Oatmeal, apple, blueberries and matcha

White bread, fried egg and a very fresh (1 day old) Nepal Tinjure green tea. Just great! 2 grams of tea and 180 ml of 80 degrees water. Just keep on pouring water!

In my Simon Lévelt shopping basket Il cuore di Mandorla. I tried many different combinations. Most black teas pair good but I was looking for a more exciting result. Their Otsuka Fukamushi Sencha gave me the result I was looking for. The umami of the tea did great things to the orange and almond flavours of the Mandorla. 5 grams in my hohin, 5 infusions of 1 second combined, water temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. A real tread!

Seed and Bean 80% Ecuador chocolate has a delicate earthy flavour. Paired with a Lentedauw Mao Feng (a Yellow Mountains, Anhui green tea bought at Simon Lèvelt)makes the chocolate way more exiting. More smooth and even a little fruity! 6 grams of tea in my new Honin I bought at Postcard tea, 70 degrees Celsius soft water (very important with this tea. Many of the Simon Lèvelt shops sell the Zero water filters. A great way of filtering your water) infusions after rinsing the tea: 30-35-40-45 seconds.

Popcorn and matcha aren’t the best of friends. Popcorn and Japan Genmaicha on the other hand…8 grams of tea on 500 ml soft water and 1.5 minutes of steeping time

A beautiful single origin chocolate from Kalimantan (Indonesia) and a roasted Japan Kukicha both bought during my visit to a Simon Lèvelt shop are a very good combination. The Krakakoa 75% chocolate is full bodied and has a nice fruity flavour. The roasted aroma of the tea brings out the spicy and fruity flavours of the chocolate in a beautiful way! In order to balance the full body of the chocolate I used a lot of tea: 10 grams in my kyusu. Filled the teapot for 2/3 with 75 degrees Celsius water and steeped it for 30-20-25-30-35-40 seconds to bring out the sweetness of the tea but keep the astringency out. Astringency and a high cacao content chocolate aren’t a great combination.

Soybeans and Hōjicha. 8 grams of tea, 100 ml of 70 centigrade soft water, 1 minute steep. Interesting combination!

Shortbread meets a Myanmar Pindaya green tea. 9 grams on 110 ml 70 centigrade water. Infusion time of 40-45-50 seconds.

A young Dutch sheep’s cheese and Japan Sencha. Brewed in my beautiful new Asahiyaki hohin I bought at @postcardteas Tea brings out the umami in the cheese in a special way!

Zealong Tea New Zealand Green and poffertjes (small pancakes). 8,5 grams of tea, 500ml of soft 70 centigrade water and a 1 minute steep. At least 3 infusions. What a beautiful tea!