Tea Trials & Chocolate Tribulations
I have always had a bit of a sweet tooth. As a youth, I admit I had a particular penchant for chocolate. Tea, on the other hand, isn't something I grew up around too much. Earlier this year, I conducted my first chocolate pairing with beer and it really opened my eyes to the world of bean to bar chocolate. Lately, your favorite villain has been diving into the world of tea as I prepare for an upcoming chocolate pairing I'll be hosting.
The world of tea feels like it is about to explode, if it hasn't already. People love to talk about how Gen Z is ditching the booze and how matcha is already facing shortages worldwide. Maybe that is one of the reasons I've been drawn to it lately... but either way, it definitely lends itself well to pairing with chocolate! One of the great challenges of pairing chocolate with beer is that it is a beverage served cold, impeding the process of chocolate melting in the mouth. Tea, on the other hand, is traditionally served hot. Where beer might be considered a bitter rival, tea is an ally that easily elevates the experience when paired with chocolate. I first learned this concept while listening to my favorite chocolate-podcast, Bean to Barstool.
Estelle Tracy, Chocolate Sommelier
There are a couple episodes of the podcast that feature chocolate sommelier, Estelle Tracy, as she guides the host, David Nilsen, and listeners through some chocolate pairings. The lineup they discussed felt like the perfect jumping off point. Luckily, Estelle has this bundle prebuilt to order on her website, avoiding the hassle of ordering individual bars and tea from different sources. Ranging from wild tea to matcha, single origin chocolate to botanical and fruit infused bars–Estelle's bundle offered great variety.
I have a certain vision for this upcoming tea and chocolate pairing, so my bias is influenced by the flavors and experience I want to curate for my guests. There were a few standouts in the bundle that I enjoyed most and some samples that Estelle threw my way that allowed me to think more broadly as well. Some of the chocolate makers that Estelle featured include: Castronovo, Moka Origins, Kessho, Qantu and Ayitika. The teas were all from Health and Tea–I had a favorite amongst these as well.
Wild White Tea
The Wild White Tea was the first one I tried. It struck me with curiosity! I am familiar with the term "wild" in the beer world and this wild tea had me thinking. With just a short bit of research it seems like the term "wild" tea is a bit less defined than wild beers, but maybe that deserves more discussion. The short and long is that I did find some familiar character between the wild tea and some wild beers I've had in the past. This wild white tea in particular was still fairly modest and very approachable. I found it could serve well on its own or paired with some white chocolates as well.
Yuzu, Citrus & Matcha
Yuzu isn't something that I come across too often so it was really interesting to try it in chocolate. This was the yuzu bar produced by Kessho and it was meant to be paired alongside some matcha. Matcha can be tricky to prepare if you aren't familiar with it and I'm certainly not. I was lucky to have an experienced friend prepare it with me. We made a couple batches with varying water/matcha ratios. The variation in the intensity from the water ratio allows matcha to stand up to bolder flavors or gracefully pair with gentler ones. In the case of this yuzu bar, the lighter blend was perfect! I loved the way the citrus paired with the grassier botanicals of the matcha.
Estelle also recommended trying the matcha with the Lemon Ginger dark bar from Moka Origins. This was my second time trying this bar and it is a real treat. This time it was the bolder matcha blend that paired better. Darker chocolate had a richness backed by some sweet ginger and softened by the lemon-citrus. The bitterness of the matcha packed a punch but it was perfect with Moka's Lemon Ginger dark bar in my opinion. It's nice to know that the same matcha product can be prepared in ways that pair well with multiple bars.
A Hint of Cinnamon
Another little treat was the sample of Ayitika's Kanel bar. This name "Kanel" literally translates to cinnamon and showcases Haiti-grown cacao. Per Estelle's recommendation, I tried this dark bar with a black tea. Black teas can have their own nuance and variation but finding one that has a more familiar profile isn't challenging. I think most black teas will still do well here regardless. The outcome of this pairing was akin to a chai blend. The cinnamon wasn't too aggressive and there weren't other chai-related spices involved, but it was a great point of reference. Simple flavor combinations that work reliably are the foundation for imagining more complex pairings in the future. I look forward to using a cinnamon bar for pairings that I host!
Qantu's Chuncho Bar - Route de la Soie
Out of all the chocolates from Estelle's bundle and samples, my favorite was the bar from Qantu. Route de la Soie (Silk Road) is a Chuncho bar that includes a whole mess of spices–fennel, ginger, cassia, cardamom, white pepper, rose, star anise, longpepper, Sichuan pepper, saffron, and clove can all be found in this chocolate by the Canadian maker! I had begun noticing the term "Chuncho" being used fairly frequently in chocolate and was super curious what it meant. Like single origin bars having distinct flavor profiles based on their regions, Chuncho is even more specific to a region in Peru. The cacao grown at high elevations within that region have unique character from that of other Peruvian cacao. The cacao in Route de la Soie was a deeply earthy taste with a light ripe fruit character. This was elevated by the dazzling array of spices listed above. The complexity of this bar isn't so much that it feels busy or noisy–no, it takes you on a journey as its spices sing to you in a wonderfully balanced harmony.
Future Tea & Chocolate Plans
This experience gave me a great initial perspective on the potential for pairing tea and chocolate. There were some absolute gems here and I truly appreciate the support from Estelle as I kick things off. If you're interested in checking out some of Estelle's bundles or events you can do so here. If you're curious about this specific bundle, I recommend giving a listen to what David and Estelle discuss in the podcast episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. I’m stoked for my upcoming tea and chocolate pairing, so keep an eye out for when I recap the experience. Consider subscribing to get updates on new posts.
Thanks for reading the blog! You should check out some of my other articles as well. I write about lots of different food, beverage and sensory topics.
Short Read: This Petite Espresso
