It's the middle of March and finals are underway which means that it's the perfect time to stop by the CoHo for some extra caffeine. If you haven't tried it yet, the March drink of the month is a peppermint matcha latte — a refreshing twist on the classic and creamy matcha latte — and it's the perfect addition to your studying this week. 

What is Matcha?

vegetable, herb, green tea, matcha
Sam Jesner

In case you aren't familiar with it, matcha is a very potent form of green tea that is produced differently than traditional green tea. Matcha is popular for its numerous health benefits and antioxidants, an earthy but delicate flavor and its high caffeine content. In fact, it actually has more caffeine than coffee but won't leave you feeling jittery or suddenly crashed.

Matcha isn't always offered at all coffee shops, but luckily, UC Davis students can find it easily available in tasty beverages at both the CoHo and Peet's. If you want to enjoy it at home, Trader Joe's (right across from campus) has a range of matcha products including single-serve packets or on-the-go drinks. Plus, make sure you try their matcha Joe-Joe's — they're insanely delicious. 

Peppermint Matcha Latte

Ann Meyer

Located at the Memorial Union at UC Davis, Swirlz Bakery (the coffee shop within the ASUCD Coffee House) offers a student-run drink of the month program that features unique and creative beverages. This March, they're offering a green and minty creation perfect to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and usher in spring: a peppermint matcha latte. 

Made with milk, matcha powder and peppermint Torani syrup, the drink is essentially a classic matcha latte (which was recently added to the regular menu at Swirlz) but with a little extra kick and boy, does it make a difference. The added peppermint flavor helps cut through some of the richness of the traditional matcha latte, making it both incredibly refreshing and incredibly hard to put down.

Ann Meyer

The peppermint matcha latte can be made hot or iced and is delicious either way. Personally, with the weather heating up, I'm a fan of the iced version which helps keep you cool and brings out the coolness of the peppermint even more.

If you're looking to grab a pastry from Swirlz Bakery as well, I recommend pairing it with a Co-Homemade green onion and cheddar scone or a flaky, buttery croissant

#SpoonTip: Bring your own reusable coffee cup or travel mug and you'll receive a 25 cent discount - sustainability pays off, literally!

CoHo South Café: Irish Coffee

Ann Meyer

If matcha isn't your thing or you're in need of something with a little bit more bite to get you through those hours in Shields Library, swing by the CoHo South Café (at the Student Community Center) to try their March drink of the month: an Irish coffee.

The drink of the month program at CoHo South has been around for a couple years and has a similar goal as the CoHo: to bring students a wider variety of unique specialty drinks.

This March they're offering an Irish coffee (alcohol free, of course), inspired by St. Patrick's Day, which is simply made with either hot or cold coffee, Irish cream flavoring and if your heart desires it, whipped cream topping.

The drink is pretty tasty, especially if you're a coffee fanatic, as the Irish cream offers some sugar and richness to complement the bitterness of the coffee. If you're looking to pair it with a pastry, try a lighter and fluffier option to work with the richness of the drink like the made-from-scratch blueberry muffins.

#SpoonTip: Have any great drink ideas you want to see on campus? Email or drop by the CoHo South and offer some feedback or suggestions for them to consider for future drinks!

If you haven't tried the CoHo's peppermint matcha latte or the CoHo South's Irish coffee, make sure you stop by both locations before March is over. Both drinks are tasty and offer the perfect energy boost to help you get through finals week in one piece!