How did I get myself into such a pickle? Let me introduce to you my new favorite San Francisco hang-out, which I admittedly first heard about from Anup more than a year ago: The Samovar Tea Lounge. (Anup had the courage to go for the 1950 Vintage Pu-erh.)

As part of our anniversary celebration, Amy and I attended a special event dinner with tea pairing at Samovar. Everthing was delightful, from the food, to the tea, to the friendliness of the owners, to the engaging conversation with the fellows at the next table (one of whom was a tea aficionado in his own right).

About tea pairing, from Samovar’s site:

Cooking and pairing food with teas has become a wonderful alternative to wine. Tea, like wine, imparts the complex aromas and refined flavors into the dish, but also lending an uplifting, mind-clearing quality that wine lacks. In addition, the flavors of tea stand up well to the cooking process without overpowering the dish.

For many of the dishes featured throughout this event, tea will be used in the cooking of the dish, and also paired to drink with the food—enjoying it in several forms. The types of foods will span the continents, and the flavors, ranging from stimulating and refreshing, to smoky and intense. The dinner will be in our unique style of Asian-Fusion combining Japanese, Latin, Chinese, and California methods with fresh Summer ingredients.

I’d have to say that my favorite tea of the night was the Bergamot Rooibos, a very aromatic and pungent tea with a flavor similar to that of Earl Grey. How apropos that it was paired with our sixth and final course: Earl Grey Truffles.

Looking for just the right word to describe your tea? That’s where I picked up the catchy term “agony of the leaves,” which I’m looking forward to witnessing the next time we visit Samovar and I try the Jasmine Peony Rosette. It is made by hand-tying green tea buds into flower shapes with silk threads and scenting them with fresh Jasmine flowers.