Tea and chocolate have a long and unique history for thousands of years. According to multiple sources, the tea party made its debut in 2737 B.C., when some sources said that when Chinese Emperor Chen Enge boiled water under the tree, some people accidentally blew up the tree.
Piotr Miga, a tea sommelier based in Greater Boston, explained recent evidence to Fox News Digital that the people of Ecuador used cocoa 5,300 years ago, but noted that it did not reach Europe beyond until the early 16th century.
Soon, news spread about the healthy properties of these two delicacies. “By the 17th century, tea and chocolate were considered high-scale, fashionable and medicinal.”
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He explained that tea and chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contain antioxidant polyphenols, which target free radicals, can reduce the risk of cancer and have other health benefits.
Healthline reports that antioxidants and flavonols in cocoa and dark chocolate reduce inflammation and help keep artery healthy endothelial cells. The Journal of Medicine also details popular teas such as green tea, ginger and rose hips that can also fight inflammation and prevent oxidative damage.
Tea and chocolate contain antioxidant polyphenols.
Tea and chocolate are usually provided at the end of a dessert meal, especially on special occasions such as Valentine’s Day. Miga explained that teas in the UK and the East are more appreciated, while in France and Italy, people tend to drink alcohol.
Miga believes that dark chocolate is accompanied by black, pu’er or herbal tea with berry, rose or citrus flavors. He describes how milk chocolate or chocolate desserts “match with black tea picked in the crescent moon in early spring, which we call the first flash tea or green tea.”
Research has found that dark chocolate daily may reduce the risk of diabetes.
Amy Sherman, a tea lover and editor-in-chief of chocolate professors in San Francisco, told Fox News Digital that the same rules apply to pairing chocolate with wine that pairs chocolate with tea with chocolate.
“You can compare and you can add,” she said. “There are a lot of chocolate and tea of different styles, so there are a lot of experiments that can be done.”
A tea lover told Fox News numbers that the rule applies to chocolate that pairs chocolate with chocolate. (iStock)
Sherman agrees with Miga’s suggestion to pair dark chocolate with black tea. She also mentioned that she liked Earl Grey Tea, a black tea with citrus bergamot, with chocolate because “citrus and chocolate” [are] A beautiful combination. ”
When it comes to the right tea to drink with chocolate mint, Sherman commented: “It depends.”
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“If you want to enhance the mint flavor, then I’ll drink mint tea,” she said. “If you want to make the mint taste less, then I’ll choose black tea (for example) English breakfast or orange peco.”
Since the chocolate caramel is so sweet, Sherman thinks it will pair with “things with stronger traits,” like Lapsang Souchong of Smoked Black Tea.
To reduce the strong sweetness of milk chocolate, Sherman recommends pairing it with green tea, which has a earthy flavor and a mild taste.
Tea and chocolate are usually served at the end of a meal with dessert. (iStock)
She speculated that honey-flavored black tea (Rooibos) was accompanied by bittersweet chocolate, chocolate-covered nuts or toffees, and even strawberries or cherries dipped in chocolate.
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“With some fruity chocolate, I’d go for a really strong flavor of Ruibos or hibiscus flower, or I’d go with black tea, which is a comparison,” Sherman said.
She explained that popcorn chocolate covered with sea salt or chocolate was paired with matcha tea, which is made from green tea leaves and has a foamy bitter taste.
Sherman describes how sweetness of white chocolate candies, such as candy or truffles, complement the delicate flower essence of herbal tea or the gentle scent of chamomile. Since white chocolate is made from cocoa butter instead of cocoa solids, it also has a milder flavor.
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Another popular trend, she said, is tea-flavored chocolate bars.
Tea-flavored chocolate bars are a popular trend. (iStock)
William Mullan, brand director of Raaka Chocolate in Brooklyn, New York, told Fox News Digital that his company has been producing chocolate tea bars in-house since 2014, with its Earl Grey Unbaked Dark Chocolate Bar making its debut.
Mullen said just as some teas can bring out the sweetness of dark chocolate bars, the health properties of each tea can work together with mood enhancers.
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“Blood and caffeine are stimulants, and they help people focus and emotions,” he said. “If you want to accomplish something and get spicy and focused, in the right dose, a little bit of chocolate and a little bit of it. Tea can be a very beneficial thing.”
