Yummy matcha goodies from Makinohara

Thanks to City-Cost I got to try some green tea and green tea goodies from the tea farm / tea-themed park Grinpia Makinohara. I would like to review these items in this post.

Makinohara is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture. According to Wikipedia it is famous for producing green tea with the local economy being dominated by its production.

I have not yet been to Makinohara but when looking at local sightseeing spots the Grinpia tea farm seemed like an interesting place to visit, as you can learn about the history of Japanese green tea and about growing and harvesting it. During the harvesting seasons you can experience green tea picking as well. I enjoy green tea and green tea flavored sweets so if I get the chance I would like to visit.

I also found some very pretty pictures of cherry blossoms along the Katsumata River, so during the cherry blossoms season in late March and the beginning of April seems to be the perfect time for a visit.

The green tea items provided by City-Cost were the following.

Shizuoka Makinohara Sencha Tea Bags, Nanaya Shizuoka Matcha Leaf Pie and

Shizuoka Matcha Syrup

At first I tried the tea bags and the matcha pie. The tea bags are quite convenient as you don’t need a tea pot. You can just put a tea bag into a cup and add boiling water to it. Then you only have to wait 30 seconds until you can remove the tea bag and enjoy your tea.

I found the flavor of the tea quite mild compared to other green tea I have tried so far, so I would say even someone not so fond of green tea could enjoy this tea. It has a nice refreshing taste so it’s ideally for drinking in the morning.

The matcha pie has a sweet taste and a very crunchy texture. It is a bit similar to unagi-pie that is a famous souvenir from Shizuoka Prefecture.

What I found interesting is that one piece of pie only has 81 calories and provides 5 grams of protein. If you eat two you get 10 grams of protein with 162 calories which is similar to some protein bars you can find at the supermarket. With the low calorie and the high protein count you can consider the pie as a “healthier” pastry.

The two go nicely together and can turn your regular tea time into a special green tea experience.

As for the matcha syrup I am not yet sure of how to use it. The flavor is quite sweet and the matcha taste rather strong. It seems like the perfect item for enjoying kakigoori, but shaved ice is not really something I would eat during the winter. I tried adding it to my morning oat meal but it was not really a good fit.

I am hoping that the blog posts of the others participants in this campaign might provide me with more ideas.

If you get the chance to try any of these items I can really recommend the Matcha pie.

This post is supported by Makinohara City, one of City-Cost's Supporters helping City-Cost bloggers to enjoy life in Japan and engage in new experiences.