Tea blogging isn’t the most glamorous of niches but every once in a while I get invited to something that makes all of my friends jealous. Last week I attended a fantastic tea and cheese pairing event put together by The French Cheese Board and Royal Tea NY. I have no idea how I have gone this long without knowing about this studio devoted to all things French cheese. They had me at brie! I was the first guest to arrive which gave me a chance to talk shop with Ravi from Royal Tea NY. It was also a perfect time to indulge in some deliciously cheesy appetizers (along with a glass of white wine).
I was pleasantly surprised when fellow tea bloggers +sara shacket and +Natasha N walked in. They both have fantastic palates so I really appreciated being able to compare notes with them as we went through each of the pairings.
Read Sara’s write up here: An Evening of Tea and Cheese at The French Tea Board
Read Natasha’s write up here: #MakeItMagnifique: Tea and Cheese at The French Cheese Board in SoHo
The first pairing of the night was Époisses and sencha. Our hosts explained that this cheese is from the Burgundy region of France. The rind is washed with Marc de Bourgogne, giving it a distinctive reddish color. I had never heard of this liquor before but it is a type of brandy that is made out of pomace, the waste materials that are left over after making wine. Japanese green tea can be a bit tricky to pair foods with but this combination worked amazingly well. The sencha was an asamushi style from Chiran in Kagoshima Prefecture. Although light bodied, it packed a lot of umami. The creamy notes of the tea matched the silky texture of the Époisses.
