Tea is a commodity which has got a higher level of diversification. Tea Types are different from Mild White Teas to strong, dark Pu-Erh Teas. Grades are ranging from fine dust / Matcha powder to whole leaf teas. This vast diversity provides many tea pairing options for tea lovers. If you’re a fan of wine and cheese — or just cheese — tea and cheese pairings will wow you. Like wines, teas can have tannins, structure and distinctive flavor profiles — think nutty, fruity, smoky or grassy — that pair wonderfully with certain cheeses.

But freshly brewed tea holds an advantage over wine: Its warmth elicits a melt-in-the-mouth quality from cheese, amplifying flavors across the palate well into the finish. Many mouthwatering combinations leave you craving another bite, another sip. Consider the British practice of adding milk to black tea, or pairing tea with buttery scones topped with clotted cream. Dairy goods and tea are heavenly together. Long standing queues can also be seen in Cheese tea outlets in the Far East.

As with wine and cheese pairings, teaming complementary or contrasting flavors is advised. Kyle Stewart of The Cultured Cup in Dallas for To avoid flavors that fight one another, we asked some basic guidelines. A veteran of tea and cheese pairings, Stewart helped us create cheeseboards for three popular tea styles: a Japanese green tea, a darker oolong and a black tea. We uncovered some exquisite combinations.

Darker-style Oolong Tea

Such as Ti Kuan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy)

Nutty cheeses enhance the tea and smooth out its flavors. The tea’s dark honey note eliminates the slightly bitter finish commonly found in aged cheeses. Creamy, sweet and woodsy, bloomy-rind cheeses also pair well with the tea. In addition to this, Milk Oolong from Taiwan or Fujian province of China will go well with Cheese.

Pair with this cheeseboard:

Comte (French, unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese, found at Central Market, Molto Formaggio, Scardello Artisan Cheese and select Kroger stores)

Jasper Hill Harbison (Vermont, soft-ripened cow’s milk cheese with a washed rind, found at select Central Market stores and Scardello Artisan Cheese)

Mossfield Organic Cheddar (Irish, mild and creamy cheddar, found at Molto Formaggio)

Honey, or a honey-soaked honeycomb, cashews and/or Marcona almonds, and dried apricots

Black Tea

Such as Ceylon, Assam or Keemun (Qimen) Black Tea or a good quality English Breakfast tea

The astringency of black tea makes a good match for hard and aged cheeses as well as sharp, crumbly blue cheeses. The tea rounds out the cheese’s assertive flavors.

Pair with this cheeseboard:

Jasper Hill Cabot Clothbound Cheddar (Vermont cheddar, found at Scardello Artisan Cheese, Molto Formaggio and Central Market)

Neal’s Yard Colston Bassett Stilton (English blue cheese, found at Scardello Artisan Cheese, Molto Formaggio, Central Market)

Ewephoria Sheep’s Milk Gouda (The Netherlands, found at Scardello Artisan Cheese, select Central Market stores)

Dried figs and walnuts

Japanese Green Tea

Such as Kukicha or Sencha

The tea’s brothy umami and herbaceous notes enhance flavors in young, creamy cheeses like herbed goat or triple-creme varieties. Its saline quality complements the salt in Alpine melting cheeses, like a French raclette.

Pair with this cheeseboard:

Cypress Grove Purple Haze (fresh California goat cheese with lavender and fennel pollen, found at Central Market, Scardello Artisan Cheese and many supermarkets)

Delice de Bourgogne or Delice d’Argental (French, soft-ripened, triple-crème cow’s milk cheese, found at Central Market, Molto Formaggio and Scardello Artisan Cheese)

Raclette (semi-hard, creamy Alpine melting cheese made with cow’s milk, found at Central Market, Molto Formaggio and Scardello Artisan Cheese)

Green grapes and a peach or tropical fruit compote

Tina Danze is a Dallas freelance writer.

References

1.Original Post: https://www.dallasnews.com/life/cooking/2018/11/27/try-pairing-cheeses-nonalcoholic-brews-tea-totally-different-experience

2.More: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/cheese-pairing-tea-types-tasting-afternoon-puerh-green-brie-lapsang-souchong-rachel-safko-a7577141.html