In a fashion similar to wine, tea can be surprisingly well paired with cheese. Both tea and wine can have varying levels of tannins, the chemical which gives the drinks their astringency and the flavor for both beverages is highly dependent on their topography, climate, weather, soil and post-harvest processing. Unlike wine, the warmth of hot tea can even unlock underlying flavors in the cheese. The added heat allows the subtle aromas of fruit, flowers, earth or smoke to bloom in your mouth. Oftentimes, these little notes of flavor are completely imperceptible when the cheese is paired with a cold beverage. Similarly, the creamy, fatty flavor of cheese may balance out the astringency of the tea, while also deepening the complexity of the taste. Darjeeling black tea has one of the boldest, most robust flavors of any tea varietal. When paired with rich camembert, smoked gouda or creamy cheeses you will open yourself up to an even greater world of flavor profiles.
Meagan Mukhia