Chili, cocoa and cherry: my favourite tea

Tea is like liquid magic, a beverage so old and steeped in extraordinary legends that with each sip you enter a fascinating inner space of peace and refreshment. It’s not just a beverage, it is a whole universe of flavours and aromas. Everyone has a favourite, without a doubt. My absolute number one is Loyd Tea flavoured with cherry, cocoa and chili…

Black tea – the foundation of taste

Just as perfumes have notes, base, heart and head, so a perfectly composed beverage requires a solid base of flavour which acts as the foundation for an exquisite composition. In this unique infusion, the base is black tea considered as the favourite flavour of tea in the Western world. The differences between black tea and its other varieties are not due to their origin from different varieties of the tea plant, but are the result of carefully considered processing. [YOU CAN FIND MORE ABOUT TYPES OF TEA HERE – articles in preparation].

Legend has it that the invention of black tea occurred by accident when a cargo of the precious commodity got wet on a clipper. However, the story is somewhat misleading, as black teas were already known in China several hundred years before Christ. Further proof that the story is nothing but a legend comes from the erroneous description of the black tea production process. Its colour and flavour result from oxidation, not fermentation. These two processes differ in the presence of oxygen which plays an essential role in the production of black tea.

Here we need to tell another legend, this time a Chinese one. Well, at the beginning of tea’s history, the “green” variety was known: the leaves were dried and then heated so that they retained their bright colour and could be rolled into distinctive balls. One harvest day, the army entered a village where the residents cultivated tea. After ransacking everything they could, the soldiers decided to spend the night on soft baskets filled with dried tea. After a whole night under the weight of their bodies in chainmail, the tea leaves seemed to be completely destroyed. Nevertheless, the poor villagers decided not to throw them away. In doing so, they discovered that fully oxidized leaves (which turn black) have a different flavour than the green ones and, most importantly, they hold their aroma longer.

In any case, black tea has an intense, slightly earthy, bitter flavour that pleasantly stimulates the taste buds with every sip. The same goes for my favourite tea.

Cocoa – a heavenly taste from the far end of the world

Tea is native to Asia, while cocoa is native to South America. It is a tree whose fruit resembles swollen cucumbers. After drying, grinding and fermentation, its hard seeds, surrounded by soft flesh, become a treasure. Contrary to popular belief, cocoa seeds themselves are not sweet. Although the word “chocolate” is associated with a pleasant taste, cocoa itself is bitter and dense. Who came up with the idea of processing these seeds and introducing them into the culinary art? The first archaeological finds point to the Olmec culture and date back to 1500 BC. However, whether the Olmecs knew the process of processing the seeds or merely used the aromatic pulp remains an open question.

A very important point in cacao’s journey through history is the presence of this plant in Mayan culture. Cocoa, made as a beverage and often combined with honey, water and, chili peppers, was a common product treated with reverence. After the Mayans left the scene of history, their place was taken by the Aztecs, who considered cocoa seeds a gift from the gods. They called the beverage prepared from roasted and ground seeds: “xocolatl,” and hundreds of years later this name found its version in almost every language of the world.

Whether cocoa reached the Old World thanks to the travelling passion of Christopher Columbus, or to the adventurous nature of Hernan Cortes, who cruelly repaid Montezuma – supposedly the greatest cocoa lover – for his hospitality, we do not know. What we do know is that from the 16th century to the present day, cocoa has enjoyed the status of one of the favourite flavours in all cultures. The inventions of a Dutch scientist, Coenraad van Houten, who developed a way to obtain fine powder that was much easier to process further, also had a significant impact on the popularisation of cocoa. However, that’s another story altogether.

Cherries – delicate, juicy and healthy 

The origin of cherry is, quite literally, lost in the darkness of history. Cherries and humans are nearly of an equal age. The intelligent trees perfectly developed a fruit that no one could resist, carrying its seeds further and further away. The first records of cherries date back to more than 1000 BC from Greece, at the same time we have testimonies of cherry cultivation in the Far East. After all, Japan is not called the Land of the Cherry Blossom for nothing. Although the cherry tree arrived in our northern regions a little later, traces of it can be found in Poland as early as the 10th century, and today our homeland is one of the largest exporters of this fruit in Europe. The reason for the cherry’s career can be attributed to its numerous properties, which support human health: from a whole plethora of vitamins and minerals, to beneficial anthocyanins. What delights everyone about this tiny, jewel-like fruit is its juicy, velvety flavour which envelops the taste senses with richness and unparalleled deliciousness.

Chili and masterful combinations

The story of chili is long and extremely interesting, not only from a historical point of view, but also from a scientific point of view. Read the entire article on this subject [LINK TO BLOG ABOUT CHILI]. With its extraordinary character and fascinating flavour, it became a favourite addition to the cocoa bean beverage as early as in the Aztec times. It is not surprising that the seemingly tiny pepper has conquered the culinary world and become a symbol of strength, spiciness and depth of flavour. Following the example of the ancients, master chefs combine chili and cocoa, adding different and very interesting nuances of spices and flavours: from vanilla to pepper to cinnamon. At Loyd Tea, we chose cherry, and we were not wrong. This tea is the perfect combination of juicy refreshment and spicy notes in a velvety cocoa wrapper. You absolutely must try it!