The Tang Dynasty Revolution: Tea as Art Form
Tea culture spread throughout China during the Tang dynasty (618 – 907), particularly after the completion of The Classic of Tea (Cha Jing) by Lu Yu in the 8th century, who later earned fame as the ‘Sage of Tea’ and had an enormous impact on the spread of tea drinking. The Classic of Tea, written in ten chapters on three scrolls, is the oldest known guide to tea drinking and culture, covering all aspects of tea culture, from growing to harvesting, crafting and brewing as well as techniques for farmers and craftsmen to produce the finest teas.
Following the process described by Lu Yu, tea leaves were first steamed in a steamer, then ground using a mortar and shaped into cake before being dried and strung with reed or bamboo, and eventually, the tea was ground and cooked in a brazier before drinking in a tea bowl, with The Classic of Tea describing 28 utensils used to brew and drink tea.
The first mention of powdered tea leaves appeared during the Three Kingdoms Period (220 -280 AD), and in the ancient Chinese dictionary Guang Ya, it was written that people in regions of Sichuan and Hubei had the habit of picking tea leaves to make tea cake using rice milk, and when drinking, these tea cakes would be roasted to a reddish hue, then pounded into small pieces and then mixed with the addition of scallion, ginger, and tangerine.
Myanmar’s Tea Leaf Salad: The Ultimate Culinary Tea
Tea leaf salad is the national dish of Myanmar (Burma), with a significant portion of tea in Myanmar consumed as food rather than drink. Fermented (pickled) green tea leaves, romaine lettuce, toasted peanuts, sesame and sunflower seeds, fried garlic chips, dried shrimp, yellow split peas, jalapeño pepper, diced tomato, and fish sauce are the ingredients in the recipe for Tea Leaf Salad, called lahpet thoke, with each ingredient served in a separate pile atop the lettuce when served, then mixed together.
This dish represents perhaps the most sophisticated culinary use of tea in traditional cuisine. The fermented tea leaves provide a unique umami depth that can’t be replicated by any other ingredient. The bitter, slightly sour notes of the pickled tea create a perfect counterpoint to the rich nuts and aromatic vegetables.
Modern chefs studying this dish have begun incorporating similar principles into contemporary salads and grain bowls. The concept of using tea as a primary flavor component rather than just an accent has opened new doors for creative applications.
Ancient Chinese Tea-Smoking Techniques
Food smoked with tea leaves is a centuries-old culinary technique that lends a delicate smoked flavor to seafood, pork, chicken, and other meats, and it can be traced back to ancient China, where cooks would heat a mixture of tea leaves and uncooked rice in a wok until it smoked, then use the trapped smoke to cook and flavor their dishes. Tea-smoking techniques are thousands of years old in Chinese culture, and it gives a more delicate, smoky flavor, not as acrid or bitter as wood smoke, and is easy to light up.
A Chinese black tea from Fujian Province, Lapsang Souchong is heavily scented with pinewood smoke, and when prepared as a beverage, it is often an acquired taste, but its smoky flavor makes it a favored ingredient in savory recipes. This technique has influenced everything from duck preparations to modern barbecue methods.
The beauty of tea smoking lies in its subtlety. Unlike hickory or mesquite, tea smoke doesn’t overpower the natural flavors of the protein but instead adds aromatic complexity that enhances the overall dining experience.
Modern Tea Infusions in Fine Dining
The former tea sommelier at Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers and L’Espalier restaurant in Boston, now with In Pursuit of Tea, has cooked with tea for more than 20 years and included more than 150 recipes in Culinary Tea, from Green Tea-Lacquered Salmon to Spinach and Ricotta Scallop Rotollo with Ceylon Beurre Blanc to Seared Tuna with Tea Spice Crust.
Tea can be used to balance against sweetness, as a bridge between disparate flavors, to complement or contrast against flavors or aromatics, to change the mouth-feel, to add depth, brightness, or complexity, and most recipes don’t end up tasting like tea – it’s used as the ‘secret ingredient’.
Contemporary restaurants are pushing these boundaries even further. Recipes for corn chowder use 3½ cups of delicate, floral chamomile tea as the base, with the sweet corn pairing perfectly with the tea broth, and the chowder includes potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions and bell pepper to ramp up the flavor even more.
Tea Cocktails and Modern Mixology
The craft cocktail movement has encouraged bartenders to experiment with all types of ingredients, including tea, and upscale bars and trendy restaurants are taking notice, crafting tea cocktails that are not only visually appealing but also cater to the health-conscious consumer seeking lighter alternatives to heavy, sugary drinks.
One of the most popular ways to include tea into recipes is by infusing them into cocktails, adding a concentrated amount of tea into your drink adds notes of fruit, herbs or florals into your beverage for a unique, flavorful taste, and for those who enjoy spirited drinks, options include the White Ginger Pear Champagne Cocktail, Hibiscus Blossom Margarita or the Orchid Vanilla Collins.
Hotels are introducing “tipsy tea,” a unique twist on traditional high tea, reimagining this traditional service to cater to younger generations and an increased demand for experience-based offerings, straying from the old-school three-tiered stand with scones, macaroons and tea sandwiches.
Matcha: The Green Revolution in Modern Cuisine
Matcha has become a culinary sensation, making its way into not only drinks but also desserts, smoothies, and savory dishes, known for its vibrant green hue and rich antioxidant properties, matcha is revered for its health benefits and versatility. Matcha is made from dehydrated, powdered green tea leaves and has been popular in Japan for hundreds of years, and it’s new to the US market because of its health benefits.
By now, most tea enthusiasts are acquainted with the earthy, mint-colored powder made from stone-ground green tea leaves, and many are aware of its popularity in cakes and pastries, lending an aromatic punch along with a host of antioxidants and a moderate shot of calm, consistent energy.
Matcha’s vibrant green hue is not enough to satisfy modern customers looking for more color, and multicolored matcha is popular on social media with orange being the most sought after, with Yelp trends showing that orange rose in searches 595% in the October 2024 report, while other loved flavors and colors are blueberry, strawberry, and lavender.
Tea-Infused Savory Cooking Techniques
Tea can be used to infuse the richer component of a dish, and steeping tea leaves or tea bags directly into dairy products like milk or heavy cream is an easy way to add flavor to desserts like ice cream or panna cotta, or a savory cream-based sauce like béchamel. Dishes like Chinese dumpling soup or tortellini en brodo are perfect opportunities to experiment with concentrated combinations of tea and other flavorings like soy sauce or dried mushrooms.
Black tea is a particularly delicious addition to hoisin or soy sauce, adding a kick of unexpected earthiness to stir-fried vegetables, chicken, or pork, and a small amount of sweet tea, brewed at a higher concentration than usual for more robust flavor, can blend perfectly with homemade sweet and sour sauce.
Recipes marinate thick pork chops for 24 hours in a brine of hot tea, brown sugar, citrus, garlic, onion, and spices, resulting in super moist chops that are loaded with flavor.
Tea in Desserts and Baked Goods
Matcha cookies and baked goods are a popular dessert pairing, but it’s not the only tea well-suited to baked goods, as floral Earl Grey tea or warm chai spices are right at home in a pound cake or shortbread, and herbal peppermint tea introduces new complexity to brownies. Black, Green and Herbal teas also add delicious flavor tea in a multitude of baked good recipes, including an Earl Grey Tea Loaf, Triple Tea Scones, and Linzer Tea Cookies.
Biscuit-like Earl Grey cookies are a wonderful addition to holiday cookie swaps because they are truly unique. Cookies filled with a dreamy chai-infused ganache are perfect after a meal, with a cup of tea, as a breakfast treat – or anytime at all.
Tea is not only for drinking; tea-infused flavors are popping up everywhere from Japanese-inspired matcha ice cream, Chamomile ricotta cake, and Cardamom Chai Ice Cream.
