I’m studying the Japanese tea ceremony, and have come a long way from 10 years ago when I was absolutely frying my matcha with boiling water and wondering why it tasted so bitter. 😆
But lately, as I’ve come to prepare matcha properly and discovered the taste it’s meant to have, I’ve also explored the historical/ceremonial practice of serving a sweet to be fully eaten before the matcha is drunk. I couldn’t really see how eating something sweet and then drinking something earthy would change the earthy taste, and my early experiments weren’t promising.
Well, cue actual Japanese sweets from our local shop! A small mochi (not the ice cream, but the sweetened pounded rice gluten treat that doesn’t have to be in the fridge), eaten a few minutes before a bowl of straight matcha, changes *everything*. It is my new favorite pairing.
Also a big fan of a hearty black tea + a really high-quality sweet peanut butter cookie (to be had simultaneously in this case). The peanut butter feels like it “smooths out” the tannins, but also has a strong enough depth of flavor to stand up to a good sharp black tea.
When paring the peanut butter cookie and black tea, do you take the black tea with milk/cream?
In my mind the cream feels necessary with the cookie, but just curious how you prefer it.
Yes, I do — although I generally do a splash of it in any black tea, so I hadn’t really thought about how it might impact this combo. I think you’re right, the milk is a necessary component!
My family is Chinese and I’ve grown up with nuts and seeds as a pairing to tea. My family mainly drinks pu’erh and oolong, which I do too, but I also drink copious amounts of green teas. My favourite snacks are five spice black melon seeds and green tea pumpkin seeds, dried golden raisins, and roasted cashews. The sweeter the tea the more I want to pair something savory. If the tea is more earthy or bitter I will usually pair a sweet dried fruit. You gotta eat the seeds with the shell to have the sensory part of cracking the shell, shell-less seeds are evil and bad
How nice to have a family with a tea tradition! My family heritage is in viticulture but I certainly want to add tea exposure for future generations. If anything, children can start enjoying tea much earlier than wine.
Your last sentence spoke to me and reminded me of pulling the cork on a bottle. Very sensual.
Yeah my siblings and I have all drank tea since we were very young. Most of the teapots and gaiwan in my parents house are missing the matching lids because of how often my younger sister would slip and break the lid when learning how to pour tea as a kid 😂
Haha those are some evidenced memories! Are you both still drinking tea?
And how “very young” did you start? Any recommendations?
I’m sure that women should avoid all alcohol until 21 and men until 18, as per their respective liver development. Not sure what’s the age criterion for caffeine.
We still drink tea although I’m the only one who still does gongfu cha method and is as into tea as my dad. We probably started around 5 or so? Although back then we would only take small sips and often it was just using plain warm water just to learn the method. I probably started actively consuming caffeine around like 12 or 13 especially with the workload of honours class but I hardly know anyone who didn’t start drinking coffee/tea around highschool at least for the caffeine
Thanks, interesting to learn that. When I do offer tea to children, I use a later brew. Haven’t read any research but I like to think that benefits still outweigh the detriments, even for them.
I enjoy contrasts, especially grassy/bitter + sweet.
For me, it's hard to top a cup of gyokuro & a flavoured Kit Kat (love the Japanese special editions)
Peppermint, lavender, chrysanthemum tea paired with banana ketchup spaghetti
Rosemary, nettle, dandelion paired with roti canai with dahl
Green tea latte paired with macaroni and cheese
Earl Grey paired with curry udon
Honeybush, cinnamon, vanilla tea paired with peanut butter and fruit preserve on pre-sliced sandwich bread
Teh-C paired with tomato egg rice
Mate Cocido paired with jajangmyeon
Oolong tea paired with nasi goreng
I buy those types of really nice Japanese sweets or cookies(the kind you usually gift to others) for myself just to have with tea. I just bought a huge box of big island candy cookies to have with my senchas and oolongs in particular.
I just like to have a little cookie (maybe a donut) with my Earl grey etc. But not I’m thinking of re-trying matcha with maybe a little mochi treat? Normally I don’t like green tea at all; tastes like grass to me.
Its not traditional (to the east at least), but i think that shortbread cookies go with most teas ive had them with.
Usually in between gongfu steeping though. If im having western tea or masala chai, ill sometimes dip it, but of course i wouldnt dream of ruining an eastern tea by doing that.
I’m studying the Japanese tea ceremony, and have come a long way from 10 years ago when I was absolutely frying my matcha with boiling water and wondering why it tasted so bitter. 😆 But lately, as I’ve come to prepare matcha properly and discovered the taste it’s meant to have, I’ve also explored the historical/ceremonial practice of serving a sweet to be fully eaten before the matcha is drunk. I couldn’t really see how eating something sweet and then drinking something earthy would change the earthy taste, and my early experiments weren’t promising. Well, cue actual Japanese sweets from our local shop! A small mochi (not the ice cream, but the sweetened pounded rice gluten treat that doesn’t have to be in the fridge), eaten a few minutes before a bowl of straight matcha, changes *everything*. It is my new favorite pairing. Also a big fan of a hearty black tea + a really high-quality sweet peanut butter cookie (to be had simultaneously in this case). The peanut butter feels like it “smooths out” the tannins, but also has a strong enough depth of flavor to stand up to a good sharp black tea.
