I received a few tea samples from TeaVivre a few weeks back and thought that instead of just brewing and reviewing them, it will be more fun and tasty to pair them with food.

Disclaimer: No monetary compensation is received for the review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The TeaVivre team has kindly sent me 5 types of tea to review. As they are of sample size, they are packed in small bags and then packed in a larger bag with a ziploc, so that the tea can be kept fresh longer. Here are the teas that I’ve received!

Premium Keemun Hao Ya Black Tea

Being a black tea, Keemun tasted strong and bold but at the same time, fruity and smooth. It’s perfect to have a cup of this in the morning with breakfast or brunch and in the afternoon with some tea snacks. I’ve paired mine with a Devil’s Cupcake with Chocolate-Mint Frosting. I love how the tea, though not bitter, balanced out the sweetness of the cupcakes, enhanced the chocolatey flavour and at the same cleanse the palate so that I don’t feel the heaviness of the frosting.

Bi Luo Chun Green Tea

Bi Luo Chun is one beautiful tea to brew – I love to watch those tiny leaves unroll as they steeped in the hot water. The brewed tea is extremely fragrant and bursting with flavours – I’m being really honest here – I’ve never drank a green tea that is as delicious as this! I paired the tea with a simple stir-fried salad – the green tea cleanse the palate and cuts away greasiness with its fruity undertones.

Huang Shan Mao Feng Green Tea

Unlike the previous green tea, the leaves of Huan Shan Mao Feng aren’t rolled into tiny bits. When brewed, it gives off a very light golden colour and aroma. It also does not taste as strong as the Bi Luo Chun, hence I paired the tea with neutral-tasting and light muffins, adding only apples into the muffins. As I prefer something of a stronger flavour profile, I prefer the Bi Luo Chun to this.

Jasmine Silver Needle White Tea

My only experience with drinking Jasmine tea is from those bottled sweet drinks, hence being able to try this Jasmine white tea is a fragrant and delicious experience. It has a strong jasmine flavour with a lingering sweetness that make this tea a pleasure to drink. This is the only tea that I didn’t pair anything with as I think most food will overwhelm the delicateness of the tea. If you love jasmine tea, do give this a try!

Ripened Rose Pu-erh Mini Tuocha

Pu-erh is a very common Chinese tea and I remember drinking quite a lot of them since young especially during Chinese banquets. The tea cuts through all the greasiness of all the heavy dishes, and this beautiful Rose Pu-erh is no exception. Its low caffeine content allows me to drink it at night, and knowing that it increases metabolism and helps to break down fats (aiding weight loss) gives me more reason to drink this tea on a more regular basis. The rose flavour is extremely subtle, which I’m glad because I’m not very fond of rose flavour. I have made some Korean kimbap (upcoming recipe!) to pair with this dish and it was a perfect match.

The tea was compact into bricks and wrapped individually, which makes it a joy to watch the tea bloom during brewing:

TeaVivre is a set up by a group of tea lovers from China, Canada and France. Their passion for drinking great tea has prompted them to track down exceptional teas throughout China. All of the teas are purchased directly from tea produces with a proven track record in producing tea using organic and traditional method. Each tea put up on the website is accompanied with its characteristics, the date of harvest (which is of utmost importance as it tells tea drinkers the freshness of the teas) and brewing guide. I also love the fact that they have sample size options available on their website so you can give them a try before committing to buying a larger packet.

If you are lover of tea, do head over to their website and check out their wide selection!