this post was submitted on 24 Mar 2024
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Tea is spice
Spice isn't necessarily spicy. It also contains herbs.
Yeah, oregano, cumin, and such are spices. But I’m not arguing it isn’t a pungent plant used culinarily I’m saying it’s not used as a spice. A spice is used to add flavor to a dish, tea is more of an ingredient. It’s closer to strawberries in culinary use. By adding strawberries to something its flavor is so impacted we either specify that it’s a strawberry version of the dish. Tea is more like that. Coffee too.
Whatever a Bay leaf is, tea is too. Same process.
Interesting. I never heard tea referred to as such and won't use it in speech, but it's a fascinating bit of trivia, for me.
But extremely different culinary uses.
I asked chatgpt for ideas
Black Tea Infused Chicken: Marinate chicken in brewed black tea with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and honey for a flavorful twist.
Black Tea Glazed Salmon: Create a glaze with brewed black tea, honey, soy sauce, and a dash of lemon juice to brush over baked or grilled salmon.
Black Tea Poached Pears: Poach pears in brewed black tea with cinnamon, cloves, and a touch of sugar for a delicious dessert.
Black Tea Ice Cream: Infuse heavy cream with brewed black tea, then mix with sugar and vanilla before churning into ice cream
Yeah some of those sound like decent novelties. Tea ice cream sounds good. But notice in each of these situations it’s being used far more like a fruit than bay or oregano would be. It’s never “do you know what this dish could really use? A bit of tea” no its “let’s build a dish to show off that we can use tea culinarily” its never curry with tea in its masala. It’s never used to spice up your rice. It’s never part of your dry rub. It’s never thrown into your soup or stew.
Agreed. Certainly not common.
However, I have heard coffee being used as a food ingredient. Cocoa too (e.g. Mole chicken).
Coffee is good in dark sauces and ice cream. Properly made mole (árbol, iirc) with chocolate is divine, but time and labor intensive. I've never attempted it, but I bought a jar of the hard, oily stuff last shopping fr trip I did, which doesn't have cocoa. It was an impulse buy, since it's really too warm to be making such a heavy dish, barring an Easter cold snap that's chilly enough, and I doubt I'll make it then, since I'll be busy for a few months. If you can get authentic, freshly made, I strongly recommend it.
I tried coffee mixed with tea once. Only once.
And it's not a chatgpt hallucination https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/earl-grey-tea-ice-cream-56389790
Nope, I searched it! It actually sounds good and I want it!
Fascinating. Hopefully someone itt have tried some of those and gives a critique.
I’ve had Earl grey ice cream by van heusen and I am a big fan - I pick it up whenever I see it
Oh goodness, see what you've done? Earl Grey is my favorite (hot) tea (it's not bad iced, either) and no access to that! It's rare I have an attack of FOMO, but I do now!
ETA: there is one near someone I've not seen in a few months. I could get her to visit but getting her to bring something I want that she'd have to go out of her way to get is the trick. And she doesn't like Earl Grey, so a promise to share won't work. Thanks for the review, though, I'll look for it tomorrow when I go out of town, assuming my transportation has no problem with it.
Tea has been used to flavour a dish, not in leaves form but brewed and then added to the broth, there's a chole recipe with tea used as such