A glass of wine with your meal is the default. But what if you don’t drink wine, or you’re simply trying to cut down on alcohol? Previously it would be a rather boring, sugary drink or a glass of water, but now some innovative alternatives are appearing, with just as much ‘treat factor’ as wine.
I’m particularly impressed by Saicho Tea, developed by Charlie and Natalie Winkworth-Smith. Natalie is from Hong Kong and so understands the fantastic world of amazing teas, which, FYI, is a little more involved than ‘builder’s’ versus Earl Grey.
In China there are whole streets devoted to tea-sellers where you can sample some of the world’s best teas. Experts ‘know’ the different teas, as a sommelier knows good wines – they can tell you about the type, the size of leaf, the estate and terroir, the grade, what ‘flush’ (harvesting time) – and it all makes a difference to the taste, enjoyment – and price –you can absolutely pay as much for a good tea as a very good wine.
The leaves of Camellia sinensis have many attributed health benefits, including boosting immunity, reducing heart disease and obesity. Certainly they are rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals and some studies back up these claims. As a doctor, I’ve been particularly interested in the claimed anti-cancer properties of green tea.
But now Saicho have taken the leap of developing a tea-based sparkling drink, more akin to prosecco than your morning cuppa.
They’ve taken three teas with distinct and different properties and cold-brewed each one for twenty-four hours to extract the delicate and complex flavours. They’ve aerated the liquid and added a small amount of grape juice to complement the natural umami of the tea.
The three distinct teas complement different foods and so are perfect for a special meal.
First I tried Hojicha, made by roasting Japanese Bancha green tea, apparently it pairs well with Asian salads or cured meats. I really liked it. A strong and complex mixture of flavours, mainly on the side and back of the tongue, which appeared and developed over several minutes, all mixed with the delicate slight sweetness of the grape juice. The fizziness was reminiscent of a pleasant sparking wine. Chilled definitely worked best.
The Saicho Darjeeling – appropriately known as the champagne of teas was a deep yellow ochre, resembling a muscadet, and indeed its flavor has been described as muscatel, and it’s good with grilled meats.
Finally, and maybe no surprise, Saicho have used a green tea from the Fuding mountains of China, infused with jasmine flowers. This is much paler, and I note they have incorporated natural oak flavours, perhaps to emulate a chardonnay? This is delicious chilled, and works well with deserts.
So which is my favourite? I can recommend them all – a real treat, with health benefits and no hangover – well worth a try at just £8.99 a bottle. Available at Saicho Drinks, Borough Box, The Whisky Exchange, Yumbles and The Artisan General Store
By Dr K Thompson, award winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.