Are You Even Making Matcha Right? Instagram’s “Matcha Mommy” Shares Her Top Tips

As Jan Brady used to say “Matcha, matcha, matcha!” … or something like that. Indeed, if it feels like the bright green powder is on the tips of everyone’s tongue these days, you’re not imagining it. The already popular Japanese import is having an explosive moment in 2025, thanks to its boost of clean energy, range of wellness benefits, and its endlessly postable color. But as more and more people are whisking, frothing, and sipping, we’re wondering: are we even matcha-ing correctly?

We turned to vegan content creator, cookbook author, and owner of her very own premium matcha company Remy Morimoto Park (of @veggiekins and @matchamommy fame) to get the lowdown on everything you didn’t know that you didn’t know about matcha.

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RELATED: The Internet Has Crowned a Summer 2025 Drink, and It’s Oat Milk Strawberry Matcha

1 Matcha latte or matcha straight? 

It really depends on my mood, the weather, and the type of matcha I’m using. I love a latte as an afternoon pick me up with a little bit of almond milk and a bit of a bolder matcha. In the summer, I drink it a lot more straight or americano style (just a shot of prepared matcha mixed with water over ice). When the matcha is very high quality, it’s amazing to enjoy straight, so I really look for a high quality matcha for that application. 

2 Matcha hot or iced?

I find it a little easier to start the day with a hot matcha latte, but almost always I end up going for iced because I live in California. And something about the sound that the ice makes when you mix your matcha latte with a straw really gives me life.

3 Favorite funky matcha latte you’re into right now?

A carrot cake matcha latte. It’s made with a syrup I make using fresh carrot juice, walnuts, raisins, and typical carrot cake spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s really delicious—a subtle but really tasty way to enjoy matcha. I’m a big fan of having fun with different flavors in your drinks.

Remy Morimoto Park

4 One matcha combo you tried that totally flopped?

I saw a video on social media of someone making a tomato syrup that they paired with matcha, and I really disliked the outcome. I think it actually brought out more of matcha’s savory elements and some of its existing umami notes in a way that I just really did not appreciate. But it was a fun experience and experiment.

5 Most unusual ingredient you’ve successfully matched with matcha?

I would probably say prickly pear. It has a beautiful pink color and a slight fruity taste, but a lot of seeds, so I probably wouldn’t do it again. But that was such a fun pairing. It mimicked a lot of the fruity, berry matcha pairings that are popular right now.

6 You have 30 seconds to impress someone with a matcha drink. What are you making?

I would make someone a sparkling matcha lemonade. I think it’s a really fun combination that’s not quite as common, and it’s perfect for the warmer months.

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7 What’s always in your matcha station at home?

At home, I have the full suite of products including a fine mesh tea sifter, a variety of matcha powder options, a temperature controlled hot water kettle, my chawan (matcha bowl) collection, and a bamboo whisk.

8 Besides lattes, what’s your favorite everyday way to incorporate matcha?

I’m a bit of a purist, so my favorite way to enjoy it is really on its own. While I do make a lot of matcha recipes for social media content, I don’t typically enjoy matcha flavored treats too often! That being said, if I were to make one treat for a gathering, I’d probably make matcha chocolate-covered cherries. They’re easy to make and such a fun treat to share with friends.

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9 What’s a fun way for a dessert lover to use matcha?

Recently, I’ve been loving making matcha tiramisu chia pudding. It’s nice to use matcha in desserts because it cuts some of the sweetness with its natural earthiness, and it’s really delicious paired with vanilla and, again, fruit! 

10 When out and about, where are you ordering your matcha lattes from?

Some of my favorites in Los Angeles include Yeems Coffee in Koreatown. I really like getting their strawberry milk matcha latte, which can be made vegan with any milk of choice. I also really enjoy going to Olive and James on Melrose for a matcha latte—they use a lot of very well known Japanese brands there. Or a new spot downtown called Archives of Us. They use six grams of matcha and it’s one of the best I’ve had in LA. In New York, I love going to Kettl in NoHo (and they now have a location open in LA as well), as well as 12 Matcha the next block over. 

11 Ceremonial grade or culinary grade—and does it matter?

Ceremonial grade is often thrown around as a marketing term, but there are levels within the category. Generally, it refers to something of higher quality, typically a first-flush or first-harvest matcha, but not always. And again, there’s quite a range here, so something could be first flush, but of lower quality.

Personally, I’m of the belief that a higher quality matcha almost always is the better choice, because even if you’re using it in a mixed drink, I think the flavor of a really high-quality matcha matters. 

Culinary grade matcha can be used for baking, but the color is a little duller, so it’s not as beautiful to bake with. And because the flavor and the quality are a bit lower, it’s sometimes harder to pick up on it in a dessert. For the most part, I’m almost always using ceremonial grade, but as I said, there’s levels to it: I have some lower quality, more affordable, ceremonial grade matcha that I’ll use for food applications, and I reserve my favorite matchas to enjoy traditionally. That being said, everyone has a different palate, so for some, it really doesn’t matter. Try everything to figure out what you like. If you enjoy culinary grade matcha, it’s all the better for your bank account!

