One of my favorite party ideas is a potluck, so when my friend Kaylin suggested we try some matcha cookies, I saw the potential in taking my matcha love up a notch. Kaylin, Jessica, and I had a matcha potluck party to try a bunch of snacks.

What is matcha?

Matcha is a finely ground powder from specially grown green tea leaves. Usually bright green in color, matcha is rich in antioxidants that prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, and inflammatory issues. It contains three times the amount of caffeine that’s in green tea!

While matcha is a health and flavor trend these days, it’s been around for years. Nowadays, you’ll find matcha lattes on coffee shop menus and matcha-flavored cookies in grocery stores.

Where can I get matcha powder?

When buying matcha powder, you’ll see descriptions like “ceremonial-grade” or “culinary grade.” I got my matcha powder from the bulk section at Central Market. I scooped 0.1 lbs for $5.25. Most recipes ask for a few teaspoons so this is more than enough. You can also try a specialty tea store like Zhi Tea in Austin or Teavana around the country. Of course, if all else fails, Amazon has options also.

Where can I buy matcha snacks?

You can find packaged snacks in grocery stores, especially Asian supermarkets. In Austin, be sure to check out Hana World Market or MT Supermarket for a bunch of options. Matcha Kit Kats and Green Tea Pocky are my favorites!

You can also find many matcha products in Trader Joe’s, from green tea mochi ice cream to 99 cent cans of matcha tea. Matcha Joe Joe’s are like Golden Oreos with matcha cream in the middle.

Grab fresh pastries to go from one of my favorite pastry shops – Tous Les Jours. They have green tea cake rolls and green tea macarons.

Want made-to-order matcha drinks and desserts? Check out the matcha latte from The Factory and matcha cocktail from Kemuri. You can find matcha options all over Austin. Check out this post from Eater Austin.

What kind of matcha recipes are there?

Incorporating matcha into recipes is easy! Just use a bit of matcha powder. I am obsessed with the Lemon Olive Oil Cake at Flower Child, a healthier restaurant here in Austin. I found the recipe (WOOHOO!) and used a bit of matcha powder in the glaze to make these Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Matcha Glaze. They disappeared within two days!

I also made these matcha shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate. They were very strong, so if you make them, add half the recommended matcha powder.

My friend Jessica has a wealth of healthy matcha dessert recipes on her blog Desserts With Benefits. Check out the matcha recipes here.

Kaylin brought these delicious Coconut Matcha Green Tea Popsicles to our potluck party.

It was a tasty get-together for sure!

Have any favorite matcha recipes or have you tried any great matcha dishes? Let me know below!

P.S. Curious what other parties I’ve thrown this year? See them all here!

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The post Matcha Potluck Party appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Cacio e Pepe with a meatball at Patrizi’s
Loved the meatball and the texture of the pasta. I wished it were a little saucier. It was a filling portion of food.

Moussaka, Baklava and Assorted Greek Pastries at our Greece potluck planning meeting.

Hall Pass Cocktail (St. George gin, muddled blackberry, sparkling peach) at School House Pub
I loved the school theme of this bar. That ruler/dry erase board thing in the background is the order number. Go see the book wall and chalkboard with “I will not make out under the bleachers” written over and over. I didn’t enjoy the food but the cocktail was refreshing.

Biere de Miel at Jester King Brewery
This is a great spot for a weekend chill. It gets packed because both Stanley’s Farmhouse Pizza and Jester King Brewery are delicious. Sour beers FTW!

Dexter (Red Sauce, New Jersey Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Fresh Mozzarella, Caramelized Onions, Calabria Chilies) and Penelope (Red Sauce, Smoked Prosciutto, Fresh Mozzarella, Arugula, Tomatoes, Cracked Salt & Pepper, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil) Stanley’s Farmhouse Pizza
I would definitely eat here again! The Dexter had a slight spice and the prosciutto and mozzarella on the Penelope were my favorite.

#1 Tonkotsu Original and Katsu Slider at Ramen Tatsu-Ya
When the ramen craze started to blow up in Austin a few years ago, I was not impressed. My tastebuds were overwhelmed by the richness and saltiness of the soup. The flavors have grown on me and I love the combination of the noodles, chashu, ajitama egg and wood ear mushrooms.

Cucumber Avocado Soup with Jumbo Lump Crab, Crisp Wonton and Yuzo-Kosho from The Carillon
One of my favorite bites at the Austin Food Blogger Alliance The Big Chill event. I loved the lightness and flavors.

Strawberry Lemonade poptail by GoodPop
I loved this drink at the Austin Food Blogger Alliance The Big Chill event. I believe it was club soda, tequila and finished with a Strawberry Lemonade GoodPop.

Prosciutto and Arugula and the Gus (sausage, mushrooms, hand-crushed San Marzanos, house-made mozzarella, basil) Cane Rosso (Dallas, TX)

Dr. Pepper Slurpee
Slurpees are a treat on a hot day filled with more walking than a normal Texan usually endures. Slurpees remind me of the college summer days when we would grab a slurpee after swimming or going to the park.

Chicken Noodles, Soup Dumplings and Pork Dumplings at Monkey Noodle King Company (Dallas, TX)
One of the top to-dos on a road trip to Dallas was visiting this restaurant. I might have yelled ‘SOUP DUMPLINGS!’ when I saw it on the menu; I’m a sucker for those. I opted for the no spice Chicken Noodles and while my dinner companions said it was light and a little bland, I thought the chicken was flavorful and smooth and the lack of spices brought out the cilantro. The noodles were the perfectly done. The dumplings weren’t unique but they were tasty.

Tater Tots at Velvet Taco (Dallas, TX)
If I had to choose between french fries or tater tots, the later would win every time. So loaded tater tots as a night cap was a great decision. The tots are covered in goat cheese, smoked cheddar, basil cream sauce, bacon and a fried egg. (That white things sticking out in the middle is a spoon/fork.)

Crab Benedict at The Libertine Bar (Dallas, TX)
I wasn’t a fan of how salty the crab was but the spinach, egg and side of home fries were delightful.

What’s the best thing you ate this month?

The post Flavors of the Month: June 2014 appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

To celebrate the Lunar New Year this year, I threw an Asian food potluck, which turned out to be a deliciously fun idea.

Each Asian country celebrates Lunar New Year with its own traditions. Growing up celebrating Chinese New Year, I enjoyed lion dances, red envelopes, and lots of good food. My idea for this gathering came from the desire to celebrate the holiday, share it with friends, eat all the food, and spread good luck to all who attended.Friends came bearing a variety of foods, and our feast included congee, mooncakes, dumplings, spicy fried fish, fried rice, egg drop soup, red bean sesame balls, among many other things.

The famous Bob the Dog kept us entertained for much of the party.

Though not part of the party, lion dances are a usual sight at Asian businesses during the celebrations. The traditional dance routine into the business and the act of feeding the lion by the store owner promises good luck in the coming year.

The Details
Theme: Lunar New Year Potluck
Date: January 2014
Place: house
Food: sweet and savory Asian dishes
Special decor/features: red envelopes, wall banner

Have you ever celebrated Lunar New Year? What’s your favorite tradition?

The post Lunar New Year Party appeared first on Fearless Captivations.