Discover How Drinking Tea Can Turn from a Necessity into a Pleasure! Just like Wine, Tea Has Its Bouquet of Tastes and Flavors That only Appropriate Food Choices Can Reveal

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originate from China, Africa and India. Unlike their fruity alternatives, which go great with thick, rich desserts, these ones are better for red meat or heavily flavored foods, like jerk chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, blackened vegetables or meats, etc. Since they lack the sweetness of the fruity varieties, the earthy black teas are better accompanied with unsweetened foods.

 The smoky varieties originate from China and are usually the result of a manufacturing process. Some varieties have a very strong smoky taste and a flavor that can only be acquired. They are really intense, so they go well with intense foods, but are not recommended for light foods. The best pairings for them would be dark, flavorful, blackened meats, or any foods with an acquired intense taste. These teas are generally not suited for desserts, but some varieties seem to go very well with chocolate and chocolate based desserts.

Other Aspects to Take into Account When Pairing Tea with Food

The above recommendations are for unblended tea varieties. If you use flavored, blended assortments, you should pay attention to their sweetness and consistency. Some blended varieties, for example, were conceived specifically for desserts.

Then, some tea varieties taste and smell better when drunk hot, while others seem to be great as refreshments, ice tea. Of course, your preferences are the ones that matter, but, generally, the tea varieties with sweetness of their own are great as ice tea, while the more intense, dark varieties are better hot.

Many people prefer their tea with added sweeteners, like sugar or honey, and/or with milk. However, while they seem to improve the taste of the tea, these additions, especially when used in high quantities, often alter its taste and flavor, not to mention that they can be dangerous for one’s health (excessive consumption of sugar is considered the main cause of diabetes, and honey, when added to hot drinks or foods, becomes toxic). If you can, it is recommended to give up sweeteners completely or, at least, lower their quantity gradually.

Of course, your taste for tea needs to be cultivated, and it is entirely up to you to experiment different combinations, according to the suggestions above, in order to find the ones that work for you. However, one thing is for sure: with a little imagination and exercise, you will slowly but surely begin to consider tea, not as something you drink out of necessity, to stay healthy, but as a pleasure, a special moment you dedicate to yourself and your well being.

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