Yes, you read it here first! Tea pairing with food, and we’re not talking about the traditional finger foods of sandwiches, scones and cakes for afternoon tea. Pairing tea with food is the perfect way to enhance your palette of a dish as well as the drink itself.
Just like wine pairings, the lines are now being a little blurred – and the overwhelming array of teas can at first seem a little intimidating. So we’re here to help you really impress your guests at dinner parties by pairing up your food with tea!
Rules for Tea Pairing
The general and orthodox rules for tea pairing are fairly straightforward:
- Black teas with their robust flavours pair well with hearty, rich foods such as roast meats like beef, lamb and venison or heavy pasta dishes like lasagna.
- Green teas with their earthy, vegetative palettes combine well with vegetarian dishes, salads, mild green curries and light chicken dishes.
- White teas tend to be very gentle, and if served with too rich a food will seem totally tasteless. Yet it would be a shame to miss their oh-so-subtle aromas. So these are best paired with very light foods such as white fish like sea bass or mild cheeses and desserts.
- Fruit and scented teas are perfect for complex desserts, cakes and dark chocolate! Some even blend wonderfully with spicy meats – like Earl Grey for instance.
- While full-bodied Chai teas match exotic Turkish sweet meats and Indian pastries.
