Which Tea is Best for Breakfast?

Alex from France pays us a visit and we find out which tea pairs best with the French Croissant and the English Fry up!
►Watch more of Alex on his excellent KZbin channel - Alex French Guy Cooking: / frenchguycooking
►Watch him visiting the Mei Leaf teahouse: • I Thought It Was Prope...
To try this breakfast tea pairing yourself pick up some of our tea:
★CROISSANT PAIRING
- Superior Keemu black tean: meileaf.com/p/tea-qmmc
- Baked Goods toasted oolong tea: meileaf.com/p/tea-bakc
- Lost Robe fragrant Wuyi rock oolong tea: meileaf.com/p/tea-bedc
★ENGLISH FRY UP
- Houjicha Japanese tea: meileaf.com/p/tea-hjcc
- Golden Yolk oolong tea: meileaf.com/p/tea-golc
- Bulang Black tea: meileaf.com/p/tea-blbc
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[@azuritet3]

you look down into the canal and you see some completely normal fish. he drops the tea into the water. "it won't hurt the fish." the fish pull out umbrellas and manacles and start tipping their hats to each other.

[@MeiLeaf]

+AzuriteT3 😀

[@osmosisazman]

Found your channel from Alex's. Subscribed.

[@MeiLeaf]

+Azman Abdullah nice one, welcome to our Teahead world Azman.

[@yuliachannel778]

Don does have a wonderful channel on here - you'll learn SO much on tea from him! Yulia

[@dacr0n229]

Me too, I'm starting to geek about tea more and more.

[@zackcohn]

+

[@MaxAmSax]

This is SUCH a funny coincidence! I have been really enjoying both of your channels for quite some time now :) I couldn't really believe my eyes at first seeing the both of you! :P

[@tobiaslarsen1014]

MaxAmSax yeah it's unbelievable ! Two amazing channels together in two great videos. One could not wish for more!

[@GeoffBernard]

This is a collaboration done right.

[@thisisnotdimitri]

Same exact thing with me too

[@VvVSimonVvV]

"So my hope is, that the baked arome of this, is gonna match with the baked croissant..." :'D

[@jcheero84]

this channel has become just as good as my favorite weekly Japanese anime lol....every week waiting desperately for a new episode to be released😂😂😂 Great job guys love this tea and food pairing.

[@MeiLeaf]

That is super high praise indeed because we know how Anime can be a passionate love affair.

[@TheAlexandraKass]

I have to agree with that :D

[@victoriazwergmaus9813]

Came from Alex! I am a big tea lover, but this was mindblowing nice, thanks!

[@MeiLeaf]

+Victoria Zwergmaus welcome Victoria, thanks for stopping by and feel free to binge on tea videos whenever you fancy.

[@ardatongal6360]

Hello, I just found your channel and loved it. As a Turkish man, I immediately searched for some information about Turkish tea and I see that you didn't mention it, or at least I couldn't find. I know that Turkish tea is not a world class tea and it seems that it's not the best but Turkey is one of the largest tea consuming countries (maybe the most) and it literally sits in the center of Turkish culture and everyday life in Turkey, so I think Turkish tea at least deserves a mention. Thanks for great channel and useful information.

[@TheNanoSan]

Arda Tongal Turkey produces a lot of tea, but they don't export much of it, which is why it is pretty unknow in most parts of the world.

[@MeiLeaf]

We agree that Turkish tea deserves an episode, we will try to get some samples for tasting.

[@thisisnotdimitri]

+Mei Leaf I would like to know what you think of Sideritis mountain tea.

[@aaronhanak]

Didn't you guys bring coffee from Ethiopia into Europe? If so, thank you.

[@Mindful_TEA_Break]

Yay! So excited about pairing and new person on the channel - always nice to see more people enjoying the tea with you Don :)

[@monicafavila7528]

This is a very good video as you're with Alex and I've been spreading the word to everyone to watch your videos and learn about tea

[@wesdashman]

I have the hojija roasted green tea when we decide to have tea with our food. I find you can taste this tea through the spiciest of food, and I mean habanero, ghost pepper spicey. It's an outstanding tea.