Health-Focused Tea Culinary Applications
Tea is increasingly marketed for its health benefits, aligning with the broader wellness movement in foodservice, and matcha, known for its high antioxidant levels, and turmeric tea, praised for its anti-inflammatory properties, attract health-conscious consumers. Regular green tea leaves that are typically reserved for steeping can add a host of health benefits to classic homemade soups, stews, and broths, like chicken noodle soup, with a pinch of green tea leaves pairing nicely with onion and garlic, as well as ginger.
Health and wellness teas are specifically designed to support various aspects of physical and mental well-being, containing a blend of herbs, spices, and other natural ingredients known for their health-promoting properties, and they are often consumed for their potential therapeutic benefits, which may include improving digestion, boosting immunity, reducing stress, and aiding in sleep.
The integration of functional teas into everyday cooking represents a growing trend where culinary pleasure meets nutritional benefits. Home cooks are beginning to view their spice racks as medicine cabinets, with tea playing a starring role.
Current Restaurant Tea Trends
In Q1 2024, the average price of tea was $3.74 per cup, highlighting its affordability compared to other caffeinated beverages, and tea popularity has grown significantly across many US states, indicating a shift in consumer preferences. Flavored and infused teas are gaining traction as restaurants experiment with unique combinations that blend traditional tea with ingredients like fruit, herbs, spices, and flowers, transforming classic tea offerings into exciting, palate-pleasing experiences.
In the last few years, people have been leaving sodas behind for a variety of flavorful and healthy alternatives, teas are more popular than ever, the United States is among the world’s largest tea importers, eighty-seven percent of millennials drink tea, and since the 2020 pandemic, Gen Z has been making the switch as well, with seventy-five to eighty percent of tea served in the US over ice.
Beyond traditional green and black teas, herbal concoctions featuring exotic ingredients like hibiscus, butterfly pea flower, and medicinal herbs are gaining popularity, and tea ceremonies and tastings have become social events, fostering a renewed appreciation for the craftsmanship and complexity of high-quality teas.
Innovation in Tea Preparation Methods
These innovative methods offer distinctive tastes and enhance the tea experience, providing new and exciting ways for consumers to enjoy tea, and cold brew and nitro teas appeal to those looking for sophisticated, refreshing, and visually appealing beverages. Genmaicha, a brown rice tea, doubles down on its high notes when heated in a wok – the bits of green tea leaves become crispy, and the puffed rice gets deeply toasty, and it can be served as a crunchy garnish atop stir-fried greens, veggies, or meat.
From salted egg yolk and chili crunch fusions to mushroom-infused teas and freeze-dried fruit powder garnishes, culinary experts are highlighting the standout ingredients, menu items, and techniques set to take center stage in 2025.
Modern techniques are transforming how we think about tea preparation. Nitrogen infusion creates creamy, foam-topped teas that rival the most sophisticated coffee drinks, while cold brewing extracts different flavor compounds, resulting in smoother, less astringent beverages perfect for culinary applications.
Sustainability and Ethical Tea Sourcing in Cuisine
Consumers are increasingly concerned about the origins of their tea, and ethically sourced and sustainably grown teas are becoming more important, with foodservice providers that highlight their use of fair-trade-certified or organic teas meeting this demand and enhancing their brand reputation. The specialty food and beverage trends reflect a vibrant culinary landscape driven by a fusion of global influences, sustainability consciousness, and a commitment to well-being, with restaurants and food manufacturers embracing the challenge of creating exquisite dishes while minimizing their ecological footprint.
The farm-to-table movement has embraced tea as more than just a beverage ingredient. Chefs are now visiting tea gardens, understanding terroir, and selecting specific harvests for their menus just as they would with wine or coffee. This deeper connection to the source is elevating tea’s status in professional kitchens worldwide.
Single-origin teas are becoming as prized in cooking as single-origin chocolate or coffee, with chefs appreciating how different growing regions produce unique flavor profiles that can enhance specific dishes.
