The way to take your tea experience to the next level is to combine your high quality loose leaf tea with the perfect food pairing. For me there is a feeling of real excitement when you finally match up the the ideal food partner with my favourite tea, but the journey of finding this consummate partner is where all the fun is. Today we are going to get you started in finding your perfect food pairing.
Almost all pairings of flavour fall into one of two categories; harmonious pairing and complementary pairing. Harmonious pairing is matching flavours that are alike. Bitter with bitter, fruit with fruit, smokey with smokey etc. It sounds pretty easy to do, but there's always a risk that things then become over saturated and is too bitter/fruity/smokey.
Complementary pairing is a bit more of an art; instead of matching like with like, the flavours are balanced or enhanced by contrasting elements. There are loads of flavour wheels and pairing profiles out there, but think of things like 'bitter-sweet'.
Tips for food pairings with breakfast tea or black tea
Black teas are generally a bit heavier on the tannins, they are bold on the nose and palate, but often have a lighter mouthfeel. It can be earthy, fruity, and smoky. It can have malty notes and notes of dark chocolate and slightly burned caramel. Black teas with their robust flavours pair well with hearty, rich foods such as:
Roast beef, slow cooked lamb or venison
Heavy pasta dishes like lasagna
Rich sauces such as BBQ
If you're looking for complementary pairing then we have found that a good cup of Keynsham Breakfast goes amazing with the classic fish and chips from a chippie. Don’t believe us? Try it for yourself!
Tips for food pairings with Green Tea
Green teas are generally brighter; think green, grassy and vegetal notes. They can have a much more luxuriant mouthfeel than a black tea, combined with their earthy, vegetative palettes combine well with:
vegetarian dishes
salads
mild green curries
light chicken dishes
As a complementary pairing we have found our Gorgeous Green Tea combines perfectly with white chocolate, try the two together and see what we mean!
Find your favourite tea its perfect partner
We’ve given you a few little tips to get started, but we highly encourage you to get out there and start experimenting with different flavours of your own. All the fun is in the journey to finding the perfect match.
Let us know if you find any top combinations.