When you think of matching your fave plate with a beverage, chances are your mind will go straight to wine.
That make sense. Wine is one of humanity’s oldest and most widely consumed drinks. However, a visit this past week by Tea Association of Canada president Louise Roberge included a flight of seven contrasting teas, along with a trio of intriguing tea and food pairings, courtesy of Forage Restaurant.
Tea is steeped in its own history, but ordering a pot of regular or specialty tea after a restaurant meal doesn’t happen all that often. Part of the reason is we like to prepare our own pot at home.
However, Roberge says that a desire for less caffeine, as well as an awareness of some of the reported health benefits of tea, is changing that scenario and bringing new opportunities, especially when it comes to food and tea pairing.
In addition, the association’s Tea Sommelier program, introduced a decade ago, is forging ahead. It’s now offered in community colleges in Ontario, Nova Scotia and B.C., as well as online. To date there are 185 and counting certified tea sommeliers in the country.
The Forage offerings spanned three contrasting styles of tea, including Green Jasmine with Salmon Crudo, and rich-bodied Pu-er tea with a Gelderman Pork Bao and smoked maple hoisin sauce. Particularly convincing was a Lapsang Souchong Smoked Duck Carpaccio Roll with melon and arugula, which proved a delicious pairing with its similarly smoky namesake tea.
Interested in pairing some of your own favourite dishes with tea? The tea association provides a wide range of matching ideas at tea.ca.
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The sad reality of buying wine for everyday drinking is that you might just have to kiss a lot of proverbial frogs before you meet that handsome prince. Savvy marketers have identified $20 (in Canada, at least) as being the magic number below which a wine needs to be priced to sell well.
One person who has taken that message to heart over the years is author James Nevison, who has just published the 10th anniversary edition of his best selling Had a Glass (Random House, $20).
This handy book yields up a treasure trove of widely available drops, all of which sell for under $20. Not to mention food and wine pairing hints, with easy-to-read icons.
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My pick of the week: Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Collection 2Bench White 2014
Tinhorn’s hallmark white blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier and Muscat hits its stride with peach and tropical up-front notes followed by a generous but complex palate, with extra heft from barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, and citrus and stonefruit that’s persistent, with a zesty citrus end. Match it with grilled chicken with cilantro and lime dressing ($24, 91 points).
Tim Pawsey writes about wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. Contact: [email protected].
