Tea pairing - what tea goes well with which foods

Ever picked a wine at a restaurant that just didn't go with the dish you ordered? Wine experts and sommeliers train their palates for years to taste and smell subtle nuances in wines and learn to pair individual wine varietals to foods. The same can be done with tea. Here's a beginner's guide to better tea pairing:

As with wine, the heavier the food, the stronger the wine to complement the taste. A light fish goes with a light Sauvignon Blanc whereas a steak requires a stronger Cabernet Sauvignon.

The same simple guide can be used for tea. Let's separate the teas into White, Green, Oolong, Pu'er, Black and herbals for ease.

White Tea

White tea is mild and silky. The flavour is delicate and the scent is of a light fresh bloom. This should be paired with undressed salad or light fish. It can also pair well with very mild cheese. White tea is best savoured on it's own to best taste the subtle floral notes.

My obsession with Tarakona's Silver Needles started when I thought I'd give clean eating a go. I cut the carbs and ate salads most meals with mild feta crumbled on top to liven it up a bit. I found I could really taste the exquisitely silky notes of the Silver Needles. It's been my "go-to" tea most days now.

Green Tea

Green tea is sometimes described as grassy in flavour. As such, the smokey, vegetal notes pair well with fish, chicken, turkey and sushi.

I like to swirl Westlake Emerald after each mouthful of Tonkatsu as it cuts through the greasy mouth feel and cleanses the palate.

Oolong Tea

Oolong's complex aroma pairs well with shellfish, duck, salmon and roast meats. A highly complimentary tea to savour with dim sum and goes wonderfully with fruity desserts, smoked cheeses and pastries.

Pu'er Tea

Pu'er tea has a strong earthy flavour that cuts through stir-fried food, mushrooms, rich creamy pasta, aged cheeses and dark chocolate.

I've relished Dragon Pearls Pu'er tea with my Shakshuka and my dark chocolate ganache cakes, they've always been excellent meals.

Black Tea

Black tea's robust flavour means it pairs well with strong flavoured dark, gamey meats - beef, lamb, venison, blue cheese and sweet desserts.

Herbal Tea

Herbal teas includes Chrysanthemum, Camomile, Rose, Echinacea and a plethora of other herbs, flowers and spices that tea blenders are offering. These teas are often enjoyed with lighter snack foods, appetisers, finger foods and at high tea.

Matariki blend is exceptional and pairs well with rich meats but also suits the flavoursome dim sum and exposes the character of a good dark chocolate.