Thanksgiving Tea Pairings: What Teas Go Best with Each Course?
Thanksgiving is a time to gather with your loved ones and indulge in classic family dishes that evoke feelings of warmth and nostalgia. While the turkey, macaroni and cheese, and pumpkin pie often steal the spotlight, there’s one element that can elevate your entire Thanksgiving dinner experience: tea. Pairing the right tea with each course of your Thanksgiving meal adds a unique twist to your day and enhances the flavor of your food. In this guide, we’ll explore which of our teas pair best with each course – from appetizers to desserts!
The Appetizers
Thanksgiving appetizers are typically light and flavorful, so you’ll want to start with a tea that doesn’t overpower the palate but complements the flavors of dishes like cheese boards or charcuterie platters.
With fresh, grassy notes and delicate flavors, green tea is a great option for lighter appetizers. If you’re having a spread of vegetable dips, smoked salmon, or a charcuterie spread, green tea will cleanse the palate without overwhelming your tastebuds. Try our Mango Tango Iced Tea or our Riverboat Queen Strawberry Green for an extra refreshing drink option.
White, with its light and smooth taste, is another excellent choice for pairing with Thanksgiving appetizers. It has a natural sweetness that complements mild cheeses and seafood, such as shrimp cocktail or smoked salmon. A subtle white tea, like our white peach, is a great option for small plates like roasted nuts or quiche.
Falling between green tea and black tea on the oxidation scale, oolong tea has a complex flavor profile that can be described as slightly fruity and floral. Try our Formosa Oolong and Lemon Basil Oolong with savory starters like roasted vegetables or tarts.
The Main Course
A hearty and flavorful meal filled with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and more needs a tea that can hold its own and balance the richness of the dishes. When choosing which tea you’ll pair with your main Thanksgiving course, consider robust, full-bodied teas that can complement both the savory and sweet elements of your meal.
A bold black tea is a natural choice to pair with the main course of your Thanksgiving dinner. The full-bodied flavor works well with the savory flavors of turkey, stuffing, and macaroni and cheese. A Darjeeling that has fruity and muscatel notes, like our Margaret’s Hope Darjeerling, can enhance the flavor of turkey gravy and other side dishes.
Chai
The blend of spices in your typical chai, like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves, can help bring out the flavors of the season. It pairs beautifully with turkey, cranberry sauce, and delicious stuffing. The warming spices of chai also bring an added layer of comfort to your Thanksgiving dinner, so try out our Bluff City Chai this season.
The Desserts
When it comes to dessert, think about pairing your favorite seasonal pies – apple, pumpkin, or pecan – with a tea that will enhance the spices and sweetness of them. The right tea can help cut through the richness of pid while bringing out the notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
Spiced Tea
Spiced tea, like our Cinnamon Twist Black Tea and Winter Wonder Orange Spiced Rooibos, can help bring out the warm spices in your favorite Thanksgiving desserts. The cinnamon, ginger, and cardamon notes of a class chai align perfectly with traditional pumpkin and pecan pies, and the boldness of black tea enhances the deep flavors of the pie’s crust.
Rooibos tea has a naturally honey-like sweetness that makes it a fantastic choice to pair with your favorite desserts like apple pie, fruit tarts, and shortbread cookies. It’s also caffeine-free, so it’s fine to drink later in the afternoon. Try out some of our favorite rooibos teas, like our Orange Cream Rooibos or our new Orange Spice Loose Leaf Tea.
Early Gray Tea
If your Thanksgiving menu consists of dessert with citrus elements, like lemon meringue pie, Earl Grey Tea is a great option. The bright notes of bergamot in Earl Grey complement zesty lemon flavors!
Shop My Cup of Tea this Thanksgiving
Tea is a great way to enhance your Thanksgiving celebration. Whether you choose a bold black tea to complement your favorite side dish or a spiced chai to pair with delicious pumpkin pie, tea can help elevate your meal in ways that other beverages can’t. As you prepare your Thanksgiving dinner this year, consider pulling out your favorite teas and trying out some of these pairings. If you’re looking to have My Cup of Tea at the year’s Thanksgiving, make sure you get your order in! All orders are processed in 24-48 hours, and shipping may take time. We also offer free pickup at The House, located at 3028 Carnes Avenue, Memphis, TN 38111.
My Cup of Tea is a non-profit in Memphis, TN that serves as an office, packing hub, retail store, and place of refuge for the women of Orange Mound. Our mission is to provide women in our community with the tools they need to thrive. We import the highest quality tea from tea estates and gardens in the Far East where they are weighed, re-formatted, and packaged for sale by the women who work here. Your purchase of our teas or other products opens a pathway for positive change and upward mobility for the courageous women who create them. Learn more about our story here.