What are tea snacks?
Tea snacks, small and delicate treats in the tea ceremony, emerged as accompaniments for tea, enhancing the taste experience.
The Origin of Tea Snacks
Tea snacks, once called tea fruits, have a history dating back to ancient texts. Wang Shijie’s “Jin Zhongxing Book” recorded tea snacks. With the development of tea culture, tea snacks gradually became popular. Especially in the Tang Dynasty, various types of tea snacks were abundant at tea banquets, showcasing their diversity. By the Song Dynasty, tea snacks and tea fruits became frequent features at various tea gatherings.
In the Ming and Qing dynasties, tea snacks reached new heights in variety and delicacy. “Dream of the Red Chamber,” a literary masterpiece, describes as many as forty to fifty types of tea snacks and tea fruits. Today, in teahouse culture, tea fruits and tea snacks have become an indispensable part. With their variety, exquisite craftsmanship, and excellent appearance, aroma, taste, and shape, they have become a major spectacle in Chinese tea culture. (another topic: What is a Traditional Chinese Tea?)
The Role of Tea Snacks
1.Demonstrating hospitality
China has a tradition of serving tea to guests since ancient times. While a pot of tea is good, complementing it with delicate snacks further demonstrates the host’s thoughtfulness and deep etiquette.
2.Enhancing flavor and aroma
Just as certain foods taste better with condiments, tea snacks enhance the flavor of tea, making its aroma more prominent and adding layers to the tea-drinking experience.
3.Preventing tea intoxication
Drinking tea on an empty stomach can sometimes lead to “tea intoxication,” but proper tea snacks can alleviate this condition and protect the stomach to some extent, reducing gastric irritation. Therefore, pairing some sweets or snacks with tea is essential during tea-drinking. (another topic: 6 Types of People Unsuitable for Drinking Pu-erh Tea)
Principles of Pairing
Remember the rhyme:
“Sweet with raw, salty with cooked, red with sour, light with white, melon seeds with oolong.”
At a tea gathering, everyone may have their unique preferences for pairing tea with snacks. While there are no absolute standards, you can generally follow the rhyme above for clever combinations. Ultimately, it’s best to customize your tea and snack pairings based on personal taste. (another topic: What Do Chinese Eat While Drinking Tea?)
Pu’er Raw Tea
Rich in tea polyphenols, with a robust flavor, it quenches thirst and exudes ample tea aroma. Pair with light sweets like pastries to avoid tea intoxication and enhance delicate tea flavors.
Pu’er Ripe Tea
Mild in nature, with a mellow taste. Pair with nuts or high-protein foods for a fuller tasting experience. (another topic: Raw Puerh Tea and Ripe Puerh Tea: Process Differences)
Black Tea
With its rich and intense flavor, it pairs well with soda or lightly acidic snacks like madeleines or preserves. Alternatively, emulate the British afternoon tea with cakes for added enjoyment.
White and Green Tea
Their delicate flavors don’t suit heavy snacks. Opt for low-sugar or savory snacks as accompaniments.
Oolong Tea
Its rich taste complements salty dried fruits like peanuts and melon seeds. Nut-based snacks are versatile companions to almost all tea types.
In Yunnan and some ethnic minority areas of China, Pu’er tea has become part of daily life. People often enjoy traditional snacks like glutinous rice cakes and pastries with a cup of fragrant Pu’er tea, enhancing both food and tea enjoyment.
Reflections on Tea Drinking
Amid laughter, scholars gather, visitors cultured (谈笑有鸿儒，往来无白丁). On cold winter nights, around the hearth, endless topics for discussion. Tea ceremony, not trivial, savoring delicacies, exploring nature, experiencing life’s ups and downs.
“谈笑有鸿儒，往来无白丁” from Liu Yuxi’s Tang poem “Inscription on the Humble Dwelling.”(陋室铭) This profound classical text holds deep philosophical insights. I’ll include the original text and decode its profound wisdom at the end.
山不在高，有仙则名。水不在深，有龙则灵。斯是陋室，惟吾德馨。苔痕上阶绿，草色入帘青。谈笑有鸿儒，往来无白丁。可以调素琴，阅金经。无丝竹之乱耳，无案牍之劳形。南阳诸葛庐，西蜀子云亭。孔子云：何陋之有？
Translation:
Mountains not high, with immortals renowned. Waters not deep, with dragons spirited. A humble abode, virtue adorns. Moss on steps, lush green; verdant grass, seen through curtains. Conversing here, erudite scholars; no shallow acquaintances. Playing the ancient qin, reading golden-scripted sutras. No cacophony, no bureaucratic toils. Zhuge Liang‘s cottage in Nanyang, Yangzi Yun’s pavilion in Western Shu. Confucius said, “What’s humble here?”