[@MeiLeaf]

Agree!

[@jennyobiliseen4301]

I love how Don rinsed his tea in the canal! Ahahah I really liked the atmosphere of this video! The birds chirping and the water flowing along with the natural background made me feel very happy!

[@Jen-iy7lq]

Thanks for all the recent tea products you've put out lately--i've always loved your selection but lately you've released items which are indispensable. this video came up as a suggestion after watching today's release. I first saw it when I was first getting into the Mei Leaf and Puerh world and thought it was nice but I came across another Alex collab and since discovering his channel, you are absolutely right, he has transformed how I operate in the kitchen (along with a couple of his other collaborators) and the engineering aspects of his content is always fascinating. Thanks for doing this collab with Alex and also thanks for utterly destroying my budget this month haha =P

[@RasheedAlMahdi91]

Wonderful! I always enjoy your pairing videos.

[@martijnheeroma5492]

As a tea lover really liked it, thanks

[@alflurin]

I'm a big fan of Alex and as a heavy tea drinker (can I say that?) so this video is perfect. Also subscribed to Mei Leaf. I tend to keep to black teas but thanks to Mei Leaf, I've figured out there's a whole world of tea beyond the black tea. Thanks

[@barbaracarbone4658]

Learning so much about teas...thank you. Love you and Alex.. Please do more tea comparisons with food

[@Kuppz5]

Eyy Alex is here :-) cool to see him again =D

[@foo8lover]

Came from Alex channel - never been so into watch a tasting video - please do more with other types of meal

[@jakoniejako]

Such a good, cozy video!

[@LisaQuan]

Followed the trail from Alex's channel and glad to see another collaboration. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. Subscribed!

[@MeiLeaf]

Welcome Lisa!

[@barbaracarbone4658]

I luved this vid. Very informative. I am drinking more tea these days and this vid is a great education on my tea journey. Thanks much. 🌿

[@leightoncooke]

You know Alex! He’s awesome.

[@SW990]

Subscribed from Alex. Love your channel. Cheers from USA.

[@ruia.9848]

Great choice of the TGY you have on offer for the French croissant. Also excellent observations about the tomato in the English breakfast components but my choice of tea for that type of breakfast would have been a semi-aged ripe pu'er to cut through all the grease of a fry-up.☕️

[@asdfasdfasdf1999]

Great channel, now I really have to try some good tea!

[@godsnotdead6973]

I'm an American and I know essentially nothing about tea, but this video was awesome. Subscribed.

[@danis5216]

I cant wait to get home and bring my boyfriend down to your shop we love tea!

[@msmatou22]

What a cute duo!

[@sebdhaese]

Well done, now I'm hungry!

[@kityac9810]

29:25 I was thinking the same thing... Definitely a "hangover" meal! lol

[@MsJavaWolf]

My favourite pairing so far is silver needle with a cheese sandwich (not toasted) The nuttiness from the silver needle blends really nicely with a nutty cheese, now every time I have a silver needle tea I get cheese cravings.

[@Blebona]

Very insightful and interesting content!

[@WardStroud]

I love dragon well in the morning it's almost as much food as it is Tea with its broth/soupy front taste :). Especially in the small gaiwan with low temp water... it's energy puts me on a perfect trajectory for the day!

[@steventan385]

Mei Leaf give a new twist to tea culture. In Malaysia we drink lots of tea from China. But we also take breakfast tea with Milk n sugar. Chinese tea usually taken with Chinese food

[@1p6t1gms]

That is great; French Guy Cooking Alex is here.

