I’ve talked about Indonesian tea before here on the blog. Melanie Halim of Harendong Organic Tea Estate was so kind and lent me a book, “Leaf It to Tea” by Santhi H. Serad. Here’s what I’ve discovered about tea drinking in Indonesia.

•    Most Indonesians are only familiar with black tea.
•    Grandpa style tea brewing is popular, especially in rural areas. Also known as teh tubruk, loose tea leaves are allowed to steep and sink to the bottom of the cup.
•    Tea drinking habits differ from one region to the next and Indonesia does not have elaborate tea ceremonies like in China or Japan. 
•    In West Java, tea is served without sugar. In stalls and restaurants, unsweetened tea is always available on the dining table, even when not requested. In Central Java, black tea is served with gula batu (rock sugar). 
•    Teh talua, a popular tea-based beverage from the Minangkabau region of Western Sumatra, is prepared with egg yolks, black tea, sugar, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice and is believed to increase stamina. Teh talua is served on a small plate along with lemon slices and a spoon. Intriguing.

I still had three Indonesian teas to try from Harendong Organic Tea Estate. You know what a foodie I am, so I embarked on a pairing experiment and came up with the ultimate (Italian) cheese board to enjoy with them. You’re welcome! 😊 The teas are in random order, feel free to experiment if you are putting together a tea flight! The Italian cheeses mentioned are not hard to find, I got them at my local Whole Foods and at Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco.

Harendong Organic medium rolled oolong tea
Origin: Indonesia
Ingredients: oolong tea
Harvest: 2016
Water Temperature: 195 F / 90 C
Steep Time: 1 minute and up
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Leaves/Water Ratio: 4 gr to 5 oz / 150 ml filtered water

EYE
dry leaves: grey and dark grey with lighter yellowish hues, round and oblong small and medium pellets, some with stem sticking out
wet leaves: dark grey/brown
liquor: orange

NOSE
dry leaves: sweet and a little toasty
wet leaves: sweet, toasty, caramel
liquor: mineral, from the 3rd steep on it develops some floral notes

PALATE
liquor: sweet with toasty notes, a little mineral

MOUTHFEEL: light-bodied

CHEESE PAIRING: I have two cheeses to pair with this tea. One is medium-aged Italian Asiago. Its mild and lactic flavor notes nicely contrast the toasty notes of the tea. The other one is Italian Testun, made with goat milk. It is pleasantly sharp and salty, with sweet and nutty notes. Yum!

Harendong Organic light oolong tea, rolled
Origin: Indonesia
Ingredients: oolong tea
Harvest: 2016
Water Temperature: 195 F / 90 C
Steep Time: 1 minute and up
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Leaves/Water Ratio: 4 gr to 5 oz / 150 ml filtered water

EYE
dry leaves: forest green with light green hues, round and oblong small and medium pellets, some with stem sticking out
wet leaves: moss green
liquor: yellow 

NOSE
dry leaves: sweet, hay, wildflowers
wet leaves: sweet, herbaceous and slightly floral
liquor: herbaceous, from the 3rd steep on it develops some floral notes

PALATE
liquor: sweet, herbaceous

MOUTHFEEL: light-bodied

CHEESE PAIRING: Italian Robiola, made from a blend of sheep and cow milk. It has sweet, milky and persistent notes, a nice contrast to the herbaceous flavors of the tea.

Harendong Organic green tea, rolled
Origin: Indonesia
Ingredients: green tea
Harvest: 2016
Water Temperature: 195 F / 90 C
Steep Time: 1 minute and up
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Leaves/Water Ratio: 4 gr to 5 oz / 150 ml filtered water

EYE
dry leaves: forest green with light green hues, round and oblong small and medium pellets, some with stem sticking out
wet leaves: moss green with reddish stems
liquor: pale yellow 

NOSE
dry leaves: sweet, hay
wet leaves: toasty and slightly floral
liquor: herbaceous, from the 2nd steep on it develops some floral notes

PALATE
liquor: sweet, asparagus notes

MOUTHFEEL: light-bodied, grassy aftertaste

CHEESE PAIRING: Italian La Tur, a soft-ripened cheese, made with cow, sheep and goat milk. Slightly acidic, buttery, creamy and grassy. Perfect match for the sweet, asparagus notes and grassy aftertaste of the tea.

Disclaimer: tea samples provided for review by Harendong Organic Tea Estate. This is my honest opinion. I am not affiliated with Harendong Organic Tea Estate. I was not paid to mention or review businesses, products or services mentioned in this blog post. You can find these teas and more information here.