Cynthia Gold

Culinary: Smoking Foods with Tea

Smoking is an ancient food preservation technique prized now more for the flavors imparted by the smoke during the cooking process then the actual preservation of the food. Tea sommelier and author Cynthia Gold shares new recipes for smoked pork loin, smoked quail, smoked salmon, even a smoked cocktail.

Tiki and Tea, A Tea-Smoked Cocktail

William Prine, at L’Espalier, located at the Mandarin Oriental in Boston, has created this fabulous straight tiki style cocktail with Keemun and clove smoke that really brings it to life.

Tea Smoked Salmon

This lightly cured and smoked Salmon can be used as shown here for a first course, or with different accompaniments as a main course.

Tea Smoked Quail

Smoked poultry or fish are seen often in Asian cuisines, while in the west, particularly America, meat is more often smoked.

Tea Smoked Salt

I enjoy using Tea Smoked Salts as finishing salts where a pinch can really bring together the flavor and aromatic components of your dish.

Smoking with Tea Leaves

Smoking with tea leaves is not that different from classic wood chip smoking, and in fact tea leaves and wood chips work beautifully together.

Tea Smoked Pork Loin

Pork takes particularly well to smoking techniques, especially those that are preceded by brining.

Tea Brined Holiday Porchetta

This Italian holiday classic is incredibly moist and more tender than you will believe. Although the hands on time is not long, you’ll want to plan two days ahead to tea brine your pork belly overnight, then rub it with tea, herbs and spices and allow to sit another night before slowly roasting.

Cranberry Apple Preserves

This preserve is equally at home on the breakfast table or with your afternoon scones as it is on your Thanksgiving dinner table.

Black Tea and Spice Rubbed Baby Back Ribs

Space on the grill is at a premium when entertaining a crowd so rather than a long slow grilling over indirect heat tea-braise your baby back ribs and then quickly finish on the grill!

Tea Mixology

Tea is a flexible botanical that belongs behind the bar and can inspire a mixologist from many directions. The role of tea continuously evolved in Modern craft cocktails.

Tea Smoked Salmon

This lightly cured and smoked Salmon can be used as shown here for a first course, or with different accompaniments as a main course.

A Summer Barbecue

As the weather warms and you fire up your grills, it is second nature to reach for an iced tea or Tea Sangria, but tea isn’t just great accompanying grilled food, it can play a role within that food as well.  Consider Matcha and White Bean Dip, or upgrading your S’mores!

Matcha-Pineapple Margarita

In this seductive variation of a classic margarita, the tea powder adds an exotic flavor, rich color, and mysterious opacity to the cocktail. A pinch of dried red pepper flakes makes it more seductive. 

A Summer Barbecue

As the weather warms and you fire up your grills, it is second nature to reach for an iced tea or Tea Sangria, but tea isn’t just great accompanying grilled food, it can play a role within that food as well.  Consider Matcha and White Bean Dip, or upgrading your S’mores!

Gourmet S’mores

These wonderful macarons can be completely made in advance, but for the enjoyment of your guests, we strongly recommend that you have the macaron halves ready to fill and allow each guest the fun of toasting their marshmallows and building their cookies, just like with the classic s’more.

Matcha and White Bean Dip

This white bean dip recipe is breathtakingly quick to make. If you need a quick dish to bring to a barbecue and are tight on time, make this bean dip and serve with purchased pita chips or fresh pita. If you have a little extra time, then these chips are worth the effort.

Marzi’s Summer Gimlet

This wonderful cocktail was created by Marzi Pecen for a Tea Cocktail event that she was leading. She noted that even non-gin drinkers enjoyed it!

Tea Ghee

Ghee is a style of clarified butter used in Indian cuisine. Milk proteins are browned during the process giving it a wonderful nuttiness. The addition of tea leaves during this step can add further depth to the flavors and perhaps this would then be Ghea?