Is That Tea in My Chocolate?

By Sally Peabody

Paris is justly famed for its abundance of marvelous chocolatiers and surprisingly less well known for its myriad options for savoring fine teas in the pot, and yes…even on one’s plate. For aficionados of premium teas and chocolates who want to move beyond side-by-side pairings of complimentary brews and bonbons, there is some exciting tasting to be done around the City of Light.  Here are three notable choices.

The ever-elegant Mariage Freres tea company prides itself on its five-hundred-plus premium loose leaf teas and its masterly custom blends. In addition to all that drinkable bounty, this venerable French tea company creates a buzz around the creative tea-infused cuisine and the various savories available in their shops and salons. Remarkably, founder Henri Mariage developed what has to be one of the earliest tea/chocolate blends in 1860, boldly pairing two French obsessions, tea and chocolate, in one cup. Today, the Mariage Freres’ chefs take exquisite blends and incorporate teas in all manner of delicious things to eat, not least in their small but select line of tea-flavored chocolates.

Savvy shoppers visiting Mariage Freres locations in Paris (and in Japan), know to seek out the classy little black and gold boxes full of delicious dark or milk chocolates infused with carefully chosen teas.

Are you an aficionado of Earl Grey tea? A dark chocolate with creamy Earl Grey ganache and topped with roasted tea leaves kicks those bold flavors to a higher complimentary level. Ditto for dark chocolates infused with Marco Polo, a black tea flavored with Chinese and Tibetan fruits and flowers, one of Mariage Frères perennially popular blends. And then there are the bonbons infused with the subtly spicy green tea blend, Tea Sur le Nil, sencha flavored with citronella and other spices, which tastes very sophisticated indeed! Around the holidays, chocolates flavored with the limited-season aromatically spicy Thé Noel blend are also available. And on Valentines Day or anytime, a most romantic gift would be chocolates crafted with the seductively flavored Thé Eros, and some matching tea, or maybe a little champagne.

Any short list of additional excellent choices to sample tea-infused chocolates in Paris must include Master Chocolatier Christian Constant, whose sleekly sophisticated chocolate shop and adjacent Salon du Chocolat are located on rue d’Assas. This upscale residential street in the 6^th arrondissement just off the Luxembourg Gardens was once home to Gertrude Stein. If Stein lived today, I think she would be a regular customer. Among an embarrassment of outstanding classic and creative chocolate riches, Constant makes deep dark chocolates flavored with Ceylon tea; with green tea perfumed with Yemen Jasmine; and also a variety incorporating Verveine (lemon verbena beloved for herbal tisanes). The subtle tea flavors play beautifully in company with Constant’s incomparably rich chocolate. Monsieur Constant also takes pride in his superb line of chocolates flavored with pure essences of roses, lavender and various flowers, all of which would pair well with complimentarily floral-scented teas.

Matcha, the deeply flavored, slightly bitter Japanese green tea pairs felicitously with dark chocolates. Lovers of matcha and chocolate should make the short journey to an unassuming little chocolates manufacturer and shop called A la Petite Fabrique, located at 12 rue Saint Sabin, just a few blocks from Place de la Bastille. Sample their knockout white-chocolate bars flavored with matcha sourced from Chajin, the best Paris source for premium first flush green teas from Japan. These bars are an eye-catching, soft green color. They can be purchased plain or with almonds or pistachios. Delicious in any iteration! A la Petite Fabrique’s matcha bars are also sold at Chajin’s tea salon at 24 rue Pasquier, located near all the gourmet delights of La Place de la Madeleine.

Tea is resoundingly out-of-the-pot and into your chocolate! Enjoy having your tea and eating it too at any of these quintessential Paris sources.

Visit www.yourgreatdaysinparis.com.

Sally Peabody is a writer with a specialty in fine tea and chocolates in Paris.

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