Cape Town's Table Bay Hotel Introduces Unique Tea and Pastry Pairing

A new practice for High Tea, each flavor of tea is paired to compliment a dessert or pastry, making a very unique experience for guests. The flavorful loose leaf imported teas are opening doors to a new tea culture.

“I love experimenting with new flavors and ideas to express my creativity when creating novel desserts. The concept started when we hosted several international groups at The Table Bay Hotel. In order to differentiate ourselves we linked the Nigiro loose teas with dessert and pastry pairings,” says Anita. “Tea naturally complements food by rounding off its flavors.” Nigiro Tea Merchants introduced real loose leaf tea to South Africa in March 2009 with a mission to generate a culture of tea appreciation in the country.

Some of Anita's creations include: cherry and dark chocolate tart and pistachio brittle paired with Sakura, a cherry flavored tea; caramel parfait served with white chocolate mousse and peanut caramel paired with African Sun, a cardamom tea; and Tiramisu with ginger and cocoa served with espresso sauce and paired with the classic Earl Grey.

The pairing menu includes four to six of the most unique Nigiro teas. Anita creates each duo by imagining which ingredients compliment each tea, every one having very distinctive flavors, smells and tastes. Many of the Nigiro teas have inspired her to create new desserts ideas for this menu. She says, “Often individual teas have very subtle flavors and so it's important that the dessert or pastry doesn't overpower the taste of the tea.”

Private tea pairing sessions can also be organized for guests in conjunction with Mingwei Tsai, a tea connoisseur from Nigiro. Mingwei begins the experience by explaining the flavors and history of each tea. Anita follows by describing the characteristics of each dessert and how they accompany each tea. Mingwei then infuses each selected tea in front of the guests, explaining the ritual and the body, acidity, and texture of each tea.

To make reservations for Table Bay Hotel's High Tea, email sainfo@sun-int.net or call 1 (800) 727-9330.

Hotel Profile, more photos: Table Bay Hotel