A Toast with The Plug: Wicked-Inspired Strawberry Matcha Latte

Set in the Land of Oz, we’ve created a wickedly delicious beverage recipe that will have you singing “Popular” just like Ariana Grande. Let’s walk down the yellow brick road of our drink’s health benefits, explore the themes of Wicked, and learn how you can create the prettiest yet healthiest iced strawberry matcha latte with a two-tone green and pink layer inspired by the musical film.

Wicked, a musical fantasy 2024 film starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, sets the scene of the rising rivalry between the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. But their unlikely yet profound friendship is put to the test after they encounter the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. One desires the power of popularity, and the other is determined to remain true to herself, which results in their lives taking very different paths to fulfill their destinies. This broadway show-turned-movie is a shell-shocking musical film that will amaze you by the time the credits appear - and don’t we all wish to be amazed? Well, here’s a shocking fact for you: watching a musical film can actually benefit your health!

According to White Plains Hospital, watching classic movies like The Wizard of Oz where characters are singing or cooking up a scheme promotes the release of endorphins, the natural, feel-good chemicals that run through the brain (1). In addition, research suggests that the act of watching musical films or performances contains health benefits like stress relief, while watching comedic scenes can boost your immune system from the increase of endorphins due to laughter (2). Who knew watching a musical film had such great health benefits?

But do you know what else is beneficial to your health? That’s right, our Wicked-Inspired Iced Strawberry Matcha Latte - let’s learn about the beverage’s health benefits and how to create the most popular drink from Oz. Our two-tone latte contains a high dose of antioxidants from our main ingredients: matcha, strawberries, and The Plug Drink.

Matcha can help lower your blood pressure, stay focused and awake, and reduce inflammation (3). Strawberries play the role of supporting your immune system while managing your blood sugar (4). Then we have The Plug Drink: our all-natural beverage cleanses your liver and processes the toxins out of your body with no added sugar or caffeine. But why are we adding The Plug Drink in our beverage? Because we wish to elevate our Wicked-inspired drink’s health benefits even further with The Plug’s perfect blend of 13 different plants, fruits, and flowers to restore your body’s optimal functions in a refreshing way.

Ingredients:

• 7-8 ripe strawberries
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ of The Plug Drink
• 1½ teaspoon matcha powder
• ¼ cup warm water
• 1 cup milk of your choice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup ice 

Directions: 

The first step to create this refreshing and healthy drink is preparing your strawberry purée. 

Step 1: Wash and de-stem 7 ripe strawberries. Dice your strawberries into small pieces on a cutting board, then transfer them into a medium-size bowl. 

Step 2: Add 1 tablespoon of honey and pour half of The Plug Drink into the bowl to enhance the strawberry taste further. Gently press down on the mixture with a muddler until the strawberries are muddled. 

Optional Step: Wash 1 ripe strawberry with the stem attached. Cut the strawberry into thin slices while keeping the stem intact. Then slightly glide the strawberry slices outward until it looks like a fan. Once you complete all the steps in this recipe, garnish your drink with the sliced strawberry to resemble Glinda's crown. 

Next, we will be grabbing our matcha powder to swiftly whisk the matcha. 

Step 3: Sift 1 ½ teaspoons of matcha powder with a small sieve into a small bowl. Pour ¼ of a cup of warm water into the bowl. Whisk the matcha and warm water until the mixture becomes frothy and smooth. 

Now, we will assemble our strawberry purée, matcha powder, and milk together for the final scene of our Wicked-inspired drink. 

Step 4: As the matcha cools down, pour your strawberry purée into a glass cup. Add 1 cup of ice into the glassware then pour 1 cup of your desired milk and a half teaspoon of vanilla extract. We will be using 2% milk for this drink, but you can also use oat milk or whole milk for the best creamy flavor. 

Step 5: Mix the strawberry purée and milk together until it becomes pink like Glinda’s iconic dress. Once the matcha is completely cooled down, gently pour your whisked matcha on top of the strawberry purée and milk mixture. 

Optional Step: Snap a pic and share your two-tone green and pink layer drink on Instagram and/or TikTok before the final step. Don’t forget to tag us; we would love to see your drink recreation! 

Step 6: Finally, stir your drink and serve until it has you saying “Oh, you’re green!” just like Glinda the Good Witch.

Voilá! You just created the most popular yet healthiest drink that will have you excited to watch Wicked in theaters. But don’t leave for the theaters just yet; remember to always think of The Plug Drink as your sidekick when it comes to supporting your liver health and boosting your immune system in every sip. It’s simple: think of us as Toto, Dorothy’s little sidekick, who kept her safe during her journey in the Land of Oz. Now, you are ready to kick back and relax with a wickedly delicious iced strawberry matcha latte in hand as you watch Wicked. Let’s toast for better health with our new Wicked-inspired drink together. *clink*

Bibliography

1. White Plains Hospital. The Healing Power of Entertainment [Internet]. Health Matters. 2020 Apr 7. Available from: https://healthmatters.wphospital.org/blogs/the-healing-power-of-entertainment/

2. The Go Between Musical. 7 Amazing Benefits of Watching Musicals [Internet]. The Go Between Musical. Available from: https://thegobetweenmusical.com/musicals/7-benefits-of-watching-musicals

3. Frysh P. All About Matcha [Internet]. WebMD. 2024 June 6. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ss/slideshow-all-about-matcha

4. Wiginton K. Health Benefits of Strawberries [Internet]. WebMD. 2023 Sept 20. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-strawberry