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In addition to Chinese cuisines, tea is also a good point is to consider how to pair them or make them
matching option in the global culinary realm. The coherent, instead of forcibly screwing them together.
Guangzhou-based Rêver restaurant adds cold brew tea “After all, people who like to drink tea may have subtle
to pair with fused French cuisine. The cold brewing can differences in tastes and requirements of the meal.
highlight the tea flavor and aroma, while reducing the Especially, many tea people prefer vegetarian meals,
bitterness. The meals with cheese are especially suit- perhaps with a sharper sense of taste and higher re-
able for old Liubao dark tea or Fuzhuan brick tea. As quirements of Zen and Chinese aesthetics. The fusion
both are fermented products, the tea and the cheese of tea and meal should be a lifestyle, the expression of
are rich while extending in different directions. The living habits, and not just a game of taste. I think it
non-mainstream “Stone Milk” rock tea is an oolong tea might be a bit limited, if it just focuses on the combi-
with a strong milky flavor. Served with Italian maca- nation of food.”
roons, it can stimulate the richness of milk flavor and Many baristas or sommeliers who have just start-
subtly brings the grainy, astringent aftertaste. ed drinking tea will also habitually follow the flavor
Not only are fine dining restaurants keen on tea wheel. Daqing has been a barista for nearly a decade,
pairing, tea brands are also exploring the fusion of tea and got hooked on tea just in the past year or two. She
and meals. Via cooperation with hotels and fine dining was initially attracted by the layers of the flavors and
restaurants, Hou Tea introduces high-quality tea into styles. “I never have the same flavor again, even though
the catering sector, realizing the presentation and it’s the same tea brewed by the same person.” The
dissemination of tea. This mode is based on brand variations of traditional tea are more subtle and nu-
qualities and user groups, and in a sense is more like anced than coffee and wine, making it really hard to
a business fusion. make a definitive fixed pairing blend. Now, she won’t
The brand Yuan Gu chooses a more humanistic get caught up in the flavor, but perceives the atmo-
fusion. They combine selective vegetarian ingredients sphere on the tea table, the mood of the drinker. While
with tea to create a new-style Chinese tea. With appro- drinking tea, the feeling of the moment is eternal.
priate tea and wine, the natural flavors of the four-sea- On the summer solstice, the Chengdu-based Five
son ingredients can show the change of time and the Willows Tea Space under Mountain held a lotus-themed
beauty of handmade cuisine. tea party, where two Oriental Beauty teas from differ-
Tea is a huge system, so is Chinese food, making ent regions were shared. They used the same tea to
both of them unsuitable for quantitative assessment. It make iced jelly and pastries decorated with lotus leaves
is not possible now to understand their flavors and and flowers, linking the taste and the vision. Drinking
apply a formula for precise matching. tea in depth inevitably goes beyond the tea pot. Every-
With rich experience in tea, Ling Yin has hosted thing we do at the tea party is an expression of the vast
tea banquets. She believes that tea and meals can main- world; echoing each other and blending together is an
tain a certain degree of purity in the tea pairing. The important part of oriental implication.

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