For a couple years I’ve been all about espresso. It’s delicious and automatically makes any morning better. It was just recently, however, that I discovered my love for matcha. That enticing Japanese drink has been worming its way into my mornings and displacing espresso as my go-to pick me up.

But as I started making a matcha latte this morning I began to wonder if it really had to be one or the other. A quick Google showed me that my idea was not completely crazy. Japanese coffee bar Espressamente illy had already begun bringing the delightful flavors of matcha and espresso together into both hot and cold drinks.

Eager to try the combination, I set right to pulling a drink together for myself. Though I was a bit worried about the espresso dominating the drink, I was hopeful that the two would come together for a flavorful concoction and I was not disappointed.

It tastes almost like a lively mocha. The matcha adds a deep flavor but simultaneously brightens the drink.

1/2 cup milk (I like almond for this drink)

1 tsp matcha powder

3 tsp superfine sugar

1 shot espresso

1. Mix the matcha powder, superfine sugar, and milk.

2. Foam using a whisk (for a cold drink) or the foamer on your espresso machine (for a hot drink).

3. (For a cold drink) add ice.

4. Add the shot of espresso.