Food Pairing

Mine is case by case, really…
I LOVE vegetarian anything, really…Mexican, Thai, Indian, Italian, Chinese, etc. I have tried different teas with different foods – sometimes I mention my attempts in my posts, actually!

Great topic!

Looking forward for more chatter about this!

For unflavored teas, I prefer to eat food of the same origin as my tea. I had raw pu erh w/ my chicken in peanut sauce tv dinner for lunch. For flavored teas, I typically eat something w/ the same flavor as the tea.

Basically, I’ll eat any food with any tea.

Japanese green tea with southern bar b que, Chinese green teas with Mexican food, just about anything.

I guess I’m into fusion cuisine.

Adagio just ran in article in their newsletter (TeaMuse) about food at tea pairings. Of course, they use their specific blends as examples, but much of the guidance seems like it could be generalized:

http://www.teamuse.com/article_100201.html

I’m pretty typical and like oolongs with Chinese food, classic black “British Legacy” type teas with “afternoon tea” type foods, I loved roasted barley tea with Korean food this weekend :) and I have a favorite tea for desserts: French Breakfast by Premium Steap. I don’t take tea with most of my lunches and dinners, though.

Some ideas from Den’s Tea:
Sush: Mecha, Fukamushi Sencha
Tempura, Teriyaki: Genmaicha, Houjicha
Sandwich: Kukicha, Flavored Sencha
Sweets: Matcha, Sencha, Gyokuro
Hamburger, Pizza, Fried Chicken, Tacos: Genmaicha, Houjicha

I thought I’d post this easy and tasty recipe since I’m making it today :) Excellent paired with any British Afternoon type tea. Major Grey’s Chutney is a type of chutney, but not a brand – there are several brands available in the market – usually near the jellies, or if you have an “international” aisle it would be with the British foods. I love the stuff and eat it on so many different things (on cheese and crackers, put on chicken or pork before broiling, etc.).

Major Grey’s Egg Salad

Nice Bread That You Like (I really like toasted Pepperidge Farm bread – either white or 12 grain, but you can get fancy and serve with the extra thin bread, cut off the crusts, cut in triangles, etc – you get the picture :)
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons Major Grey’s Chutney
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste

In a medium bowl, mash the eggs with the mayo, curry powder, and chutney. Chill for at least a half hour. Taste – the chutney and spice might be enough for you, but if not, add a little freshly ground pepper and salt to taste.

Toast your bread (or not!) and put in as much as you’d like to make a sandwich. Sometimes I serve it with lettuce and tomato in the sandwich, sometimes I eat it on a bed of greens. Have a nice cup of blended British Afternoonish tea too :)

I have yet to try Pi Lo Chun, but I’ve heard it tastes like seaweed. If that’s true, even though it’s a Chinese tea, I think it’d pair well w/ sushi. Adagio’s white cucumber might as well.

I love sushi and I usually order a jasmine green tea with it.

We regularly have Oolong (esp teh quan yin) with chinese food – any kind cos it drown the greeziness or sauciness. Alternatively we drink jasmine or some other floral tea. I wouldnt drink a tea with strong notes because it is to compliment the food and not over powering it.

And love the japanese tea matching by Cofftea!!! Iprecisely what i would do.

I have been drinking rock oolong and puerh with sweet or dessert as well.

I dont eat western type cuisines much so cant comment concretely. But for a steak, a dar oolong or strong puerh would be very nice since the sweetness and freshness would go really well with the juiciness of the meat and (regularly) creaminess of the sauce.

oMg this makes me so hungry