When we talk about pairings with chocolate, coffee is usually the first thing that comes to mind. Stout beers are a personal favourite, and rum is an easy match that rarely goes wrong.
But there’s another direction that deserves more attention: tea.
A few months ago, we visited a tea house in Lithuania, Yugen Tea House. Alongside their regular menu, they offered a tasting built around tea and chocolate pairings—and it turned out to be one of the most interesting ways we’ve experienced chocolate.
Their menu featured six different teas, each paired with a specific bar from Naive. The selection ranged from black teas to green teas, and each pairing created a distinct tasting experience.
For the pairing above, it was Master’s Matsumoto-san wakoucha black tea with Qori Warmi 70% from Peru.
This was one I was especially curious about. Qori Warmi is one of the origins I personally connect with—I’ve visited the cacao cooperative in the past, and I’ve always found chocolates made with this cacao to be impressive, especially in the hands of a maker like Naive.
What surprised us most was how the chocolate changed depending on the tea. The warmth of the tea softened the texture of the chocolate and made it melt more quickly, which in turn shifted how the flavours unfolded on the palate.
It’s definitely a pairing we’d like to explore further.
