Pairing tea with food is an adventure with different flavors as it provides an extensive range of tastes. Tea is
a palate cleanser or mid-course transition to bridge a person from one course to the next. Just like wine, tea
can also be used as a flavor enhancer to complete the culinary journey of a dish.
Breakfast and Brunch
People in the West generally prefer black teas for breakfast for their higher caffeine content, compatibility
with milk, and complementary to Western breakfast foods. Examples of good breakfast teas are English Breakfast, Scottish Breakfast, and Irish Breakfast.
Cheese and Tea Pairings
Just like wine and cheese go together so does tea and cheese.
- Asiago: Keemun ( Keemun Loose
Leaf), Pai Mu Tan
- Brie: Darjeeling ( Darjeeling Loose Leaf)
- Camembert:
Gunpowder , First-Flush Darjeeling, Dragonwell, Ha Giang, Tung Ting Oolong, Sikkim
- Cheddar: Darjeeling ( Darjeeling Loose Leaf), Tung Ting Oolong
- Cream Cheese: Ceylon ( Ceylon Loose
Leaf), Darjeeling ( Darjeeling Loose Leaf), Cameroon
- Edam: Ceylon ( Ceylon Loose
Leaf), Autumnal Darjeeling, Buddha’s Finger Oolong
- Gorgonzola: Ceylon ( Ceylon Loose
Leaf), Pouchong
, Chun Mee, Ha Giang
- Muenster: Pouchong ,
Tung Ting Oolong
- Provolone: Ceylon ( Ceylon Loose
Leaf), Nilgri
Chicken and Tea Pairings
The preparation of the chicken dish determines what tea to use.
- Curry: Darjeeling (Darjeeling Loose Leaf), Pouchong , Jasmine Green, Dragonwell
- Fried: Assam (Assam Loose Leaf), Ceylon (Ceylon Loose Leaf), Nilgiri
- Lemon: Darjeeling (Darjeeling Loose Leaf), Ceylon (Ceylon Loose Leaf), Gunpowder
, Tung Ting Oolong
- Roast: Ceylon ( Ceylon Loose
Leaf),
Gunpowder , Assam ( Assam Loose Leaf)
Fish, Seafood and Tea Pairings
Japanese green teas, oolong, and smoky black teas pair well with fish and seafood.
Dessert and Tea Pairings
Tea and sweets can compliment one another very well.
- Carrot Cake:
Sencha, Ceylon Green and Black, Darjeeling (Darjeeling Loose Leaf), Assam (Assam Loose Leaf), Dragonwell, Vietnamese
Green
- Cheesecake:
Sencha , Ceylon Green and Black, Darjeeling (Darjeeling Loose Leaf), Keemun (Keemun Loose
Leaf), Dragonwell, Vietnamese Green
- Crêpes: Darjeeling (Darjeeling Loose Leaf), Any Oolong (Oolong Loose Leaf)
- Dessert With Bananas:
Pouchong , Ceylon (Ceylon
Loose Leaf), Ti Kuan Yin, Tung Ting Oolong
- Dessert With Raspberries: Darjeeling
(Darjeeling Loose Leaf), Ceylon Green and Black, Vietnamese Green
- Desserts With Strawberries: Darjeeling
(Darjeeling Loose Leaf), Dragonwell, Ti
Kuan Yin
- Pecan Pie: Any Oolong (Oolong Loose Leaf), Darjeeling (Darjeeling Loose Leaf), Assam (Assam Loose Leaf), Ceylon(Ceylon Loose Leaf)
- Pumpkin Pie: Darjeeling (Darjeeling Loose Leaf), Ceylon Green and Black, Dragonwell
Chocolate and Tea Pairings
Tea pairs well with chocolate, so long as the flavors do not overwhelm one another.