Kairi Kaljo / Pexels

12 Is the brightness of matcha the biggest or only indicator of flavor and quality?

It’s not the only indicator, but it can tell you quite a lot. Typically, a duller matcha that has more of a brown shade—versus a bright, vibrant green—is one that’s been either exposed to more sunlight, more oxygen, more heat, or is just of lower quality in general. That being said, you could be surprised sometimes that a super bright matcha has a lot of bitterness or isn’t of the flavor profile that you enjoy. And that’s why it’s not always the only indicator. It’s a great visual cue, but the only way to really see if you enjoy a matcha and whether it’s of high quality is to try it. 

13 What makes a matcha a “don’t buy again” for you?

It’s either something that I really just don’t enjoy, flavor profile wise, or something that’s stored in a container that isn’t appropriate for matcha, like a container that isn’t airtight, or that is not opaque, because these compromise the integrity of the matcha.

14 I’m surprised to hear you mention earlier that matcha has umami. What should good matcha taste like?

The truth is there is no such thing as the best matcha, or what it should be. A lot of people don’t understand that there’s a lot of complexity in the realm of matcha, just as there is with coffee: dark roast, light roast—so much variety. I think we’ve come to expect it to taste just one way, which is really not what it’s like. There’s an entire universe you can explore. Some are more umami, some are more vegetal, some are more astringent or floral. It really depends on a variety of factors, including the climate and the geography of where it was grown, the region of Japan in which it was grown, and the processing. 

In general, though, some cues you can look for are that it’s grown in Japan, that it is a first-flush or first-harvest matcha, that it’s very smooth in the mouth—no grittiness, no graininess, a very fine powder—and that it tastes good to you. It shouldn’t be too bitter. It should be a little bit more naturally sweet, a little bit of umami. But again, the flavor profile can vastly vary so it’s hard to give a catch-all answer.

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15 One thing people tend to get wrong about matcha?

I think a lot of people try matcha once and decide whether or not they like it. And the truth is, sometimes you have to try three or four or five different types of matcha, because your first one might not be the best. I always say to give matcha a chance and try a higher quality one before you decide you don’t like it.

The other thing I would say is that a lot of people believe that there isn’t as much caffeine as there is in coffee, but the truth is, sometimes there is just the exact same amount or even more. So don’t go too crazy drinking matcha!

16 Does matcha expire—and how can you tell?

Matcha does expire! You can tell a lot by the color—if matcha has oxidized, the green will change dramatically. In general, a shelf life of about six months is ideal once you’ve opened a container and exposed it to oxygen. But let’s say you open up a new tin, it’s best to drink it within a few weeks, but if you can’t, a good way to store it and extend the shelf life is to put it in the freezer or the fridge.

17 Biggest matcha mistake somebody could make?

I think one easily fixable mistake is whisking your matcha with water that’s too hot. A lot of cafés will use water straight from the espresso machine, and it ends up scorching the matcha and really compromises its flavor. It brings out more bitterness. So using water around 175 degrees is ideal. Again, you also want to make sure you store your matcha properly so that it doesn’t oxidize and you get your money’s worth.

Ivan Samkov / Pexels

18 What’s trending in matcha right now that you’re excited about?

I’m really excited about more people becoming aware of what higher quality matcha tastes and feels like. I love that there are so many more matcha brands popping up, because the more good, quality matcha we have, the more educated the consumer becomes. We’re entering a world in which matcha is actually starting to compete with coffee in terms of how much people like it, how popular it is, and how easy it is to find. Everyone is wising up to what good matcha is, so it means that there’s now more room to share better matcha with people, and there’s room for companies, like my brand Frauth, to really thrive, and I’m excited about that! 

19 Dream matcha collab: If you could create a matcha drink with any chef, brand, or artist, who would it be?

My dream matcha collab would be with Travis Barker. I know he’s a really big matcha fan, and I loved his limited-time matcha milkshake at Monty’s Good Burger here in LA. I would love to create a matcha shake or dessert with him—something wellness-related, because I know he’s also very into wellness, and I love being able to collaborate with other vegans as well. I had heard that Serena Williams had also introduced matcha into her diet because it helps with her training and her overall wellness. I’m a huge fan of her and all the brands that she works with and invests in, and it would be such a dream to do something collaborative with her, whether a sports drink or even an Erewhon collaborative drink that focuses on fitness and recovery in some way.

20 Which of your Frauth matchas is your favorite?

My favorite Frauth matcha right now is our Hana matcha. It’s our staple and a great starting point for a lot of people who are new to matcha. It’s a little bit more on the floral side, milder, and not quite as bitter and astringent as a lot of the matchas that most people try for the first time. It also doesn’t have as much umami as a lot of matchas from Uji and the south of Japan, so it naturally is a little bit sweeter thanks to the growing climate. I’m a huge fan of it in almost every application. It’s great on its own, in lattes, and desserts. But we have a lot of exciting other things coming this year, so my answer might change!

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