My book club picks monthly themes at the beginning of each year, and this month's theme was Translated Fiction. We bounced around a few ideas and then came to a description for Matcha on Monday on a website that called it "cozy Asian fiction." That description is spot on!
The story starts with a young woman whose day isn't going as planned. She ends up at a matcha cafe. From there, we travel with various people from chapter to chapter as they interact with one another. If you are looking for a cozy (and short) read, this is a book you'll love.
Michiko Aoyama cleverly creates realistic characters that you want to get to know. The matcha teishu (kinda like a barista) stole my heart. I'm going to have to book a trip to Japan to experience matcha the proper way.
If you are an audiobook "reader" like myself, I think you'll be pleased with the voiceovers for the various characters. Each was distinctive and brought the page to life. Bonus - they also know how to pronounce the Japanese terms so now I feel very comfortable ordering wagashi.
Recipe Pairings for Matcha on Monday
When our characters are encouraged to eat wagashi before drinking their matcha, I had to do some research. I love learning about food from other cultures and this was a new one for me.
Wagashi - Castella Cake
This castella cake recipe is approachable (maybe not easy), but it's worth a try. You can learn more about wagashi at JapaneseTaste.com.
Ingredients:
- 1⅔ cup (200g) bread flour
- 2½ Tbsp water (warm)
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) honey
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
Honey Syrup (optional)
- 1 Tbsp honey
½ Tbsp water (warm)
Directions:
- To get started, gather all the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 320ºF (160ºC).
- Cut parchment paper to fit two loaf pans.
- Sift the bread flour into a large bowl.
- In a small measuring cup or bowl, combine 2½ Tbsp water to ⅓ cup honey and whisk well.
- Fit a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Crack all six eggs into the bowl of the mixer and vigorously whisk until combined.
- Add 1 cup sugar. Beat the eggs and sugar on high speed for 5 minutes. The beaten eggs will quadruple in volume, and the mixture should fall in ribbons.
- Add the honey and water mixture into the egg mixture and whisk on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add the bread flour in three parts. Do not overmix.
- Spray the loaf pans with oil evenly, put the parchment paper in the pans and make sure the paper sticks to the pans.
- Pour the batter into the pans until about 80% full. Using a skewer, draw a zigzag line through the batter to remove the air bubbles.
- Bake at 320ºF (160ºC) in the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool slightly.
If you like your cake a little sweeter and with a sticky top, apply the honey syrup over the tops of the hot cakes with a pastry brush. - For each cake, place a sheet of plastic wrap on the countertop. Take out the hot cakes from the pan and place them top down on the plastic wrap. Gently peel off the parchment paper. Immediately wrap the cakes with the plastic film. Let the cake cool to room temperature. Then, put the wrapped cakes in the refrigerator and chill them overnight, keeping the top side facing down. This will help the cakes develop a moist texture.
Source: f1cookbook
Drink Pairing for Matcha on Monday
How can I NOT pair this book with a matcha drink?! This recipe is simple and has easy to find ingredients.
Best Easy Iced Matcha Latte
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon ceremonial matcha powder
- ¼ cup hot water (boiled but not boiling)
- Ice
- 1 cup milk of choice (I like soy or oat)
- Sweetener, to taste (I use about 1 teaspoon maple syrup)
Directions:
- In a small bowl, whisk together matcha powder and hot water using a matcha whisk or milk frother until no lumps remain (if you don't have either of these, blend matcha and hot water in a blender).
- Pour matcha over a glass of ice.
- Top up with cold milk of choice, sweeten if desired, mix and enjoy!
Source: Vancouver With Love
Sit back and enjoy this playlist of jazzy pop called Kayōkyoku while you enjoy a sweet wagashi or matcha latte.
Source: Kayōkyoku Playlist on Spotify
Book Club Discussion Questions
- Matcha on Monday has been described as a book that feels like a “warm cup of tea.” Did the book feel comforting to you? What specifically created that feeling, or did you have a different reaction?
- If you could spend an afternoon with one character from the book, who would you choose?
- The stories suggest that one person's kindness can travel outward and influence people they may never meet. Where did you see that ripple effect most clearly?
- Is there a small interaction or chance meeting in your own life that ended up being much more important than you expected?
- At what point did you start noticing how the characters and stories were connected? Did looking for those connections change the way you read?
- If you could create your own version of the Matcha Café - a place or ritual designed to help people reset, what would it be?
Related Reads
I would recommend reading more from the series. Aoyama has another book that takes place in the Marble Cafe: Hot Chocolate on Thursday. If you want to try another author, check out Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi.
1. Hot Chocolate on Thursday by Michiko Aoyama
2. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
3. What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama