At first, I’d like to introduce a phrase.

“The art of tea pairing, much like wine pairing, is a sensory experience that explores the dynamic between the aromas and flavors we find in teas and food”

This phrase is mentioned by a gastronomic scientist “Bernard Lahousse”, who is one of the world’s foremost food innovators and works as a development manager in various food companies.

I think his words resonate with most of tea lovers, like me.

On 22nd October, we can experience a wonderful tea pairing with French dishes in Hotel Associa Shizuoka.

This event has 2 sessions. The former session will be held from 12:00 to 14:00, where 3 professionals will speak about the basis of tea pairing. And then, we will try various unique teas paired with French dishes.

The teas served in the event will be designed by Mr. Nishimura, the owner chef of Gion MAVO working as the culinary artist and pioneer of Japanese tea pairing. In the last January, many tea business persons learned the brief theory of Japanese tea pairing from him in Tsuji Culinary School in Osaka, Japan, as posted before.

In the business seminar, Mr. Nishimura explained there are 3 ways to create good tea pairing with the aimed meal successfully as follows.

1. Synchronizing 
Mutually amplifying some tastes or notes by cooperation of similar compounds contained each ingredient, for example, sipping umami-rich Sencha during meal can enhance umami flavor of fish.

An example of synchronizing. Sea bass poele with champagne sauce paired with cold-brewed tencha green tea. Rich theanine in tencha green tea enhance the umami in the fish during eating. *Tencha is tea leaves dried without rolling. Matcha is made by grinding tencha.

2. Subliming 
Enhancing some tastes or notes by co-existence of different flavor-compounds. Unfortunately, I cannot explain this phenomenon correctly. Hopefully you will hear directly from Mr. Nishimura in the event.

3. Synergy 
Creating new aspect of flavors and aromas by the interaction among compounds of each ingredient, such as, toasty aroma of Hojicha can interact with fruits notes in sauce, resulting in new sensory experience.

An example of synergy effect. Grilled veal with watercress puree, paired with Hojicha blended with various herb and dried fruits such as mallow, hibiscus, raisin, fig etc. Roasty aroma of Hojicha and fruits’ body can enhance the taste of veal like full-bodied red wine.

I hope those who are interested in the art of tea pairing will learn more from Mr. Nishimura directly and find new insights in the event.

Mr. Nishimura memorizes flavors of his original recipe by drawing picture. His qualia can create a series of art of tea pairing, I think. I hope participants will touch with his qualia.

In the first session of the event, 3 professionals will make presentations for the basis of tea pairing theory.

Dr. Monobe will talk about the effect of cold brewing on the balance of flavor composition of tea. Thermodynamics of tea infusion is the core issue for design of tea flavor and the basis for considering tea pairing.

I’ll be very happy her speech could provide you with an opportunity to consider the relationship between the phenomenon of tea brewing and Stokes-Einstein’s equation.

Dr. Takeda will talk about properties of various tea cultivars for considering tea pairing with foods, based on the great knowledge accumulated in his research history in NARO.

< Event Information >

• Date : 12:00-16:00, 22nd (Tue.), October, 2019. * 1st Session – 12:00-14:00, 2nd Session – 14:00 – 16:00.
• Venue : Hotel Associa Shizuoka
• Address : 56, Kuroganecho, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan.
• Fee : 15,000 yen for 2nd session. (1st session is free.)
• Application : Please send your name, cellar phone number, e-mail address and location to the e-mail address below.
  loop.tea2019(at)gmail.com  *Please exchange (at) to @ when you send the mail.