Tea & Food Pairing

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 😁.

Rice pudding and a very light Nepal black tea. 7 grams of tea on 500 ml, 90 degrees of water. Brings out the sweet, fruity aroma in the tea!

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

Chocolates and tea; great to play with all the possible combinations!

Spicy paneer and a Golden Nepal black tea to reduce the spicy mouthfeel. Such a wonderful combination. 8 grams of tea, 500 ml, 80 degrees water. Steeping time of 1-1.5-2.0-2.0 minutes.

Lovely lunch. Sandwiches and a big mug of Japan Asatsuyu black tea. 7 grams on 500 ml 80 centigrade water. 1-1.5-2 minute infusions.

A great Nepalli meal needs a great tea. A Nepal Jun Chiyabari Himalaya Imperial Black of @junchiyabari did a great job! 19 grams of tea on one litre 80 centigrade soft water and a steeping time of 2 minutes

Fried cod, a fresh salad and a China Mi Lan Xiang. Brings out the pine nuts in the salad, fish notes in the cod and the flowery notes in the tea. The typical “fried” aroma’s seems to disappear.

Roti, vegetables, potato and a China Mi Lan Xiang black tea. 8 grams of tea in a gaiwan. 30-20-30-40-45 seconds infusion time, water temperature of 80 degrees Celsius. Let the tea cool down a bit to gain sweetness. Just perfect.