Tea and food pairings

According to the Tea Council of the UK, the Academy of Food & Wine has discovered that by pairing certain teas with specific foods and in some cases wine, not only is the flavor of the food and wine enhanced, but the specific quality of the tea is highlighted.  Here are some combinations and suggestions to experiment with Partners Tea Company teas, but remember that, as Lu Yu said in the Chi Ching, “Goodness is for the mouth to decide”, so experiment with your own pairings!

Assam black tea- Lemon tarts, coconut, any sweet or baked good, spicy food, Indian food, as a chicken or steak marinade (with garlic, red chili, onion), anchovy.

Popeye- Seafood, especially sushi, Thai food,  as an after meal digestive, iced with lemon and or sugar, makes a great rum cocktail, barbeque.

Goodnight Kiss- As a desert tea with milk and honey, chocolate deserts, chocolate mint, Middle Eastern dishes, hummus, olives,  baklava, an after meal digestive. 

Sweet Friend Blend- Sushi, seafood, cinnamon, rich dark chocolate deserts, iced tea served with Mexican food, makes a great iced vodka cocktail.

Zelda- Vanilla and nut deserts, pecans, winter squash, in ice cream, shortbread, Sunday Brunch, apples.

Midnight Moonlight- Milk chocolate, chocolate cake, manchego cheese, any other sweet or nutty goats cheese, panna cotta and also in a sweet yogurt dressing for mixed melon salad, Sunday brunch, avocado, dim sum.

Ceylon Green- Prawns, Lemon or vanilla deserts, cooked fruit/ apples, raw veggies and anything with garlic, as a chicken or fish/ shrimp marinade with green chilis, green onions and ginger, lamb.