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The delicate wine of connoisseurs: tea

When thinking about pairing food with the appropriate drink, the first thing that comes to mind is wine.

There are as many varieties of wine, as there are gastronomic specialties and wine-lovers perfectly

master the art of combining the two, in a manner that enchants our senses.

However, wine is not the only drink that may be assorted with food. Choosing the most appropriate type

of tea for a dish is as challenging as choosing the perfect type of wine to go with the respective course.

Subjective in nature and dependent on the region where the dish was created, the choice of tea became

an art form and has been increasingly developed and accentuated throughout the years.

Perhaps the oldest and most familiar example involving tea and its association with food is the well-

known Japanese tea ceremony. During this symbolically charged ritual, before indulging on the exquisiteflavor of the elaborately prepared matcha tea, the participants first taste something sweet, like a cookie

or a biscuit, which is always a match with the season outside. In this manner, the master of tea who

prepares the drink for the guests makes sure that the taste of the matcha tea is well emphasized, in

order to create a memorable experience for those involved. The matcha tea also has a very strong and

bitter taste, which requires such a preparatory phase in order to be fully appreciated as the unique

experience that it represents.

However, the love for tea nurtured by Japan is not only famous through this ritual, but also through the

regularity with which the Japanese people include tea in every meal of the day and even in between. As

mentioned earlier, a good association between tea and food depends on the region both elements

come from. In the case of Japan, most meals are based on fish, rice and various seafood specialties,

which are very well complemented by the areas specific varieties of tea such as sencha, kabusecha, or

bancha.

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Mainly cultivated in China, but also in Taiwan, India, Northern Thailand and Eastern Nepal, white tea is a

light tea specialty, little oxidized, which results in a very soft and subtle drink. The texture of the white

tea is so delicate that it is generally recommended to simply enjoy this type of tea as standalone, rather

than in combination with food, so as not to alter its delicacy. However, if your cup of tea is one of white

tea, the most appropriate dish for it would be a basic and very light salad, which does not take the shine

off the white tea flavor.

Green tea is also originary from China and other Asian countries, in general. There may be as many

green tea varieties as there are provinces in China, all of them with their particular flavor and processing

method. Among the most famous types of green tea there are: Junshan Yinzhen (Silver Needle tea),

Zhuch (Gunpowder tea), Jasmin tea, and also the Japanese specialties mentioned earlier, matcha,

sencha, kabusecha and bancha. Other well-known varieties are the green teas from Ceylon, Sri Lanka, or

the Kahwah green tea, originary from Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, also grown in some Central Asian

areas, as well as in the Kashmir Valley. As far as the association of green tea with food is concerned, it all

depends on the consumers taste and on the teas flavor.

As compared to white tea, green tea has a more robust and aggressive flavor, characteristic that makes

it suitable for dishes based on fish and seafood, but also on the heavier, deep-fried typically Chinese

dishes cooked with chicken or pork meat, potatoes and other vegetables such as carrots and celery. The

raw and poignant taste of green tea can smoothen the culinary experience in the case of greasy food,

reducing the slightly unpleasant sensation that remains after consuming some of the heavy dishes

mentioned above. Green tea may also be used as an element of connection between the courses of a

meal, an appropriately chosen type of tea being able to create a connection bridge between the final

course and dessert, for example. Imagine that after enjoying a savory and juicy serving of pan-fried

turkey, you cleanse your mouth with a warm cup of Jasmine tea, only to continue your meal with a

sweet dessert of your choice. What an amazing experience that is!

A stronger variety of tea compared to the white and green tea is black tea, the only thing that they have

in common being that they are all obtained from the leaves of the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The

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most well-known specialties of black tea are the Chinese and the Assamese (India) black tea. The flavor

of the black tea is much stronger that the one of the green tea, not to mention the white tea. Also, the

flavor of black tea has prolonged durability, lasting for several years, while the flavor of green tea is

usually lost within a year.

Being rich in tannins, black tea is particularly well suited for dishes made of meat and for heavy pastries.

Also, a well-chosen black tea may successfully replace the morning coffee at breakfast, offering you

much more healthy, and why not, tasty benefits as compared to coffee. Black tea is also very often

associated with desserts, especially with the ones that leave your mouth wrapped in a sweet taste,

which can easily be cleansed by a sip of black tea, preparing the palate for the next delicious bite of your

dessert.

Last but not least, the oolong tea, another traditional, yet unique Chinese variety of tea, may complete a

meal by bringing an aromatic delight to the table, but also a strong fragrance, which precedes, however,

the unsurpassed powerful and solid flavor of black tea. Oolong tea may be soft but also full-bodied,

depending on the processing method. The soft varieties are well suited for natural tastes, but also for

salty foods, like snacks and crackers. The more pungent varieties may be combined with baked or fried

foods, both sweet and salty, and even smoked, such as fish or meat.

All in all, the pairing of tea with food is a rather subjective matter. The world is full of people withdifferent tastes, which cannot be contested. However, there are general guidelines for combining tea

with food in a manner that ensures a unique culinary experience, different and even nobler than the

traditional wine-food pairing. Create your own, personal experience by getting to know your favorite tea

and complementing it with the perfect meal.

Written by: Irina-Aurelia i

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