My Cup of Tea: Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's Tea Appreciation Workshop

I've attended a few wine pairing sessions but tea pairing is definitely something new to me. And when I got an invite to attend Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's tea appreciation event with its Tea Master David de Candia, I quickly said yes.

Hello, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has established itself as a brand that serves great selection of beverages and dishes making it an ideal place for a quick drink or meal. Though coffee tends to take center stage, CBTL's tea selection is also worth checking out. And I had a fantastic time learning which sweet treat would go best with different teas.

We started off with three kinds of tea--Moroccan Mint, English Breakfast and the new CBTL tea concoction, Paradise Blend.

We were taught the proper way of preparing tea and the exact steeping time for each kind. Three minutes for green tea, five minutes for black and seven minutes for fruit infused tea. 

Our Guiltless Chocolate Cake was served with Moroccan Mint and it complemented each other beautifully. The refreshing tea was balanced by the sweetness of the cake and interestingly, I got a hint of coconut from the cake after taking a sip of tea. 

Banana Chocolate Muffin was served with English Breakfast. It was a classic combination and it never fails to work. 

Paradise Blend has a natural sweet fruity taste and it went great with the White Chocolate Berry Cheesecake which gave it a slight tangy kick. 

We also had a blast creating our own tea blend using the available ingredients for us. I made mine with black tea as base and added some tropical fruits for that deep yet fruity blend. Though fragrant, it didn't taste like how I pictured it. So I guess I'll stick with my new favorite Paradise Blend instead. 

Thank you, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf for the lovely afternoon!

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is located at Burgos Circle, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. It also has multiple branches nationwide.