Tea is an experience which takes us on a personal journey with ourselves or in the company of others. We all drink tea for various reasons, some for pure pleasure, some for socializing(tea time), others for the health benefits. Whatever your reason for consuming loose leaf tea, there is no doubt that tea is a delicious, healthy beverage. The flavors of different teas and its caffeine levels will depend primarily on how the tea leaf is processed when picked.

We thought this article would be helpful in shedding some light on the correct tea pairing! Many of us are still just beginning to learn of the concept of pairing tea with our food – proper, substantial meals that pair well. And yet, in the East they have drunk tea with their main dishes for centuries.

The art of tea pairing is still very much evolving in the West… but just as good food augments a good wine, and wine brings out the flavors of your dish, so too with teas.
The right tea can truly enhance the taste of the food on your plate… equally, get the pairing wrong, and the tea can be overwhelmed by the food (or the food drowned by too fulsome a tea).

Black teas with their robust flavors pair well with hearty, rich foods such as roast meats like beef, lamb and venison or heavy pasta dishes like lasagna.

Green teas with their earthy, vegetative palettes combine well with vegetarian dishes, salads, mild green curries, and light chicken dishes.

White teas tend to be very gentle, and if served with too rich a food will seem totally tasteless. Yet it would be a shame to miss their oh-so-subtle aromas. So these are best paired with very light foods such as white fish like sea bass or mild cheeses and desserts.

Oolong teas tend to vary but are in general quite smoky and complex and therefore pair perfectly with herby dishes, fruity desserts, and smoked cheeses and meats.

Fruit and scented teas are perfect for complex desserts, cakes and dark chocolate! Some even blend wonderfully with spicy meats – like Earl Grey for instance.
While full-bodied Chai teas match exotic Turkish sweet-meats and Indian pastries. Note: You can google this article for more insight!

Sipping On Oolong Teas:

While Green Teas are the most widely talked about in the world of teas... Oolongs are known to be the most complicated! Oolong teas are made from large tea leaves. The appearance of finished oolong teas can range from light green to brown, long & twisted or rolled into tight tiny balls. Oolong teas can be very  intricate and tend to have the widest array of flavours and aromas. Some taste and smell of stone fruits, honey, floral (orchid is common), sandalwood and much more.

Oolongs tend to be more oxidized than white teas, but less than black and ranges anywhere from 35% to 80% oxidation level. Be open when you begin your tea journey because while green teas receive all the hype, oolong teas have some amazing benefits, and flavor profiles! Happy Brewing and Sipping!

Anna Maria Stanhope, the Duchess of Bedford, is credited with having begun afternoon teatime. Once a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria, Anne began to suffer a "sinking feeling" in her stomach around four o'clock in the afternoon as the noon meal had become skimpier. To help her make it from the noon meal to the late formal dinner, Anne first asked servants to sneak in a pot of tea and bread.

Later, as she became more comfortable with her late afternoon meal, Anne began asking friends to join her in her rooms at Belvoir Castle around five o'clock in the afternoon. She followed the traditional European tea service format and served a collection of small cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, sweets and tea.

When she returned to London, the Duchess had enjoyed her summer treat so much that she continued the practice by inviting friends to visit for "tea and a walk in the fields." Other noblewomen soon took up the practice of serving a light afternoon meal and the true teatime was born.

Published By Revolution!

We found this article and thought it would be great information to share with our community and readers! We hope the information positively influences your tea drinking experience...

Green tea is more than just liquid.

Many of the plant compounds in tea leaves ultimately make it into the final brew, which contains large amounts of important nutrients (1).

Tea is rich in polyphenols that have effects like reducing inflammation and helping to fight cancer.

Green tea is about 30 percent polyphenols by weight, including large amounts of a catechin called EGCG. Catechins are natural antioxidants that help prevent cell damage and provide other benefits.

These substances can reduce the formation of free radicals in the body, protecting cells and molecules from damage. These free radicals are known to play a role in aging and all sorts of diseases.

EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) is one of the most powerful compounds in green tea. It has been studied to treat various diseases and may be one of the main reasons green tea has such powerful medicinal properties (2).

Green tea also has small amounts of minerals that are important for health.

This is why YoTeas is committed to providing the best all natural quality, organic teas sourced from tea estates around the world. Visit us at www.yoteas.com and experience what tea drinkers are raving about! #yoteas #teabrewing #organic #tealeaves