Tea is an inexhaustible topic in part because of its many varied presentations. Like wine, the finished tea is highly influenced by growing conditions, variety, processing, and aging. Tea enthusiasts are well aware of the differences both great and nuanced in teas from around the world.
This means tea lovers have put some thought into what teas pair best with what foods and situations. The classic, bitter black brew favored by the English is perfectly at home with biscuits in the afternoon. A light bi lo chun may be perfect mid-morning. Perhaps an aged pu'er is ideal before bed.
But what if you were to be marooned on a desert island, and you could only have one tea for the rest of your life? What would you pick?
I might choose sencha. Sencha, the daily tea favored all over Japan, falls on a range of balances between sweet and bitter. Some senchas are more sweet; some are more bitter. My preference is for senchas that are somewhere in the middle to slightly more bitter. A fine quality, balanced sencha, as you might get from Ippodo Tea in Kyoto, will never be a wrong choice, no matter the occasion.
Sencha is bitter enough to drink with a full English breakfast. It is mild enough to have on an empty stomach after a nap. It is sweet enough not to overpower delicate pastries. Its fragrance is complex enough to captivate you in a meditative moment. It is light enough to soothe you before bed.
If you have not dived into the world of fine quality sencha, please do. Ippodo is a favorite, and they ship to the US. The best, of course, is to visit Ippodo's tasting room in New York or Kyoto. Bagged senchas sold in the US will disappoint, generally being little better than an American brand's "green tea." Visit Ippodo's online store here. Treat yourself! There are far worse vices than tea.
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