Tea and Food - What is pairing tea with food?

It is the art of finding the best food for a particular tea or finding the best tea for a particular food, a true adventure in flavours. Tea is flexible, forgiving and complementary but why tea and food? because is the must pairing experience, as some of my students tell me, and because history tells that tea was used more as food than a beverage. In China they stew tea with spring onion, ginger, and orange peel. Some of the Chinese classic dishes are Smoked Duck, Tun Ting Shrimp and fish were stuffed with tea leaves before steaming. In 1191 tea was introduced to Japan from China by a Buddhist priest Eisai, the tea brought was a powdered "Matcha", the finest grade of Matcha Tea is used in Chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony. Japanese people used tea in broths and when making rice, a culinary-grade matcha is used in many Japanese sweets. When pairing tea and food, we need to consider the flavour profiles, aromatics and textures of tea and the dish. Tea is a palate cleanser and can be used for enhancing and complementing the food experience. Some teas due to the delicate flavour are best enjoyed as a beverage, rather than used in cooking. Culinary green teas generally pair well, with seafood and fish, and white chocolate. White teas due to the delicate flours and subtle sweetness can go well with butter cakes, shortbread and white chocolate and strawberries. A Black tea like Keemun from northern China can be rich and artsy, softer rounded pairs nicely with cheeses, vanilla chocolates, spicy food and fast food and if you like Smoky teas, an intense Lapsang Souchong from China combines fantastically well with sweet chocolate, chocolate cake, this tea creates an interesting dynamic of flavours. I do invite you to my workshop, to experience this naturally farmed ancient beverage and the best nutritious food.

Liliana Algorry - Tea Sommelier and Blender -  The Tea Atelier. - Sydney - Australia

www.TheTeaAtelier.com.au