Sommeliers in restaurants, as we all know, usually recommend the right whisky or wine to drink with a dish.
The right pairing can summon amazing flavours, just as the wrong one can completely knock the taste of everything off track.
Now there are people who do the same thing for tea.
Yes, tea sommeliers are a thing. Tea has risen to prominence in fine-dining circles, as more restaurants feature tea menus suited for savoury and sweet dishes.
According to experts, the aromas, flavours, and structure of teas can enhance food, much like wine does, and the pairing possibilities are endless.
Tea sommelier, Jessica Bonin, says pairing tea with food allows one to experience enhanced flavours through the complementary elements of various ingredients, and that it presents your palette with a new depth of taste brought about by a specific tea.
“Rooibos, for example, has an incredibly versatile flavour that makes it the perfect base for an array of ingredients. “Tea enthusiasts can experiment by adding herbs, fruits, flowers and even spices. The flavour cascades are infinite,” Bonin said…