Each year you start to hear about trends for the following 365 days. I just finished reading an article talking about the food trends coming and, again, it is expected that green tea will be on the rise. I’m not opposed to tea trends when they are something that will make a positive impact on the tea industry. While I don’t know more about the tea trends to expect in 2017, there are a few that I have in mind. The three tea trends below are what I’m hoping to see in 2017, but overall, I just really hope we’ll be able to push the health benefits from tea aside and focus more on the enjoyment this year.
– 3 Tea Trends for 2017 –
Matcha Because It’s Delicious
Matcha green tea has been seen as a trendy drink the last couple of years. I like that the popularity is increasing but I only hope with that many will start to love matcha and drink matcha because it’s simply delicious and not just because of all the health benefits it is marketed with. I really hope people learn more about the quality of the matcha they are drinking, too. This is coming from someone who once disliked matcha so much until I educated myself on the various qualities. I wish no one would force themselves to drink bad tasting matcha just because they want the health benefits. Matcha (and tea in general) shouldn’t be treated as a medicine we force ourselves to take to feel better, no matter how awful it tastes. Some of my most popular posts on my blog are matcha related and it’s continuing to rise. In 2017, I hope to be able to share more matcha tips for everyone to enhance your matcha experience.
Chai The Traditional Way
What I would love to see more focus on in the new year is people preparing masala chai from scratch or just the traditional way in general (although both would be cool, too!) Just like any other tea out there, I think it’s important to try a tea at least once the way it is traditionally enjoyed. Personally, I think it’s hard to go back to lesser quality chai after you have tried making fresh masala chai. At the first sip you’ll be amazed at how much more flavourful, and all around, enjoyable it is. So pull out your milk and sweetener, put away your chai teabags and get yourself a fresh loose leaf blend, or make your own for an authentic chai experience!
Cooking with Tea
When I first started cooking with tea, it was mainly little things like tea infused smoothies and oatmeal. I experimented with tea as an ingredient more in 2016 and have noticed that tea really can be more than just a beverage. More often than not, tea enhances dishes. It also can be the answer to some not so easy to find ingredients for certain recipes (ie. last year I used Lapsang Souchong in place of another required ingredient to make coconut “bacon”). I’ve noticed this plenty with my own recipes, and various cafes/restaurants that sometimes surprise me with tea infused menu items! You can be a tea lover even if you don’t necessarily love drinking it all the time. In 2017, I hope for more chefs, foodies, food bloggers, to experiment in the kitchen with tea as an ingredient. I hope for those who may not drink tea every single day to find their love for the beverage a different way and share it with the world.
*photo credit: Summer Skyes 11 Lemon and ginger via photopin (license)
Cheers to a wonderful tea year ahead! What are some tea trends you hope to see in the new year? Share in the comments below!
I hope to see a lot more cooking with tea too 😉 and tea and food pairings
Ah, yes! Can’t believe I forgot about tea and food pairings!
Matcha is really going to continue its ascension! Sure of it.
Definitely!