Sour fruit and sweetened black tea

Breakfast. Plain and simple. Great Iranian tea doesn’t need much to pair with.

Spring rolls and an India Meghalaya La Kyrsiew SFTGFOP. Sweetness in the tea balances the spicy Hoi Sin sauce and enhances the sweetness. Delicious! 7 grams of tea, 500 ml, 75 centigrade water and a two minute steep.

Nepali Momo’s and a great Nepal Golden black tea. 8 grams of tea, 500 ml of 80 degrees water and 1.5-2.0-2.0 minutes steeping time.

Vondel speculaas (spiced biscuit) I picked up at Simon Lèvelt and their Assam Goudblad zomerpluk (very tippy Assam second flush) is one of the first tea and food pairings I discovered. The spices and sweetness of the biscuit are balanced so beautiful by the Assam tea. It’s almost as if it becomes a masala chai! 7 grams of tea on 500 ml 95 degrees Celsius water and a infusion time of three minutes. It really needs hot water and a relatively long steep in order to do it’s job 😁.

Shrimps and a Ceylon Nuwara Eliya Lovers Leap Estate. Balances the fatty mouthfeel and brings out the sweetness of the shrimp. 8 grams of tea on 500 ml of 95 degrees Celsius water. Steeping time 3 minutes.

@dorsetteauk and fresh crumpets. Why Dorset tea? The way they put it: there is only one T in Dorset 😁 2 bags in a huge mug, 4 minutes and a dash of milk. Simply perfect!

Beautiful cooked Nepali corn and a very sweet, fruity and flowery Nepali rolled black tea. Marriage made in heaven!

Sometimes you accidentally come across a very special product. We visited a farmers shop called the Kastanjeboom, located just outside the small town of Bunschoten-Spakenburg. They sell a lot of beautiful local products but they also make their own clotted cream. The best I ever tasted. Read their story. Scones, Blueberry Jam and their great cream. Paired with a China Fujian Golden Monkey. 7 grams of tea on 500 ml, 75 degrees Celsius water. A true delight!

Samosa’s and a CTC black tea of a CTCF cooperative. The sweet full flavour of the tea balances the fatty mouthfeel of the samosa and the vegetable flavours combined with the honey like tea really bring everything together! 3 grams of tea on 250 ml 90 degrees Celsius soft water.