Tea or coffee used to be just for breakfast or as drink that is used between real meals like lunch or dinner, perhaps combined with cookies or tiny sandwiches. Today, tea and coffee are accompanied by an assortment of breads, meats, cheeses and of course, desserts.
There are different types of tea and coffee, with each having favorites among diners as to which one best enhances the meals served. Tea, both the green and black kinds, compliments foods by helping to cleanse the palette as each course is served.
Things to consider when matching different foods with tea are the flavors of each, whether it is acidic or not, does it have a good flavor and the texture of the tea and dish it is paired with.
These are similar things to how wine and food are paired; with each bringing out the flavor of the other. The Whittard teas are among the best to be paired with meat, fish, seafood, salads or desserts when entertaining. Black teas are best when matched with darker meats and spicier food such as Thai or curries and rich chocolate desserts.
Green teas are best with salads, fruit and seafood.
A popular idea is to have Japanese or Chinese tea served with salad, chicken, fruit or seafood because the tea smoothes out the flavor of the dish. Chi loose-leaf tea is one of the best paired with light dinners and originates from India, where it served both day and night. Oolong teas are a mixture of the green and dark teas and most often served accompanied by grilled or Oriental foods. Chinese green and dragon teas are also often paired with salads, seafood or fruit.
Coffee comes in different blends and flavors and while is not as common as tea during meals, can be wonderful when paired with the correct foods. Fruit based desserts or even the fruit itself is great with certain types of coffee but it is not if the fruit is too sour. Ethiopian coffees go well with dark chocolate and rich tart desserts. The chocolate is often even better when combined with the coffee and sugar to make a rich full bodied drink.
Most people in the United States are used to having coffee with their breakfast but coffee goes well with other meals also. There are many rich coffees from different countries that have great flavors, some sharper than others, some perfectly matched with the breads, such as biscotti or sweet desserts. The espresso coffees and flavorings are wonderful when paired with fruity breads and rolls, even quiche.
Teas and coffees are a wonderful accompaniment to many of the foods that we enjoy. By mixing the flavors of the different drinks with the best known and loved types of foods, we can find new and unique accompaniments to the old ones we have enjoyed. Feel free to experiment and find the new Whittard blends that enhance every meal.
