Even reading the title of this blog may leave you with a lot of questions. We get it; tea and cheese are an unconventional pairing, but you may be surprised to learn that they work surprisingly well together.
If you are someone who does not drink wine, it can be easy to feel excluded from cheese and wine nights in the run-up to Christmas, but you don’t have to.
At Leaf, we believe in pairing a delicious cup of tea with absolutely anything, especially cheese.
Read on to learn more about perfectly pairing tea with cheese.
Tea and Cheese Pairings – The Basics
Before we jump into which teas and cheeses go well together, it’s important that we first give you the rundown on how to identify the best ways to pair cheese.
Pick Complementary Flavours
A surefire way to pick a flavour combination is to focus on matching complementary flavours. For example, you can match nice, nutty teas with rich cheeses, such as Gouda, to highlight the tea’s flavours.
Think About Balance
When matching teas with cheeses, it is important to strike the right balance in terms of flavour. You want the flavours to complement each other rather than overpowering each other or fighting for attention.
You don’t want either of them to overpower the overall taste, so it’s important to pick flavours that match in intensity.
Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment
Before discussing more popular tea and cheese combinations, you should know that there are no rules when pairing cheeses with tea; it is all supposed to be a bit of fun.
Though there are tried and tested flavour combinations that are all ready to try, this does not mean that you can’t experiment. After all, if it wasn’t for the experimentation of those before us, we wouldn’t know the combinations that we all know and love.
Try whacky flavours, and you might find something amazing.
Picking The Perfect Tea and Cheese Pairing
If you have never paired tea with cheese before, you might have no idea where to start. We get it; it’s always good to get a bit of guidance on what works and what doesn’t.
The last thing you want is to combine cheese and tea that just don’t work well together, as this will put you off trying new combinations in the future. Here are some of the tea and cheese combinations that we adore.
Black Tea and Cheddar
There is nothing better than a delicious black tea to start the day. At Leaf, we offer a varied selection of black teas, but we would definitely suggest pairing Earl Grey or Butter Truffle with a deliciously sharp cheddar.
The more mature the cheddar, the better, as these two strong tastes complement each other exceptionally well. The sharp cheddars match well with the bold flavours of the tea.
Green Tea and Goat Cheese
Green tea and goat’s cheese make a delicious combination that creates a gentle balance and brings out the tea’s herbaceous tones.
Neither of these flavour profiles are particularly strong, making them the perfect pairing for your next wine and tea night. At Leaf, we stock a delicious range of green teas, and we strongly suggest pairing our Jasmine tea with goat cheese for a delicious combination.
Herbal Tea and Ricotta
Herbal teas are perfect if you are looking for a delicious yet subtle flavour profile. Tasty herbal teas such as chamomile pair perfectly with subtle cheeses such as ricotta or mozzarella.
If you want some further tips, we suggest serving this delicious dish with some dried apricots to add a nice hint of sweetness.
Hosting Your Own Tea and Cheese Night
With the colder months firmly rolling in, it is now time to spend more nights indoors with the comfort of indoor heating. If you are looking for something fun to do with your friends and family over the coming months, you should certainly consider hosting a tea and cheese night.
These nights are great non-alcoholic alternatives to wine and cheese nights and are guaranteed to be a hit.
Before hosting your own tea and cheese night, it’s important to ensure that you have a selection of teas and cheeses to pick from. You could stock up on the recommendations that we have provided above or you could venture out, trying some seasonally themed cheeses and wines.
If you are looking to add a more festive feel to your tea and cheese night, we suggest that you take a look at our festive tea range. This range has a selection of five delicious teas to choose from.
If you’re looking for an insider tip, the Apple Strudel tea pairs perfectly with a sharp cheddar.
Try Something Different This Christmas
Hopefully, we have provided you with all of the information that you need to host your own cheese and wine night, or to just be able to enjoy a delicious combination of tea and wine in the future.
If you want to experiment with pairings, don’t forget to check out the Leaf Shop, where you can find a selection of delicious teas to choose from.
