I’m really not that much of a matcha fan, but they offer so many different options that it’s impossible not to try a few! The almond milk was great for helping the matcha stay suspended in the liquid and the sweetness of the almond milk also helped to combat the slightly bitter flavour that I find matcha has. I am, however, considered to be a super taster, so the bitterness is easier for me to detect and more prominent in the flavour profile than it is for most people!
If you’re out and about in the Hintonburg neighbourhood of Ottawa you should definitely check out both of these places for some tasty treats! Take it from me, you won’t be disappointed with a stop at either of these places, and Little Jo Berry’s often has some options for your gluten-free friends, so everyone can have a sweet snack adventure!
Any local tea things you’d like reviewed? Flip me an email!