Tea pairings the latest trend in fine dining

SOMMELIERS in restaurants, as we all know, usually recommend the right whisky or wine to drink with a dish. The right pairing can summon amazing flavours.

Now there are people who do the same thing for tea. Yes, tea sommeliers are a thing. Tea has risen to prominence in fine-dining circles, as more restaurants feature tea menus.

According to experts, the aromas, flavours, and structure of teas can enhance food, much like wine does.

Tea sommelier Jessica Bonin says that pairing tea with food allows one to experience enhanced flavours through the complementary elements of various ingredients, and that it presents your palette with a new depth of taste brought about by a specific tea.

“Rooibos, for example, has an incredibly versatile flavour that makes it the perfect base for an array of ingredients. Tea enthusiasts can experiment by adding herbs, fruits, flowers and even spices. The flavour cascades are infinite,” Bonin said.

Pairing tea with food presents your palate with a new depth of taste allowing you to experience enhanced flavours through the complementary elements of various ingredients, says Lindt South Africa.

“The whole idea of pairing tea with food is that you should have a tea that’s going to enhance the flavour of the food or vice versa.

“What you want to happen in your mouth is to feel the different layers of taste and flavours.”

Here are some tasting notes.

Match the weight and intensity of dish and tea.

The different types of tea – white, green, black, dark – become more intense as you go down the spectrum with white tea having the most delicate flavours and mouthfeel, black and dark teas having the deepest flavours.

So you could match a green tea with white fish, or black tea with red meat but you wouldn’t pair a white tea with a curry as the tea’s delicate notes would be overpowered.

Find flavour notes that match

The bergamot flavour of Earl Grey tea with its subtle tones of muscatel is the perfect accompaniment to the citrus flavours of Lindt Excellence Orange Intense. Balancing the high citrus taste, sliced almonds complement the tea’s earthy undertones for a rounded flavour.

Chamomile’s apple-like flavour can be a great pairing with scones.

Food and Tea

A dish that is rich and oily, such as red meat, works well with Assam black tea which often has a high tannin content. The astringency is a palatecleanser between mouthfuls.

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YOU can enhance flavours by choosing a tea that has the same notes as the pairing you are drinking it with. | Pexels