Hot tea—in all its varieties—brings warmth, health, and a sense of friendly hospitality to the table. Having known this for centuries, the Japanese developed a ritual called Chado—literally “the Way of Tea”—to celebrate the art of this ancient beverage. Central to this ritual is a very special powdered tea called Matcha. Trader Joe’s Matcha Green Tea Latte Mix puts this exceptional tea right at your fingertips, for all your moments—whether casual or ceremonious. Many of us associate “powdered” beverages with kids’ drinks—Kool-Aid, anyone? But, before you decide that Matcha is not your cup of tea, get this: In contrast to coarsely prepared leaves of tea that are meant for steep- ing in a bag or infuser, pure Matcha leaves are milled into a fine powder. When whisked into hot water—as ritualized in Chado—this tea-powder dissolves completely, yielding a wholesome cup that maintains all the nutrients, antioxidants, fiber, and chlorophyll found in the original foliage. It’s like eating the leaves right off the tree… just less crunchy! Because straight Matcha is a little bitter, we couldn’t resist adding some milk and cane sugar to our mix. Combine three tablespoons of the powder to 6 ounces of hot water and you’ll have before you a creamy, sweetened brew with authentic, Green Tea flavor. Perfect for your next Japanese St. Patrick’s Day tea party.