A Sensory Experience: Tea and Olive Oil Tasting and My Sweet Pairings
This weekend my mom and I attended a tea and olive oil tasting at The Quail & Olive with two friends Jenn and Connie. Though I am well-acquainted with Anni's store and inventory, Josias and his Split Tea Co. were new to me. What a fun, delicious, and educational afternoon.
For each pairing, we tried the tea, then the olive oil, then tasted them both again and observed how the two changed together.
I have been wine tasting for decades. And tea tasting has been a fun family activity for years as well. See how my boys changed throughout the years! Thankfully they are both still tea-appreciators.
But this is the first time I have done an official sensory olive oil tasting. Anni led us through four simple steps. We had 1 to 2 Tablespoons of each oil in cobalt blue glasses. She explained that the cobalt glass obscures the color of the oil because some people have preconceived notions about how an oil will taste based on its hue.
Swirl
Anni showed us how to place the glass in one hand, cover it with the other hand, and move it in a circular motion to warm the oil which releases its aromas more readily.
Sniff
Raise the glass to your nose and remove your hand. Inhale the olive oil’s aromas.
Sip
Take a small sip of the oil while inhaling. This will heighten the flavor even more. Let the oil fully coat your tongue. Let the oil sit on your tongue for just a moment
Savor (by Swallowing)
Swallow the oil while, again, inhaling to let the aromas enhance the flavors on your tongue. Don't be surprised if you cough during swallowing. Anni shared that that sharp feeling is caused by the antioxidant-rich polyphenols found in high quality olive oils. In certain olive oils, the pungency can actually be strong enough to trigger the coughing reflex. Anni joked that she has one-cough, two-cough, and three-cough oils!
My Sweet Pairings
I had tasting notes from Josias and Anni to give me a direction in the kitchen.
I. White Peony Tea + Arbequina Olive Oil
Tea aromas: hay, floral, peach
Tea flavors: creamy, buttery, grassy, nutty
Oil aromas: cinnamon
Oil flavors: hay, cinnamon, nutty
This is the only pairing for which I didn't make a treat. I had planned to make White Peony Snickerdoodles. But I think that the name 'snickerdoodle' invokes a certain expectation of a cookie. After I posted Mastering a Beloved Favorite: A Slight Twist on S's Snickerdoodles, I received so many comments that this was a favorite cookie. So, when I was low on time, I opted not to mess with a favorite classic. But you can be sure that I will be trying my hand at a tea-dusted snickerdoodle sometime soon.
II. Green Tea + Picual Olive Oil
Tea aromas: seaweed, umami, fresh grass
Tea flavors: herbaceous, green leaves
Oil aromas: herbaceous, tomato leaves
Oil flavors: banana peel, tomato stem and leaves
With this pairing, I shared Handrolled Green Tea-Picual Truffles.
III. Oolong + Lemon Olive Oil
Tea aromas: jasmine, floral, tuberose
Tea flavors: honey, floral, honey
Oil aromas: lemon candy
Oil flavors: lemon peel, white pepper
Jenn commented that this tea was like Hawaii in a glass. I agreed that it was flower-forward which reminded her of the scents of lei wafting through the Honolulu airport. You can bet that I bought an entire box of this tea to have an island vacation at the ready through a glass of tea!
With this pairing, I shared Oolong and Lemon Olive Oil Shortbread.
IV. English Breakfast + Doctor's Blend Olive Oil
Tea aromas: hay, honey, wheat, graham cracker
Tea flavors: nutty, wheat, slight bitterness
Oil aromas: spices
Oil flavors: green almond, green olive, black pepper
With this pairing, I shared English Breakfast Spice Cake with Chai Buttercream. .
V. Purple Beauty Black Tea + Tuscan Blend Olive Oil
Tea aromas: melon, honeydew, stone fruit
Tea flavors: stone fruit, guava, earthiness
Oil aromas: ripe banana
Oil flavors: fennel, herbaceous, green tea
With this pairing, I shared Purple Beauty Guava Thumbprints.
VI. Pu'er + Blood Orange Olive Oil
Tea aromas: burnt hay, grass, barnyard earthiness
Tea flavors: grassy, gently sweet
Oil aromas: orange zest
Oil flavors: reminiscent of a 50-50 bar (also called an orange creamsicle)
With this pairing, I shared Pu'er Citrus Panna Cotta.
That's a wrap on my tea and olive oil tasting afternoon. Thanks to Anni and Josias for hosting such a a fun, delicious, and educational afternoon. I learned so much!
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