Tis’ the season to eat, drink, and be merry and often this time of year becomes quite the indulgence. We get asked quite frequently how to pair tea with food and while all of our teas make excellent companions to breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between, it is really our Platinum Collection that shines when it comes to gourmet food. Have a read of our Platinum Rare Tea Pairing Guide so that next time you’re feasting, you know which teas to be reaching for.
Yellow Tea Buds – Fresh, Raw Oysters
This stunning yellow tea from Guizhou, China, is scarce and so must be savoured. Formed of small, light pins covered in young, downy hairs, our Yellow Tea Buds produce a light yellow, almost oily infusion with flavours of sour plum and fermented citrus. The infusion develops a raisin-like sweetness and cucumber high notes over multiple infusions. Paired with the salinity of fresh oysters, the liveliness of the tea is the perfect beverage to finish a decadent experience and cleanse the palate.
Qian Tang Super Long Jing Dragon Well – Seared Lobster Tails
This oh-so-smooth Chinese green tea has plenty of chestnut-sweetness that accentuates the plump nature of juicy lobster tails. Enjoyed together, the addition of rich umami in the tea creates that sweet-savoury balance with a more-ish ending that coats the mouth with beautifully balanced flavours and leaves you wanting more.
Japanese Shincha Gyokuro – Beluga Caviar
Recommended as an apéritif and at an ambient temperature, our umami-full Japanese Shincha Gyokuro enriches the flavour of foods from the sea, none so much as sashimi blue fin tuna, or fine caviar. The oiliness of these little pearls end with a deeply salty note that is rounded off by the sweeter citrus and floral notes present from the Gyokuro.
Tie Guan Yin Roasted – Cream Filled Choux Buns
Our Tie Guan Yin has been deeply roasted, eliciting wonderful sweet, nutty pistachio notes along with the caramel flavour of browned butter. When paired with high quality pastry like choux buns filled with cream, or chocolate eclairs, this tea adds an extra element to the experience, that takes you deeper into your senses and leaving you with a feeling of comfort.
Phoenix Dan Cong – Jamon Iberico
No Platinum Tea Pairing Guide would be complete without Jamon Iberico. This exceptionally fruity dark oolong has pronounced notes of quince, which pairs surprisingly well with the marbled, fatty nature of good cured pork. Enjoy as a digestif to fully appreciate the depths of the jamon, and let the cleansing nature of this tea and its fruity character enhance the deliciousness.
Darjeeling First Flush Spring Singell – White Truffles
There’s nothing like fresh white truffle shaved over a bowl of excellent pasta, rich cheeses, or dishes with egg or cream. Subtle in flavour, they offer notes of earthiness, musk and garlic. Perfect for Darjeeling First Flush Spring Singell then! This tea has a honey and herbs quality to it, uplifted with a touch of hay. Enjoyed as a cold infusion to extract more sweetness, or carbonate lightly for an alternative to sparkling wine.
Wild Wuyi Black – Ethical Foie Gras
While Foie Gras has developed a reputation in the industry for not being the kindest of gourmet foods, many ethical options are now emerging, which means you can still enjoy the wonderful flavour with a clearer conscience. Our Wild Wuyi Black tea makes an excellent companion, cutting through the richness with complex notes of peaches and viscous elderberry and alluring black tea depths.
Platinum Tea Pairing Guide – Extra Reading
+ Grande Teapot: Ways to Cold Brew Tea >
More from the journal
