It’s my favorite time of year! I love the cooler weather, the flannel, the beanies, the way that strong and stirred drinks overtake bar menus…
I also love hot drinks, and I feel like the genre deserves a little more attention than it generally gets. So I set out to make a hot matcha drink this month. I wanted to create something that you could enjoy on a cool fall day, with a burst of caffeine for some end-of-the-day energy. And if it’s unseasonably warm as things tend to be nowadays, you could certainly do this cold.
Let’s talk first about Becherovka. Becherovka is a product of the Czech Republic. The recipe involves twenty different herbs, wine distillate, and water from the western region of the Czech Republic. The recipe is all natural, unaltered since 1807, and a highly guarded secret. One of the most popular drinks of the country, this spirit doesn’t disappoint.
Tasting wise, Becherovka has nice warm, cinnamon, and orange zest notes. It’s a great substitute for Fireball, if you want something similar but better quality and more flavorful with warm herbal notes this winter. It also does well to enhance a Manhattan!
Green Toddy (Serves 1)
- 8 ounces milk (oat will do well if you’re dairy free)
- 1 tablespoon powdered matcha tea
- 1 ½ ounces Becherovka
- Whipped cream
- Your choice of colored sprinkles or sugar
Place the milk in a small saucepan and heat on low until it becomes frothy at the edges. Remove from heat and whisk in one tablespoon of matcha tea powder. Whisk until powder is dissolved and the milk is slightly green. If you want this cold, just add the matcha to cold milk and whisk until dissolved.
In a mug, pour the Becherovka and top with the match latté you just made. If you’re making it iced, I recommend serving this in a highball with ice. Now top with whipped cream and garnish with your fun sprinkles!
This is going to be a very comforting drink. The funk of the matcha is balanced with the creaminess of the milk and whipped cream. The Becherovka hits at the end: evoking cinnamon, clove, orange, and all those lovely fall spices! Just when you think it’s going to burn like whisky, it mellows out. This cocktail drinks fast and easy and the matcha will give you some caffeine for finishing off your day!
