Tea and Chocolate: A Match Made in the Parlour

Something delightful always happens when the kettle sings and the teapot is filled with fragrant loose leaves. But when you place alongside it a square or two of the finest chocolate, well -- suddenly the world feels brighter, softer, and quite impossible to resist. One might be tempted to think it magic, and in a way, it is. Yet, as with many of life's finer pleasures, there is a touch of science behind the enchantment.

Tea, as my devoted Society knows, is a treasure chest of flavonoids -- antioxidants that guard us against those troublesome free radicals and, most kindly, help to ease blood pressure. Nestled in its leaves is also the remarkable amino acid theanine, a gentle boon to mood and mental clarity. It calms while it enlivens -- how rare a gift!

Chocolate, meanwhile, has its own alchemy. It contains phenylethylamine, the same little chemical our clever brains release when we are in love. Add to this its rich polyphenols -- another form of antioxidant linked with improved moods -- and you will not be surprised that chocolate has been adored for centuries.

And so, when the two are brought together, we find ourselves blessed with a double dose of joy. The question then becomes not if one should pair them, but how.

Clara, ever steady where I am dreamy, insists that "too much of either is apt to bring a headache," but even she admits that a single cup of Earl Grey with a morsel of good dark chocolate is a partnership as harmonious as roses and summer rain.

It is worth remembering, dear friend, that both tea and chocolate entered Europe as exotic luxuries, costly and rare. In the seventeenth century, chocolate was first sipped as a bitter, spiced drink in the courts of Spain. Tea, arriving through the East India Company, quickly found its place at English tables. Both were at first reserved for those of means, their expense making them the preserve of parlours and salons.

How curious that now, in our own age, they are so easily obtained, and yet their pairing still carries an air of indulgence! To sip tea and taste chocolate together is to partake in centuries of refinement -- a marriage of two once-extravagant treasures, now made daily joys.

Soft, sweet, and creamy -- milk chocolate is the darling of the confectionery world. It is best matched with teas that themselves welcome milk:

Utterly Charming Chai -- warm spice and a whisper of rose.

Morning Tea -- the dependable classic.

Earl Grey -- a fragrant lift of bergamot.

For the less-sweet varieties of milk chocolate, a green tea makes a bright and balancing partner.

Mrs. Pembroke, bless her heart, once arrived at my parlour with a box of assorted milk chocolates, declaring, "Well, I heard they go with anything -- even the vicar's sermon!" She popped three at once while sipping her chai, and I daresay the combination left her more animated than usual.

Intense and just a touch bitter, dark chocolate deserves bold companions, poured from the crystal teapot into cups that can hold its richness:

Elevenses -- hearty, strong, and robust.

Earl Grey -- its citrus cut dances with cocoa's depth.

Moroccan Mint -- refreshment that lifts the richness.

Clara herself prefers dark chocolate in modest squares. "It reminds me that life should be savoured, not swallowed," she says, cutting one bar into careful pieces. I cannot help but agree -- dark chocolate and a brisk Irish Breakfast lend an almost bracing satisfaction, as though one has conquered a mountain before noon.

Delicate and sweet, with no bitterness at all, white chocolate finds harmony with teas of contrast:

Rooibos -- earthy, grounding, and graceful.

Strong green tea -- their slight astringency cuts through the sweetness.

Spiced blends -- floral and lively notes add intrigue.

Cousin Charlotte, reserved though she is, delights in white chocolate paired with rooibos. She insists it is "a little like embroidery on linen -- quiet, but endlessly pleasing." I sometimes think her refinement extends even to her palate, for she will nibble no more than half a square at a time, yet always with a look of contentment.

Pairing tea and chocolate is not mere indulgence -- it is ceremony, romance, and experiment all in one. Imagine, if you will, the crystal teapot gleaming upon the table, cups set in readiness, and beside each, a sliver of chocolate chosen to complement the blend. Guests lean forward, curiosity alight, as they take that first bite, then sip, and the flavours entwine like dancers in a minuet.

I recall an afternoon when the rain pattered against the windowpanes, and we decided upon a little tasting. Clara brewed four pots -- Morning Tea, Earl Grey, Moroccan Mint, and Utterly Charming Chai -- while I set out chocolates from milk to dark. Each guest was invited to pair at will. Mrs. Pembroke, of course, declared that "all chocolate goes with all tea!" but even she was persuaded, after a second helping, that Moroccan Mint and dark cocoa made a particularly merry couple.

When next you reach for your favourite blend, add a square of chocolate as its companion. Taste slowly, let the flavours entwine, and above all, savour every delicious moment. For in that mingling lies not only delight upon the tongue, but also the remembrance that life's simplest pleasures -- a cup and a square -- may be its richest treasures.