Wine is not only drink that’s selective about its other half. Choose your tea wisely when you’re having your next meal because this trusty brew deserves its own special match, too.
Wine is not only drink that’s selective about its other half. Choose your tea wisely when you’re having your next meal because this trusty brew deserves its own special match, too.
How to brew the perfect cuppa
Just like coffee, there’s much to know about making a nice pot of tea. Here are some tips from the UK Tea & Infusions Association.
1 Always use freshly boiled water as water that’s boiled more than once has a lower oxygen content that may affect the taste of the tea.
2 The water temperature should be at 80°C for preparing green tea and 100°C for other types of tea. The lower temperature for green tea prevents the bitterness in the leaves from accentuating.
3 Not all tea should be steeped for the same amount of time. Here are some recommended brewing times:
Oolong Tea Five to seven minutes. Black Tea Three to four minutes. Green Tea Two to four minutes.
Pu’er tea + dim sum
With a distinctive flavour, pu’er tea is the best for washing your har gaos (shrimp dumpling) and char siew baos (barbequed pork buns) down. The Chinese also believes it aids digestion and it’s often their go-to drink during heavy meals.
Green tea + sushi
No surprises here – there’s a reason why Japanese restaurants always serve green tea. More specifically known as Konacha, this variant of green tea has a light and refreshing aftertaste that cleanses your palate between mouthfuls of sushi.
Oolong tea + seafood
There are two types of oolongs in this world. Light oolong tea goes especially well with shellfish and lobsters that’ll bring out the floral hints in the tea. If you’re having duck or salmon, opt for a dark oolong tea instead. Its strong and smokey notes will stand out even as you savour your flavourful dish.
Black tea + cakes
The well-loved English breakfast tea doesn’t just go well with bacon and eggs. The robust flavour of the tea enhances the sweetness in cakes while making sure it doesn’t get too overwhelming at the same time.
White tea + salads
White tea has a light taste, so it’s best to pair it with a dish that will not overpower its subtle flavour. A salad without dressing is ideal, but feel free to add olive oil if a naked salad is not your thing.
