People often like to add other ingredients when drinking Tea to adjust its flavor. Some foods can stimulate the tea, making its aroma more intense, while others can enhance the tea's health benefits. What is the best thing to pair with Pu'er tea? It depends on your goal. If you want to cleanse your digestive system, you can pair it with honey. If you're looking for beauty benefits, rose flowers are a good choice.
The Chinese approach to tea consumption has never been limited to plain drinking. On the contrary, there are many ingredients that complement tea well and can be excellent for adjusting flavors and promoting health, even for Pu'er tea, which is often associated with plain drinking. The people of Yunnan have their own unique additions to this tea.
Combinations for Drinking Pu'er Tea
1. Pu'er Ripened Tea with Honey
Ripened Pu'er tea can be enjoyed with honey, making the brewed tea sweet but not cloying, with an improved taste and higher nutritional value. To prepare, place ripened Pu'er tea in a clean teaware, pour boiling water over it, and steep. Once steeped, transfer the tea to a cup, let it cool slightly, then stir in an appropriate amount of honey. Drink once it reaches a suitable temperature.
2. Pu'er Milk tea
Making milk tea with Pu'er is another creative way to enjoy it. When preparing, use an appropriate amount of ripened Pu'er tea, boil it in a pot with water, strain the tea broth, and mix it with milk along with pearls if desired. This results in a delicious pearl milk tea with a rich tea fragrance and a distinct milky aroma, leaving a lasting aftertaste.
3. Chrysanthemum Pu'er
Chrysanthemum pairs well with Pu'er tea. When brewing, combine Pu'er tea and chrysanthemum in a 3:1 ratio, place them in a prepared teaware, and steep with hot water. The resulting tea has a refreshing taste with a strong floral aroma from the chrysanthemum and offers detoxifying properties. It is especially good for preventing heatstroke during the summer months.
4. Goji Berry Pu'er
Goji berries are another great match with Pu'er tea, one of the creative ways to enjoy it. When brewing, place Pu'er tea and goji berries together in a Teapot and steep with hot water. Goji berries help improve vision and complement the health benefits of Pu'er tea. Drinking such tea enhances resistance to radiation and slows down the aging process.
So far, we've discussed various additions to ripened Pu'er tea, but what about raw tea? This is mainly because ripened tea, having undergone fermentation, becomes milder and is thus easier to pair, similar to black tea, which is versatile. If you want to get creative with raw Pu'er tea, one option is: raw tea + ice cubes.