Kyoto Fog with Hojicha Dark Roast

The Kyoto Fog is a warm roasted green tea latte with just the right amount of sweetness from homemade vanilla syrup.

What is a Kyoto Fog?

A Kyoto Fog is a variation of the London Fog, a drink originating from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. While the London Fog is made with earl grey tea, a Kyoto Fog is made with roasted green tea. The fog in the name refers to the effect created by the steamed milk when it is mixed with the hot tea.

Why homemade vanilla syrup?

If you keep store bought vanilla syrup in your pantry for your coffee drinks or for baking, this of course will work for your tea latte. However, if you don't it's incredibly easy to make homemade vanilla syrup yourself and this way you can make as small or as big of a batch as you'd like. Another benefit is the ability to adjust your syrup with ingredients you have on hand.

What are some vanilla syrup substitutions?

In our recipe we share the steps to make your own homemade vanilla syrup for the Kyoto Fog by using sugar, water, and pure vanilla extract. You can use any sugar on sweetener you desire, including a liquid sweetener like maple syrup. You can also substitute the pure vanilla extract with double the amount of imitation vanilla, or by using 1 inch of a vanilla bean for every ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. If you happen to have some vanilla milk or even vanilla ice cream, you can use either for the hint of vanilla needed in this recipe.

Ingredients

Homemade Vanilla Syrup

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Kyoto Fog

• 8 g loose leaf hojicha
• 180 ml filtered water
• 1 teaspoon homemade vanilla syrup (or to taste)
• 60 ml milk of your choice
• Optional: Hojicha Powder for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Prepare homemade vanilla syrup by combining 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir occasionally, and remove from heat once sugar dissolves.
3. Stir ¼ teaspoon vanilla into the sugar mixture and set aside.
4. Prepare the Kyoto Fog by steeping 8 g of loose leaf hojicha in 180 ml of 80°C (175°F) filtered water for a full minute.
5. Pour the prepared hojicha and 1 teaspoon of vanilla syrup into a mug and stir.
6. Steam or froth 60 ml of your preferred milk.
7. Pour milk over the hojicha infusion.
8. Sprinkle Hojicha Powder on top (optional), and serve your warm and cozy Kyoto Fog tea latte.