Tea and the Dessert Finale by Tomislav Podreka

What do great restaurants like Le Bernardin, Vong, Gotham Bar and Grill, Lutece, L’espalier, on the East Coast and Chez Panisse, Ciudad and LeHermitage on the West Coast and many more than I could possibly list, have in common? Strong and versatile tea programs which support and enhance the desserts of the establishments and maintain the continuity of excellence through to the end of the patrons’ meal.

Tea is to dessert as what wine is to an entrée. It is not surprising then that the pastry chefs are the ones talking to me about this versatile leaf, helping to initiate a good program at their restaurant and lending support for a quality presentation and offering. Only during this final course is it customary for so much interest to be levied towards this, until recently, under-utilized beverage. Restaurants everywhere have started to realize that with no additional cost or labor, a premium loose leaf tea program can be employed and dramatically enhance the dining appreciation of the guest.

Why can I make such a broad statement? Let’s consider all the things that make a great dessert: the initial impression - the presentation; the fragrance of a dessert; the texture of the elements combining and, of course, the taste. The thought and the care placed into these creations are a matter of pride and love and you would want your creation to be accompanied by a worthy beverage. A beverage that incorporates all the elements listed, a beverage that, along with wine, represents 95% of flavors that the palate is capable of discerning. So then the appearance of a tea list next to the desserts list becomes a matter of pride. The guests are shown that you care about their experience and take the pairing of dessert and tea seriously enough to present them with sensory options. Accompanying the names of the tea with a brief description allows the patrons to empower themselves with a little knowledge and relieves the wait staff of the entire burden of education. Many restaurants are utilizing a small presentation tableside, typically consisting of small amounts of the loose tea displayed on small dishes or inside compact caddies on a tray, to entice the guest with a visual and olfactory stimulation of the elegance of the leaf. Two very simple approaches which very simply create an aura of sophistication and pedigree.

It is all very good to discuss the meritorious ambience of the tea leaf, but what will the enhancement in tea service cost? If we look at an average of $10.00 a pound and divide by the expected yield of 200 cups, we will arrive at a cost per cup of approximately .05 cents! Hardly worth quibbling about, especially when you do the calculations on the cost of a teabag and find that most are not any less and more than a few are as expensive as .25 cents a piece! Then when you consider the difference in quality, the value increases tenfold. At the service station, the attendant is simply scooping a teaspoon of tea into the pot and then pouring boiling, or as close as is possible, water over the leaves and sending it out – as simple as tearing a bag open.

How then should a restaurant choose a selection of tea? The very first consideration should be that tea is not an item that is separate and distinct from the rest of the menu. You would not choose a wine without full consideration of the menu it must support. Likewise, a restaurant should not choose tea without consideration of the desserts they are to enhance. The particular philosophy of food structure and flavour profiles being employed by the chef, should help define the list of teas. When choosing a selection, talk to your vendor and then also trust your palate. The same technique you would employ to taste wine, you would utilize when selecting tea. If you fear not being qualified to chose, remember that you have brought yourself this far with your palate and tea should certainly not be your undoing! That is not to say that tea is not complex, just that there is already a certain level of knowledge that you have and the rest is a learning process. I point out to many of the chefs I work with that I am simply a specialist, whereas they must carry the memory of many flavors and profiles. Consider also that there are no magic combinations, where a Darjeeling may accompany chocolate very nicely it will also accompany spice and fruit. Chocolate meanwhile will pair well with many green teas, that in turn will happily uphold sorbet and fruit tarts! Jasmine tea on the other hand, is not the best choice for desserts – but then if you have ice-cream made with pepper, the Jasmine steps in well.

It is wiser to consider a more succinct list of between seven and ten teas to begin and not risk a learning curve problem with your staff. Expand the list as you go if you wish. Within this selection there should be a representation of Black, Flavored Black, Green, Flavored Green, Oolong and Tisane (Herbal Infusion). Consider that your clientele will have amongst them those who would tint their tea with a little milk, possibly lemon. One black tea should be capable of carrying both. Always look for estate or regional names for unflavored tea, like a Makaibari estate Darjeeling and a Keemun black tea from China - it is an assurance of unadulterated distinction, or in the least a good constant indication of flavour. As a flavored black tea, Earl Grey is almost a standard, yet I have seen many restaurants risk not having this perennial and not suffer. I would encourage more in the line of unflavored, but consideration of the guest and the anticipated sophistication of their palates should be kept in mind. It is always possible to enhance the tea list with time.

There really should not be a need to purchase any equipment. A good restaurant should already be serving teapots; the same teapots can be used to pour loose leaf tea. An infuser that is placed inside the teapot, or a strainer to place over the cup to catch the leaf, are optional purchases. Keep the pots small; no more than 16 ounces; two sizes are unnecessary. The hot water contained in the espresso machine is typically best, it heats small amounts of water and constantly replenishes its reserve. If what is available is a coffee tower with a hot water spigot, then simply have the temperature increased to around the 200 – 205 mark. I would highly recommend a water filter, not just for the tea. Tea can become so many things to the restaurant, a refined presentation, an elegant dining finale and a unique ingredient. A simple detail that can lend a pedigree of class without pretension that helps seal a superb evening for your patrons and creates a profitable and elementary accompaniment to your restaurants’ farewell piece – the dessert.

The wait-staff are not the only ones who get to play with the tea. It is not a revelation that tea is being used as an ingredient in pastry (and indeed in the culinary arts as well). Tea, when used as an ingredient, does not do what is commonly expected, that is, always taste like tea. I must make a distinction here between using a flavored tea and using an unflavored tea. Let me use a crème brulee with earl gray as an example. Yes, the flavour is easy to grasp, but what is being tasted is bergamot, not tea. Putting aside herbals like verbena, lavender, chamomile, mint etc. the use of tea in desserts has an effect not entirely expected. First do not be hesitant to use the tea within the pastry, crush or grind the leaves and mix the powder directly into dough. When using a Darjeeling in this manner then mixing it into a sableuse, the outcome was a strong nutty taste with pervasive green notes. If you are familiar with the taste of Darjeeling, you will recognize these flavors as a part of its profile. Powdering a Ceylon and combining it into a gelee, brings out a pronounced honey note, again not something that screams TEA flavour, but a flavour profile that is inherent in the liquid form. Using the whole leaves of a Pai Mu Tan (white tea) directly in the liquid of a simple syrup reduces the sweetness and provides a mature note that delivers refinement. Of course the leaves are strained out of the mixture, but not always discarded. When a Ti Kuan Yin Oolong was used instead of the Pai Mu Tan, it was found that when the furled leaf of the Oolong opened itself, the simple syrup had candied the leaves and they were not just edible but very tasty!