Question 1

What exactly is included in this tea tasting workshop in Paris?

Accepted Answer

This two-hour workshop includes an interactive masterclass led by Oxana Genel, certified tea sommelier , featuring the guided tasting of 5 origin teas and 5 characterful aged cheeses selected for their taste harmonies . A creative composition workshop and a personalized tasting notebook are also included to preserve your successful unusual pairings .

Question 2

Can tea really rival wine when paired with a powerful local cheese?

Accepted Answer

Yes: great origin teas develop an aromatic complexity and tannic structure comparable to fine wines, but without the sulfites that can saturate the palate. The heat of the infusion melts the lipids of the local cheese on the tongue, releasing a second wave of aromas trapped in the paste. A dark tea against a powerful cheese or a green tea against a goat cheese create aromatic contrasts of unprecedented precision.

Question 3

How does the practical phase of creating unusual pairings work?

Accepted Answer

After the five guided pairings, you freely compose your own pairing by selecting a tea base, adjusting the temperature and infusion time, then testing the flavor balance obtained against the chosen cheese. Oxana Genel assists you in this process and helps you formalize successful formulas in your tasting notebook to reproduce them at home.

Question 4

How do I use my e-ticket to access the session?

Accepted Answer

After confirming your order, your e-ticket is sent instantly by email. On the day of your visit to the Distillerie de l'Arbre Sec , present this document on your smartphone screen at the entrance of the cobbled courtyard : no ticket office, no paper printout, no waiting.

Question 5

Do I need any culinary knowledge to participate in this workshop?

Accepted Answer

This tea tasting workshop is open to everyone, from curious individuals who have never analyzed a cheese to enthusiasts already sensitive to origin teas . Oxana Genel's pedagogical method provides everyone with simple tools to identify the vegetal, woody, and fruity notes of Camellia Sinensis against dairy products, without prior technical vocabulary.

Question 6

Where exactly is the Distillerie de l'Arbre Sec located in Paris?

Accepted Answer

The establishment is located at 52 rue de l'Arbre Sec, in the first arrondissement of Paris , nestled at the back of a cobbled courtyard of a historic private mansion near the Louvre. The Louvre - Rivoli station (line 1) is a three-minute walk away, the Châtelet station (lines 1, 4, 7, 11, 14) five. The Indigo Louvre Samaritaine parking is available on rue Bailleul.

Question 7

Is this tea and cheese pairing workshop suitable as a gift?

Accepted Answer

This unusual pairings session is a particularly appreciated gift idea for birthdays, gourmet occasions, and gifts among fine gastronomy enthusiasts. The historic setting of the Distillerie de l'Arbre Sec , the highly participative dimension of the tea initiation , and the personalized tasting notebook given to each guest guarantee a memorable and personal souvenir.

Question 8

How does this workshop differ from a simple classic cheese tasting?

Accepted Answer

Where a classic tasting juxtaposes products without explaining their interaction, this tea tasting workshop deconstructs the physics of textures : how the heat of the infusion releases the aromas of the characterful cheese , how the tannins of a green tea cleanse the palate more finely than the acidity of a wine. The tea sommelier transforms each pairing into a sensory analysis lesson, and the tasting notebook makes it a truly reproducible skill.

Unlikely Tasting Workshop: Teas & Cheeses

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