Thé À L'Opéra

Mariage Freres' Thé À L'Opéra or Tea at the Opera is a flavored green tea.   By the looks of the leaves, it is likely a sencha with red berry flavoring.   The smell of the leaves is sensual and lovely, including sweet strawberries, caramels and chocolates.  However, the steeped tea is not as adorable and does not evoke feelings of a night at the opera.  In fact, the artificial aftertaste brings to mind plots of soap operas.

But Thé À L'Opéra excels when pairing with pastries and desserts.  Its slight sourness and astringency cut through the richness of pastries and desserts, such as Bourbon pecan pie and New York cheesecake.   Its aftertaste also becomes less noticeable.

L'Opera tea

Type:  Green     Blending Country: France    Preparation:  85°C 3 Min

Dry Leaf:   Red berry, caramel and chocolate aromas overpower sencha's grassiness.
Wet Leaf:  A faint grassy note hides under berry candy notes.
Liquor:      The amber tea has light astringency from green tea and sourness from berry flavoring.  It is quite refreshing but leaves an artificial aftertaste.

Tee Score: 3 out of 5

Paris Breakfast

One of the new teas from Mariage Freres, the famed tea establishment based in Paris, is befittingly named Paris Breakfast.  Unlike English Breakfast, Paris Breakfast is not meant for a hearty meal of bacon, sausages and eggs.  Think petit dejeuner: a pain au chocolat and brie.

The first impression of the tea is sweet citrus or candied orange, the familiar tang of a traditional Italian panettone.  Paris Breakfast appears to be a blend of Assam-type black tea, Chinese green tea and citrus vanilla flavoring.   Taking Paris Breakfast straight without milk is delightful and pairing it with a rich chocolate croissant is divine.

"The chief danger about Paris is that it is such a strong stimulant..." - T.S. Eliot

petit dejeuner

Paris Breakfast

Type:  Black     Blending Country: France    Preparation:  95°C 4 Min

Dry Leaf:  These broken leaves have some gold tips.  Citrus and vanilla notes shine through black tea.
Wet Leaf:  The leaves are unmistakably orange soda with vitamin C.
Liquor:      It is coppery in color.  Orange or citrus dominates.  Black tea in the background reveals soft chocolates. There is some green tea astringency at the end but no aftertaste at all.

Tee Score: 4 out of 5