Play with your food: Part 1, Tea tasting
Date night, friend night, or something to do with yourself, a tea tasting is a must-do event to try out.
During the pandemic, I decided I wanted to learn more about tea. It started with researching tea sommelier courses and certifications, and when I started getting serious about it, I met an incredible tea master (Tony of A. Tellin Co., former teamaker at Smith Tea, Tazo, Stash, and so many more) and we quickly became friends. He took me under his wing and it opened up my eyes to this larger world of tea.
I got home one day from a tea tasting with Tony, hands full of tea samples for a cupping and some teas from his collection at the time. All I wanted to do was share the tea experience I had with my spouse, Will.
I set up my kettle, scale, all the teas, and some cute cups. I invited Will over to join me, and we spent the night brewing and sipping teas, talking about them (the way you would during a wine tasting), and chatting about our day. This was the start of a new tradition–tea tasting.
Date Night with Tea
My love for tea dates has spanned decades and kicked into overdrive recently, as I mentioned! I pick a type of tea or a theme, gather 3-5 teas within that category, and prepare yourself for a great night in with your friends, or a cozy way to spend quality time with a loved one.
What You Need
Appliance to boil water: A kettle, coffee pot, teapot, or tea steeper works
Mugs and cups to serve: It can be nice to have cups that match the type of tea you’re drinking, but it isn’t necessary. For example, you can get extra fancy with little cups and saucers for English teas, or even use a gaiwan to brew your large leaf oolong or Pu Erh.
Variety of fun teas: Herbal teas, black teas, fruit teas, oolong, black tea, white tea, etc.
Optional sweeteners: Not necessary, especially with nice teas, but feel free to use them. Sometimes it’s nice to try a tea with and without sugar to see how the sugar carries the bitterness or other notes.
Milk and creamer: Dairy and non-dairy options to lighten black teas. The cream can add a smoothness to the tea, so it’s nice to try your black teas with and without cream.
How to Serve
I like to lay out the teas so they are easy to see and grab, alongside their boxes and some big and small mugs. I have a pot of water boiling almost constantly, filling and resetting it throughout the night. Decanting your dairy products and sugars into attractive containers is also a nice touch. I light a candle to set the mood and get a great playlist going!
Give it a try–I’d love to hear how your tea tasting turns out.