Pair Some Tea with Your Chocolate this Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is lurking just around the corner. Soon the day of love will be upon us, and department stores will be flooded with folks in search of last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts. Prepare to be bombarded by glossy paper hearts, cherubic flying babies, and chalky candies embedded with cheeky catchphrases. Valentine’s Day enjoys somewhat enigmatic popularity, both loved and hated by many. For some, the holiday inspires gestures of romance. For others, it can mean a day of self-pity and binge-watching Netflix. However, all these things stray far from the true purpose of Valentine’s Day—an excuse to indulge on chocolate.
Fine chocolate has been a staple of Valentine’s Day since the mid-1800s, and today it remains one of the most popular Valentine’s Day gifts of all time. Chocolatiers around the world expect explosive sales in the month of February and prepare special truffles and gift boxes in anticipation. In fact, the sales of chocolate in February are challenged only by the sales of greeting cards and roses. Personally, we’d much prefer the chocolate. You certainly can’t eat flowers or printed pieces of cardstock, can you? Of course not! Chocolate is plainly superior.
Whether you’re buying chocolates for a loved one or treating yourself to a truffle or two, this is one time of year we’re allowed to enjoy chocolate guilt-free. You think we’d let this opportunity get away from us? No way! At Tin Roof Teas, we love chocolate. One of our favorite ways to enjoy chocolate is with a cup of tea. While tea isn’t the most “traditional” of Valentine’s Day gifts, it pairs exceptionally well with chocolate. Chocolate truffles and specialty chocolate bars have always been popular sellers at Tin Roof Teas. There’s no secret behind it. Tea and chocolate are simply a match made in heaven.
If you’re skeptical, we recommend you try one of the following pair-ups:
Milk Chocolate and English Breakfast
The essential chocolate and tea pair-up! Sweet and creamy milk chocolate is an excellent partner to a strongly brewed English Breakfast tea. The light, sugary flavor contrasts well with the richness of the tea, bringing out notes of honey and toasted nuts. This flavor combo also works well with a variety of Ceylons and Assams!
Dark Chocolate and Matcha
These two sophisticated flavors seem distinctly different, but the result is surprisingly pleasant! The creaminess of matcha softens the bitter taste of dark chocolate, invoking a sweetness from the chocolate that isn’t overwhelmingly sugary. The combo of matcha and chocolate is explosively popular in the East, finding its way into almost every café and patisserie.
White Chocolate and Peppermint
Since white chocolate is simply a sweetened blend of cacao butter without added cacao powder, it’s no surprise that it takes on additional flavors well. When combined with peppermint tea, it’s divine! The taste of peppermint lingers on the tongue after every sip and adds a delicate layer of flavor to every bite of chocolate.
Buttermilk White Chocolate and Sencha
Perhaps the oddest of our chocolate and tea combos is buttermilk white chocolate and sencha tea. Buttermilk white chocolate has a very unique, tangy flavor. This unusual chocolate isn’t a hit with everyone, but it has a big cult following! It’s tartness blends well with the mellow earthiness of sencha. Buttermilk white chocolate can be a bit hard to find. Luckily, we carry bars at our physical location in Raleigh(Cameron Village), North Carolina!
We at Tin Roof Teas wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day! Whether or not you intend to partake on any romantic venture, we hope you set aside some time for self-love as well. You deserve it!