We all know about pairing wine with food. The next big thing is pairing tea with food -- from drinking tea with simple meals at home, to multi-course tea pairings offered at Michelin-starred restaurants and headed by a new breed of F&B expert, the Tea Sommelier.

This book introduces the art and science of matching tea with food, to bring out a synergy of flavors. It covers all the basics of tea, from selecting to brewing and serving, and introduces all the world's major tea varieties, from High-Mountain Oolong, to Pu-erh to Darjeeling.

The main focus is on how tea marries with different foods, both Asian and Western. For example, it may be hard to believe, but tea can be a better match for cheese than wine! This book looks into various cuisines as well as specific dishes, recommending the teas that will enhance the dining experience.

Illustrated with over 500 photos, The Tea Sommelier will appeal not only to tea enthusiasts, but to all foodies out there.

Teaparker (Chih Jung-sien) is Taiwan's foremost authority on tea, having written more than 40 books for the Taiwan and China market. In addition, he appears regularly in the media, conducts classes, and consults with restaurants on their tea programs. In the tea world, he is known as Tea Parker, an allusion to Robert Parker, the world's authority on wine (who developed the now-ubiquitous 100-point scoring system). This is his first book to be translated into English.

Part 1 Tea and Food

1
Awakening the Senses
The journey begins with an invitation to
Michelin-starred tables around the world, to
see how top chefs are leading the charge of
pairing tea with food
1Introduction
2The Marriage of Tea, Cuisine and Wine
3Tea at the Top Tables of the World
4Eleven Madison Park
5Le Bernardin
6Blue Hill at Stone Barns
7Gabriel Kreuther
8Le Coucou
9Jean-Georges
10Café Boulud
11Atelier Etxanobe
12Azurmendi
13Restaurante Gastronómico Marqués de Riscal
14Martin Berasategui
15L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
16JL Studio
17Patrick Henriroux
18Anne-Sophie Pic
19Laurent Ponsot
20Champagne Drappier
21Chateau d’Yquem
22Vega Sicilia

2
The Art of Tea Pairing
Building on the tradition of tea pairing in
Chinese culture, Chapter 2 explores how tea
can be introduced alongside one’s meals,
from the simple to the luxurious
1The Rise of Tea Pairing
2Chinese Tea Pairing Traditions
3A Brief History of Tea Feasts
4Bon Appetit: Opening a Meal with Tea
5Vegetables and Roasted Teas
6Meat and Tea: Watch the Tannins
7Seafood and Green Tea: Perfect Counterpoint
8Rice, Noodles and Pasta
9Cheese with Pu’er
10Fruits and Jams in Tea
11Tea with Dim Sum: Not Just Pu’er or Jasmine
12Shanghai Cuisine loves Oriental Beauty
13A Luxurious Tea Feast
14The Real “Teatime”
15Cakes and Pastries with Tea
16Nuts About Pu’er
17Chocolates with Orchid Tea

Part II Understanding Tea

3
What Is Tea?
The very foundation of tea knowledge
– this chapter looks at the six major tea
types, and how they are grown, processed,
stored and preserved
1Understanding Tea Through its Cultivars
2Tian·Di·Ren: What Makes Tea Different
3The Six Major Tea Types
4Green Tea
5White Tea
6Yellow Tea
7Oolong Tea
8Black Tea
9Dark/Pu’er Tea
10Fire: The Magic of Roasting
11Flowers: Scented Teas
12Time: Does Tea Improve with Age?

4
How to Taste Tea
How to prepare, drink and appreciate
tea in a way that heightens its innate
characteristics and maximises enjoyment
1The Trilogy of Color, Fragrance and Taste
2Characteristics of the Six Major Teas
3Sharpening the Senses
4What Makes a Good Tea
5Tea Brewing
6Water, Temperature, Time
7Smelling Spoons and Judging Cups
8The Five Good Tastes of Tea
9Fragrance Families
10Chemical Properties of Tea
11Tannins: A Functional Chart
12Tea Ware: A Guide to Selection

Part III The World of Tea

5
A Global Tour
Chapter 5 offers a comprehensive survey
of the worldwide distribution of tea
growing areas, from the “Old World” to
“New World”
1A Global Tour of Tea Regions
2China: Jiangbei
3China: Jiangnan
4China: Southwest
5China: South
6Formosa: Low-elevation
7Formosa: High-elevation
8Japan
9Korea
10India
11Nepal
12Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
13Southeast Asia
14Africa
15Black/Caspian Sea Region
16South America

6
Signature Teas
and Pairings
A curation of the Great Growths of the tea
world, from Longjing to Dahongpao, along
with recommendations for food pairings
1What is a Signature Tea?
2Pairing Signature Teas with Food
3Longjing: An Emperor’s Choice
4Biluochun: Spring Awakening
5Lishan: Freshness Unparalleled
6Dayuling: From the Mountain Peak
7Jinxuan: Milky Phantom
8Oolong: A Thousand Faces
9Aged Teas: Fountain of Youth
10Shuixian: Tea of the Immortals
11Dahongpao: The Legend
12Baijiguan: “Cockscomb” Tea?
13Lapsang Souchong and Jin Junmei
14Hongyu TTES No. 18
15Qimen Black: Happiness in a Cup
16Lincang Raw Pu’er Cake
17Wodui Pu’er Brick: A 1976 Vintage
18Antique-Grade Qizi Cake

Part IV Tea in Cuisine

7
“Eating Tea”
Take tea pairing one step further by
infusing tea into the cooking process, with
uncomplicated recipes that bring a touch of
refinement to homemade meals
1The Joy of Cooking with Tea
2Steamed Fish with Yunnan Pu’er
3The Charm of Tea Sukiyaki
4Dashu Tea and Grilled Snapper
5The Tea Egg Sidequel
6Lotus Seeds Love Oriental Beauty
7Icy Cucumbers with Jinxuan
8Dried Tofu and Tea: A Taste of Home
9Oolong-Ginger Lamb Ribs
10Grilled Mahi-mahi with Aged Dongding
11Seared Beef with Tea-Miso Dressing
12Noodles with Tea and Pork Liver
13Aged Dongding Bamboo Shoots
14Pork Slices in Tea Broth
15Shuishalian Grilled Pacific Saury
16Chevre and Cantaloupe Salad with Hongyu
17Lapsang Souchong Baked Potatoes
18Stir-fried Oyster Mushrooms in Dianhong
19Darjeeling-Braised Daikon
20Chilled Earl Grey Green Papaya

8
So You Want to Be
a Tea Sommelier?
This final chapter is for those who are
interested in pursuing tea pairing more
seriously, potentially joining the growing
new profession of the Tea Sommelier
1The Role of the Tea Sommelier
2Training Your Palate
3Swallow or Spit?
4Tools of the Trade
5Self-examination or Certification?
6A Career in the F&B Industry
7Designing a Tea Menu

Index
Acknowledgements
About the Author