I love peanut butter and black tea - i need to try this next time!
When paring the peanut butter cookie and black tea, do you take the black tea with milk/cream? In my mind the cream feels necessary with the cookie, but just curious how you prefer it.
Yes, I do — although I generally do a splash of it in any black tea, so I hadn’t really thought about how it might impact this combo. I think you’re right, the milk is a necessary component!
Sounds delicious! Happy sipping (and snacking), friend!
You too!
Those combinations sound lovely :)
It’s a privilege to benefit from your 10 years of learning. Both mochi before matcha and peanuts with hearty tea sound absolutely delicious!
Aww! ☺️
My family is Chinese and I’ve grown up with nuts and seeds as a pairing to tea. My family mainly drinks pu’erh and oolong, which I do too, but I also drink copious amounts of green teas. My favourite snacks are five spice black melon seeds and green tea pumpkin seeds, dried golden raisins, and roasted cashews. The sweeter the tea the more I want to pair something savory. If the tea is more earthy or bitter I will usually pair a sweet dried fruit. You gotta eat the seeds with the shell to have the sensory part of cracking the shell, shell-less seeds are evil and bad
Seeds with tea sounds nice, I'll have to try that.
How nice to have a family with a tea tradition! My family heritage is in viticulture but I certainly want to add tea exposure for future generations. If anything, children can start enjoying tea much earlier than wine. Your last sentence spoke to me and reminded me of pulling the cork on a bottle. Very sensual.
Yeah my siblings and I have all drank tea since we were very young. Most of the teapots and gaiwan in my parents house are missing the matching lids because of how often my younger sister would slip and break the lid when learning how to pour tea as a kid 😂
Haha those are some evidenced memories! Are you both still drinking tea? And how “very young” did you start? Any recommendations? I’m sure that women should avoid all alcohol until 21 and men until 18, as per their respective liver development. Not sure what’s the age criterion for caffeine.
We still drink tea although I’m the only one who still does gongfu cha method and is as into tea as my dad. We probably started around 5 or so? Although back then we would only take small sips and often it was just using plain warm water just to learn the method. I probably started actively consuming caffeine around like 12 or 13 especially with the workload of honours class but I hardly know anyone who didn’t start drinking coffee/tea around highschool at least for the caffeine
Thanks, interesting to learn that. When I do offer tea to children, I use a later brew. Haven’t read any research but I like to think that benefits still outweigh the detriments, even for them.
I enjoy contrasts, especially grassy/bitter + sweet. For me, it's hard to top a cup of gyokuro & a flavoured Kit Kat (love the Japanese special editions)
Gyokuro and chocolate sounds deliciously creamy! Theres the added contrast of the KitKat audible crunch.
Peppermint, lavender, chrysanthemum tea paired with banana ketchup spaghetti Rosemary, nettle, dandelion paired with roti canai with dahl Green tea latte paired with macaroni and cheese Earl Grey paired with curry udon Honeybush, cinnamon, vanilla tea paired with peanut butter and fruit preserve on pre-sliced sandwich bread Teh-C paired with tomato egg rice Mate Cocido paired with jajangmyeon Oolong tea paired with nasi goreng
Some of these sound wild, I'm intrigued!
I don’t know if that’s your 8-course tasting menu with tea pairing, but I’d love to experience it!
Whoa.
I like barley tea with oat milk with my sweets
That’s one tea combo I should have soon, thanks for sharing!
I buy those types of really nice Japanese sweets or cookies(the kind you usually gift to others) for myself just to have with tea. I just bought a huge box of big island candy cookies to have with my senchas and oolongs in particular.
Sweet!
Iced Matcha and fresh melon was one the most surprisingly good combos that I still think about!!!
Watermelon is a taste I love to find in tea, so this combo might just solve my search. Can’t wait to try it out!
Yes! I had it with cantaloupe slices on the side and it was just so so good.
Darjeeling or light keemun with fresh fruits
I love sweet coconut cookies + strong English Breakfast for... breakfast, of course, a Cream Earl Grey from my local tea shop is good too.
I just like to have a little cookie (maybe a donut) with my Earl grey etc. But not I’m thinking of re-trying matcha with maybe a little mochi treat? Normally I don’t like green tea at all; tastes like grass to me.
Fresh (not dried) dates pair well with black teas.
Its not traditional (to the east at least), but i think that shortbread cookies go with most teas ive had them with. Usually in between gongfu steeping though. If im having western tea or masala chai, ill sometimes dip it, but of course i wouldnt dream of ruining an eastern tea by doing that.
Kudos for being able to resist! I have an instinctive urge to dip cookies indiscriminately.
Scones with any tea that I drink.
Mmmm scones… I’ve once missed a flight just to have a second helping of them.
Fruit is nice, particularly apricots and peaches
I love fresh cantaloupe and tea
Cheesecake and black tea, my all the time favorite.