Part of the tea sommelier’s role is to host tasting sessions for pastry chefs. Tea can be used like a spice in the kitchen: single-origin teas and flavoured blends can lend a lingering finish, additional texture or a delicate bittersweet note. The same tea can impart a multitude of flavours and aromas – zesty, honeyed, woody and more – to a dessert.
Among the pastry chefs who attend our tastings, some work in prestigious establishments that serve up splendid afternoon teas. These feature a succession of delicate delights, sweet and savoury. Of course, tea is an essential part of the experience, so it is important for pastry chefs – for whom this is not always their speciality – to understand different tea varieties, brewing methods and food pairings. Here at the École du Thé in Paris, we welcome top pastry chefs from prestigious establishments such as the Saint-James, the Shangri-La, the Bristol, Lucas Carton and Maison Bernard Loiseau.
(Photos: A. Denni)
