International Edition: Sakura and Matcha Oreos

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What's the Tea?
Matcha leaves are just slightly bitter, aromatic, and energizing. Sakura (cherry blossom) is sweet, soothing, and floral. In Japanese culture, matcha is known for its healing benefits to the mind, body, and soul. Sakura, Japan's national flower, represents hope, joy, and optimism. Although quite different, matcha and sakura have been harvested for centuries as delicious teas and baking components in Japanese households. In April 2020, Nabisco released sakura and matcha Oreos for limited release in Japan. B sampled the sakura, and V tried the matcha. Did Nabisco do this complex pair justice? Let's explore! We are B and V and WE RATE OREOS! 




Flavor Creativity
B- Definitely creative! We look overseas for the flavors that the U.S. doesn't have the initiative to tackle; Japan brought it. 

V- Full creativity points! The inspiration for this Oreo was a matcha roll cake. Imagine a spongy Swiss roll infused with a matcha kick! Matcha flavoring by itself is quite common, and I appreciate how Nabisco used such a creative base point for their ultimate flavor profile. Matcha's natural bitterness pairs well with sweeter components. The innovators behind this flavor clearly understand the complexity in that balance. 

Flavor Execution
V- I LOVE the matcha creme! The bittersweet, herbal, earthy tones are immensely satisfying. These taste like an authentic green tea. I say this because the green tea flavor is virtually impossible to artificially replicate without it tasting like grass. I do wish they incorporated more of the subtle sharpness specific to matcha, but green tea enthusiasts will adore this cookie!

B- From what I know of sakura: yes. Sakura in the raw is known to be salty and sour but then they add sweeteners to take on the flavor of the dessert during the cooking/pickling/baking processes. There are also said to be notes of cherry and plum. For me, I couldn't really taste anything beyond the floweriness and chalky aftertaste. There was definitely a touch of sweet. I had my man try them and he said he thought he tasted some strawberry though.


Does it Sparkle? 
B- Yes! The frosting is a pale pink color. It is definitely reminiscent of the cherry blossom trees. These cookies fit right into nature's painting pallete. I knew just from seeing the box they would be pretty. 

V- They sparkle! The rich forest-colored creme and dark chocolate background captivate the imagination! They bring forth a serene mental picture of bold green tea plants reaching out of the healthy soil.  

Pairing
V- Matcha can be brewed differently depending on personal preferences regarding bitterness. If you think these cookies are too sweet, try dipping them in your favorite coffee! Or maybe they are too sharp? Crumble them over vanilla ice cream (they are thin enough to do so beautifully) for that extra sweetness! Citrus also compliments matcha, so don't be shy to enjoy these with a lemon drop cocktail.

B- Maybe I've been primed with tea because of the association with sakura tea, but I think these would actually go really well with green tea (another not-so-veiled compliment to the matcha/sakura pairing). I think this because both are fairly light, clean tastes. The sakura cookies add a touch of sweetness to a bittersweet steamed green tea.


The Ultimate Pair!

Buy Again?
B- Not for me. I'm just not a fan of sakura. I absolutely love these blooms on the trees but not to eat. 

V- YES! I hope they reach the U.S.A. It was a bit of a process to get them from Japan, but it was worth it!

Final Thoughts
V- I appreciate the opportunity to share these treats from across the world with our readers! If you have any questions about how to obtain these gems, just let me know. 

B- As I was sampling these, I felt the distinct sensation that I was eating something I shouldn't be -i.e., flowers. This only confirmed I dislike floral flavors. Before I thought it was just lavender I didn't like. But aIthough I can't personally love this flavor, that doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend to others! (Hopefully ya'll followed that double negative).



The Ratings!
Since the matcha and sakura Oreos were released together, we rated them as one unit. We pride ourselves on reviews that are clear and concise!

Flavor Creativity
    
 Flavor Execution
   
Aesthetics
    
Pairing
   
Buy Again?
  
Overall
   

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