How should tea treats served when drinking tea at home be chosen depending on the taste of the tea?
While one wants to find treats that pair well with each tea, it can be difficult to establish criteria for what snack suits what taste. One becomes curious about how to match paired foods depending on the strength of the tea's flavor.
Ippodo Tea suggests pairing dried fruits such as apples or persimmons and nuts with teas of light flavor intensity, and dried cherries with teas of heavy, deep taste and aroma.
One side is light, and the other is heavy. Tekiro is a tea that is comfortable to drink, with a flavor Strength rating of 1/3[1]. On the other hand, Ippoen is a tea full of flavor across all criteria, with a Strength of 3/3, Taste of 3/3, and Fragrance of 3/3[2].
When the weight of flavor differs, the suitable pairing foods also differ. Generally, for teas with subtle taste and aroma, plain treats that slowly release sweetness or nuttiness the more you chew pair well. When drinking the relatively light Tekiro, Ippodo Tea suggests pairing dried fruits such as apples or persimmons, nuts, or cakes generously containing these[3]. It is a combination that adds subtle nuttiness without overshadowing the refreshing flow of the tea.
Conversely, for Ippoen, where taste and aroma are clearly concentrated, dried cherries are recommended as a food to enjoy together[4]. This is because for teas with deep taste, pairing foods with distinct sweetness and acidity prevents the snack's flavor from being buried under the weight of the tea. Checking the product's flavor ratings first before drinking tea makes choosing the treat to bring out for that day much easier.
It has not yet been confirmed whether the recommended tea treat combinations vary depending on the tea's steeping time or water temperature.
Product measurements
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Ippoen 50g Bag
Other stated figures
| Part | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 50g |
| 깊이 | 2cm |
| Serving ◦ | 1cm |
| 높이 | 20cm |
| 가로 | 11cm |
For rows marked with ◦, flat measurement or circumference could not be confirmed in official sources, so hmmm determined them using figures from the same item.
Tekiro 150g Can w/box
Other stated figures
| Part | Value |
|---|---|
| 깊이 | 8.2cm |
| 가로 | 8.6cm |
| Weight | 150g |
| Serving ◦ | 1cm |
| 높이 | 14.1cm |
For rows marked with ◦, flat measurement or circumference could not be confirmed in official sources, so hmmm determined them using figures from the same item.