Eatdrink #65 May/June 2017

20 | May/June 2017
Culinary Retail
Tea Rituals
The Sommelier-Driven Tea Experience
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
By BRYAN LAVERY
London may be part of the explosion
of indie cafés serving small-batch
coffee roasts, which are part grab-andgo
café and part bakery, but we’re a
community of dedicated tea enthusiasts too.
And now, with the rise of the wellness tea
market, we are seeing several innovative teainspired
concepts. These indie hot spots are
about tea craft and accessibility and offer us
a well-curated selection of ethically-sourced
single-origin teas, blends, tisanes and infusions.
The upswing in the popularity of tea
translates to enhanced flavour profiles, and
blends that add fruits, flowers and spices for a
richer experience. Pairings of tea with herbs,
spices and fruits for beverages, tea-infused
jams, condiments, and desserts, cocktails, cold
brews and ferments are all on-trend.
In traditional tea growing countries like
China, Japan, India and Sri Lanka (formerly
Ceylon) the term tea specifically refers to
beverages made from steeping the leaves
of cultivars that have been developed for
thousands of years.
White, black, blue, yellow and green teas all
originate from one of two tea plant varieties:
the Camellia sinensis — a small-leaf tea plant
that flourishes in cool, mountain regions of
central China and Japan — and the Camellia
The Tea Haus
assamica — a broad-leaf variety of sinensis,
growing optimally in the moist, tropical
climates of China and North-east India. Like
wines, teas are a reflection of their terroir.
Processing after harvesting determines the
type of tea produced. Tea leaves can be roasted,
steamed and semi- or fully- fermented.
The purpose of blending tea is to create a
well-balanced flavour using different origins
and characters. Tea cultivars have been
developed for thousands of years, whereas
the international commercial tea industry has
only existed for a little over a century and a
half. Tisanes, infusions and herbal blends are
prepared like tea, but are made with herbs,
flowers, roots, bark, fruit, seeds and spices.
We love The Tea Haus, located on the
second floor of Covent Garden Market. The
hospitable proprietors have created a little
oasis, which is the perfect place to unwind and
escape the hustle and bustle. This premium
loose-leaf teashop features black, green, white,
herbal chai, Fairtrade, oolong, organic and
fruit teas. The attractive kiosk boasts a solid
inventory of teaware, pots and accessories.
Long-time local tea purveyors, Gary and
Martha McAlister of Everything Tea, located
at the Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market at Western
A guided tasting of four oolong teas at The Tea Lounge