Japanese tea and cheese pairing
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Temps de lecture 4 min
Old-time favorites meet over new tasting experience
The IKKYU team comes from a vast range of food cultures but we're united over our common love for Japanese tea. To kick off a new series of posts about tea and food pairings, it didn't take us long to pick a topic.
For our Italy, France, Switzerland and US-born members, one favorite food stands out easily: cheese. It wasn't hard to convince our Japanese colleagues to get onboard with a cheese and tea pairing focus - cheese is a winner in Japan too!
When it comes to cheese, wine has been a long-time favorite beverage to go along with. Good news! By approaching Japanese tea with the same curiosity as a wine cellar, you will unlock a world of flavors both rooted in tradition and contemporary.
In fact, the amazing diversity of Japanese green tea is a perfect match for the delicious and rich world of cheese. They work surprisingly well together, with tea offering a layered yet delicate alternative to wine.
Tea and Cheese: Why Does It Work?
Cheese and tea pairing is an exciting modern culinary approach that leverages shared umami, vegetal, and roasted flavor profiles to create new tasting experiences.
While cheese is not a traditional Japanese dish, the high amino acid content of Japanese green teas makes them exceptional partners for both creamy and aged cheeses.
However, if a pairing feels slightly disconnected, don't hesitate to add a small dab of honey or a slice of dried fruit. This dash of sweetness often bridges the gap between the tea's vegetal notes and the savory cheese.
Of course, these ideas work great not only for making an inventive cheese board, but also with any kind of cheese-based dish! Why not sip hojicha with a classic Mac & Cheese, or enjoy a glass of iced sencha with a Caprese salad, or a quiche?
PRO TIP! Hot tea often softens the cheese to release more aroma, while cold-brewed tea provides a crisp and refreshing palate cleanser, so your favorite cold-brew bottle will come in handy here.
Serving a hot tea (between 70°C and 90°C) alongside a firm or creamy cheese gently warms the fats. This "melts" the cheese on the palate, instantly volatilizing the aromas and creating a silky, coating mouthfeel.
Cold-brewed teas are typically lower in bitterness and higher in sweetness. Their chilled scrubs the palate clean after a particularly rich or salty bite of cheese.
From a tea perspective, here are our recommendations and tips to pair your go-to tea with your favorite cheese.
MATCHA
Matcha's intense vegetal, grassy, and slightly bitter profile requires rich, creamy cheeses to balance its strength. When pairing matcha with cheese, we recommend preparing it as usucha (thin tea) and not as a latte.
- Alpine Cheeses (Gruyère, Appenzeller): The smooth, nutty texture of mountain-style cheeses complements the earthy finish of matcha.
- Burrata or Mascarpone: These ultra-creamy cheeses soften matcha's astringency, acting like a savory version of a matcha latte.
- Abondance: This semi-hard cow’s milk cheese has hazelnut flavors that pair well with the savory roundness of a premium Matcha enjoyed on its own.
Our picks: ICHIKO premium Sonogi matcha, AYAOKO premium Yame matcha, or MATSUKO premium organic Kagoshima matcha.
SENCHA
Sencha offers a spectrum from light and floral to deep umami, especially with fukamushi (deep-steamed) types. It generally pairs best with seafood-adjacent or fresh cheeses.
- Fresh Goat Cheese (Chèvre): The grassy notes of sencha enhance the "spring-like" funk of fresh goat cheese.
- Blue Cheese: A cold-brewed sencha can stand up to the salt and pungency of blue cheese, providing a refreshing contrast.
- Sheep's Cheese: A fukamushi sencha has enough umami to complement the rich fats in sheep's milk cheese.
Cheesecake: For a cheese-based dessert pairing, sencha's astringency highlights the richness of a creamy cheesecake.
Our picks: YUKARI premium Yame sencha, MITSUE premium Chiran sencha, or MAIKI premium Yame sencha
HOUJICHA
Roasted teas have smoky, caramel, and nutty aromas that bridge perfectly with aged or smoked cheeses.
- Aged Cheddar or Gouda: The roasted, cereal notes of houjicha harmonize with the caramelized flavors of aged hard cheeses.
- Brie or Camembert: Hot houjicha helps melt soft cheeses in the mouth, blending woody aromas with the cheese’s creamy center.
- Pont-l’Évêque: A kuki houjicha (roasted stem tea) develops notes of cooked fruit when paired with this pungent soft cheese.
Our pick: NAZUNA premium organic houjicha
GYOKURO
Gyokuro being the most umami-rich tea, it is best be paired with similarly intense and savory foods.
- Parmesan or Aged Goat Cheddar: The high amino acid content in gyokuro matches the savory "crystals" in long-aged cheeses. Parmesan is one of the most umami-rich food in European cuisine by the way!
- Mozzarella with Tea Leaves: A unique pairing involves sprinkling dry gyokuro leaves directly over fresh buffalo mozzarella with olive oil, and then serving with cold-brew gyokuro.
Our picks: YOHEI premium Yame gyokuro, SATORI premium Yame gyokuro
GENMAICHA
Genmaicha is the ultimate partner for Gruyère. Its toasted rice creates a popcorn-like aroma that perfectly mirrors the roasted, nutty and fruity flavors profile of this aged cheese, the ultimate favorite of Joëlle and Aldo when it comes to Swiss cheese.
The warm rice notes harmonize with the cheese's saltiness, making it a "winning combo".
Our pick: MASAMI premium organic genmaicha
