Green Tea Smoothies at last!

It was probably a few years ago that I first had a green tea smoothie- I think it was with Jay at a Jamba Juice in NYC. Anyway, I was hooked. I get them now wherever I can- the local coffee shop Dewey's in Cleveland makes a tasty, almost milkshake version. Since I indulged in this tasty treat I have been on the search for the main ingredient: Matcha green tea powder. It is a finely ground premium green tea used ceremonially in Japan. The preparation for a traditional Matcha is rather complicated- it is brewed using particular tea bowls and swirling motions.

I have searched every grocery store and health food store in both Cleveland and Boulder for this. I finally gave up and ordered a 1/2 lb. from Amazon (quite a lot in terms of this super concentrated tea): http://www.amazon.com/Matcha-Green-Tea-Powder-lb/dp/B001F10XUU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1270828793&sr=1-1
This brand had good reviews (green tea can be quite bitter- this is more like a grassy flavor). It arrived yesterday in a big pouch, complete with recipes for traditional Matcha, frappes, lattes, green tea pudding and GREEN TEA TIRAMISU! The tea is so fine you can use it for baking. It surely works for green tea ice cream as well if you have an ice cream maker (you lucky fool!).This morning I blended a teaspoon with a little hot water, then added soy milk, vanilla frozen yogurt and protein powder for a delicious smoothie. My life feels somehow more complete today.