The opening slide of the session left most of the guests baffled. A picture of wine glasses clinking on the LCD monitor with an introduction to the tea-tasting session at the newly opened Tea and Wine Lounge at Radisson Blu left us confused too. But before any questions came her way, Sushmita Das Gupta, tea connoisseur and personal brand coach, clarified, “You must be wondering why a wine picture when this is a tea-tasting evening! That’s because we need to learn from the French. The French are proud of their wine and we must be proud of our tea because India produces the best quality tea and yet, we don’t really talk about it.”
What followed this introduction was several rounds of tea tastings paired with complementary small plates. While Sushmita shared her theories on tea brewing and pairing, the first round was served — a Darjeeling Black Tea with Cheddar cheese. We were instructed to take a small first sip and a larger second sip. The third sip was to be the largest and longest — the sips help in understanding tea through its spicy head, nutty body and hazelnut tail. The tail is what remains of the taste. Mindfully, we took the first sip of the Darjeeling black tea. A strong bitterness hit the palate. Likewise, the second and third sips just meant more bitterness. We found that this tea is best paired with cheese. The cheese balances the bitterness of the strong tea.
Turning a new leaf
A black tea infused with rose and vanilla flavours was paired with coconut burfi. The aroma of the tea is what reached us first. The tea smelled of vanilla when brought close to the nose and when taken away, it left a trail of rose fragrance. Again, the three-sip ritual was followed. The tea had a strong flavour that transformed into a sweet and milder taste after biting into the burfi. This pairing was near perfect, in our books. Next, a Moroccan mint green tea was served with chocolate cake. This one tasted like most regular green teas, but when paired with chocolate cake, it lent the tea a subtle sweetness.
The last tea of the day was the highlight of our tasting. A cup of authentic Kashmiri kahwa was paired with Turkish baklava. The kahwa with infusions of pistachio and almonds was rich both in aroma and flavour. This pairing was the best of the lot that was served. Apart from these teas, the lounge also serves other options of which we highly recommend the Ceylon Young Hyson Green, Tieguanyin and Italian Almonds.
With such an eclectic collection of blends, Radisson Blu’s tea lounge is certainly a must-visit, particularly during the Monsoon.
Rs 1,100 ++ for two. At Palace Road. Details: 22205205
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