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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 Frères 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, together in one cup. Today,
the Mariage Frères’ chefs take myriad exquisite blends and incorporate teas in
all manner of delicious things to eat, not the least of them in their small but
select line of tea-flavored chocolates.
Savvy shoppers visiting Mariage Frères locations in Paris
(and in Japan), know to seek out the classy little black and gold boxes that are
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 perenially 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 6th
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 appealingly eye-catching soft green color.
They can be purchased plain or with almonds or pistachios added to the bars.
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.
Sally Peabody is a writer and Paris Specialist with a
specialty in fine tea and chocolates in Paris.
http://www.yourgreatdaysinparis.com.
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