Green Tea White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

The combination of green tea and strawberry is a popular one in the springtime in Japan, and I personally *LOVE* it, both as a flavor combination and the pretty visual contrast of bright red and pale yet intense green. I'm not the biggest fan of chocolate covered strawberries; I like the idea of them and chocolate + strawberry is a great flavor combination, but in practice they are kind of just OK, and kind of difficult to eat, and do not keep well.

All of this said, when I found this recipe from Encha (a company that sells matcha) I had to try it, and decided to serve them at an early spring tea party where there would be lots of people to finish them before they got gross.

Notes:

• Be sure to choose the freshest strawberries you can find that don't have any mushy spots. These were absolutely phenomenal with freshly picked summer strawberries.
• These are best served and eaten the same day they are made because they do not keep well. Washed strawberries tend to quickly decline in quality. However, they will stay reasonably presentable for the next day.
• Some tips on matcha!
• As of the time of this writing, there is no legal definition or regulations regarding quality of matcha in the US, so something labeled "ceremonial grade" is not necessarily better quality or healthier for you than something labeled "all-purpose" or "culinary grade". However, do make sure you get actual matcha -- it involves far more work than just grinding up green tea leaves into a powder. The tea leaves that are specifically grown for matcha are very labor intensive to produce and it takes a lot to make a small amount of finished product, so that is why it is so much more expensive than regular green tea.
• My go-to is Maeda-en because it's readily available in multiple stores near where I live, and very reasonable price for the quality (about $9-$10 per ounce).
• It starts to oxidize as soon as you open the package and the color will dull the more it is exposed to air, so keep it sealed as tightly as you can after opening it. After a couple of months the color may turn to more of an olive/dull green, and it may not taste the same (I personally don't notice a change in taste because I haven't eaten it regularly enough yet to tell). TL;DR It's not as pretty after it oxidizes but it is still safe to cook with and consume.
• Before you mix matcha into anything, be sure to sift it well. It will not dissolve or melt into a liquid, even with lots of vigorous stirring or whisking or blending with a blender, and lumps will not break down.

Verdict: I loved them. I would make them again whenever I have a crowd of people that's open minded about green tea flavored chocolate to help me eat them.

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RECIPE:

Green Tea White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Adapted from Encha
Makes about 1 1/4 lb (about 20 strawberries)

1 cup (about 6 oz) white chocolate chips
2 tsp matcha
1 lb strawberries, washed and patted very dry with paper towels

Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave in a glass or ceramic bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring well after each one, until the chocolate is completely melted. Sift the matcha into the melted chocolate and stir until smooth. Pick up a strawberry by its stem or leaves, holding all the leaves in your fingers, and dip the strawberry about 3/4 of the way up to the top, turning it to coat. Place on a sheet of waxed paper or parchment paper. Repeat with remaining strawberries. Place the strawberries in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, until the chocolate has cooled and hardened. Serve as soon as possible. Store in a cool place.