“What I love best about pairing chocolate and tea together is how the union of two very classic, incredibly comforting tastes can provide such a unique experience with minimal effort.” UK Taste Specialist, Brandt Maybury
Spring is in the air and with Mother’s Day approaching, Green and Black’s Organic is inviting Canadians to celebrate Mom with a “hot” new trend – pairing organic tea with organic chocolate to create complementary and mouth-watering flavours. It’s the perfect Mother’s Day indulgence and a sweet way to say ‘thank you.’
By exploring complementary flavours there are an endless number of tasting possibilities. Here are a couple of our favourites:
Green & Black’s Organic Hazelnut & Currant paired with Chai Tea – Those with a taste for adventure appreciate Chai teas as they often feature aromatic spices like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and cardamom. Maybury recommends complementing these exotic flavours with Green & Black’s Organic Hazelnut and Currant bar: “These warming flavours work perfectly with the hazelnuts and currants, as well as our cocoa rich dark chocolate, leaving you with fond memories of spiced festive treats from the holiday season.”
Green & Black’s Organic Ginger paired with Earl Grey Tea – Fans of herbal teas can also enjoy delicious chocolate pairings. “The bold flavours found in mint tea requires a chocolate such as Green & Black’s Organic Dark 85% that is packed full of cocoa solids, giving a full-bodied chocolate taste,” explains Maybury. “The extra cocoa butter and vanilla in this bar provide extra body and creaminess to the tea. Enjoying the two together is the ultimate dessert experience.”
Chocolate and Tea Tasting Tips:
As everyone’s palette is unique, the same chocolate and tea tasting experience can be completely different for each person. When matching aromas and flavours, there are no rules. However, there are steps you can take to ensure your tasting experience is as special and enjoyable as possible.
· To protect your chocolate and tea, store in a cool, dry place away from other food items with strong flavours or smells to ensure the do not absorb any ambient flavours.
· Always start with fresh-drawn water brought to a rolling boil, then allow it to cool to the desired temperature before beginning to steep your tea leaves.
· Pre-heat your tea cups with additional boiling water to ensure tea is served nice and hot.
· Chocolate should be served at room temperature on a glass or china platter. Tempting as it may look, serving chocolate on the saucer of your tea cup may cause melting and impact your tasting experience.
· Begin by observing the look and smell of your tea and chocolate. To help detect the aroma of chocolate, pinch a small amount between your fingers.
· When tasting the chocolate, let the chocolate melt slightly on your tongue before biting into it.
· Try alternating which is first: a nibble of chocolate then tea, or a sip of tea then chocolate to release different tasting notes.
For more info visit @tastespecialist www.greenandblacks.co.uk @greenandblacks