[@grantmedical]

Dear Don... After watching this video I made breakfast and tried them with all the teas I have in my collection... For an English Breakfast I found that Lapsan Souchang works especially well - especially with Sausage and holds its own with the Yolky Eggs... You really must try it!!! I really liked this combination... After my workout I had a Milk & Chocolate Protein Shake and it paired awesome with Aged Fuding White Tea (2008)... Then for Dinner I found that Chinese Beef in Oyster Sauce with Bok Choy paired soooooo well with a Semi-Aged (15 year old) Shu Pu-Erh (Yunnan Chi Tse Beeng Cha - 2004)... Thank you for introducing me to this wonderful world of tea pairing!!!

[@stj971]

I have long been a fan of ooh loong ta. I dont see very often but ozymanthus is amazing!

[@Blazingstar75]

love paring food and vabarage... This is really intersting!!!

[@seans1880]

It is interesting to watch you video:) and see how you guys think about Chinese tea. i would not comment on the pairing part, since it is so subject to personal preference. i personally use Purple clay tea pot to brew oxidised tea, which i think makes a difference. Also for the Tie Guan Yi and Lost Robe, we would usually discard the first brew as it is supposed to clean as well as wake up the tea leaves. the second brew your way is our first our way just as your first floor is always our second one...will watch more videos of yours and comment later on. Cheers!

[@UnknownGunslinger]

This was so fascinating and intresting I almost started ignoring the audio!

[@MeiLeaf]

+Ivo Sotirov yes we are sorry about the audio, the mic was picking up some building site nearby!

[@JackHernandezGentlemanJack]

I love it. I would love to have a proper tea room with an expert who can explain the flavour like you can. i would pay money for that.

[@Elhaamm]

I have a feeling that Raw Puerh would match perfectly with English breakfast !!

[@deadfr0g]

Saying "puerh" fast is like the sound of a very posh man spitting distastefully. Which is really unfortunate because it's quite a nice tea.

[@utopiadaniele]

Great video, Don, as usual: thanks!!! Just one reflection: I wonder whether the (sweet) French croissants may also work well with an appropriate green tea, like a Gunpowder or a Mao Feng, and why not to try a Bai Mu Dan or a Gong Mei too, I think they do better than Wu Yi tea with sweets. I completely agree that Houjicha is an excellent choice for salted meals, and I guess the Wu Yi teas and the Shou Pu-Erh would also do very well. I would also try a roasted Korean green tea with sausages, and, of course, Genmaicha! Congratulations, excellent video, once again :-) we are all learning a lot!!! thanks!!!

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks Daniele, so many experiments to do! I will keep trying to find ultimate pairings and bringing them to you.

[@AbenaAnima]

What? 2 of My favourite KZbinrs in 1 video. WTF?! My mind is spinning.

[@bonafidemosaic]

Came from alex, great channel. could we also have similar videos pairing desserts? i think that be a challenge! 😁

[@MeiLeaf]

+Bona Fide Mosaic yes we will definitely do more pairings. Any particular desserts?

[@bonafidemosaic]

+Mei Leaf i think bread pudding might be good but i seriously thinking if there is any tea that matches or boost the flavour of creme brulee? could you do a video on that? thks!

[@matthew5692]

I think bread pudding would pair really well with a nice Lapsang Souchong.

[@WardStroud]

Bona Fide Mosaic oh my goodness ... red jade number 18 Taiwanese black tea tastes like the burnt crust meets the fruit chewy part of a strawberry rhubarb pie in a Good Way, with cinnamon and mint after taste... it's clean and would balance the heavy cream nicely... close to a Formosa black! Yum!

[@Lichupaf]

chocolate mousse, panacotta, flan, choc cake or cake in general, fruit tart? some ideas of common things you eat and then you get asked 'does anyone want coffee or tea?' but it would be even better to know what to have at the same time.

[@zingiberae]

I love these exercises. Would be just as happy pairing these breakfasts with beers or if you bare with me, paring beers with teas! But to stay more on topic, how about teas with cheeses!

[@Tracks777]

Great stuff :)

[@jaybruce514]

Instablaster.

[@justsomeguywithoutamustach6432]

Green tea Lemongrass green tea Earl grey English Breakfast Masala chai

[@angelararara6350]

Great video

[@tendingtropic7778]

great video, can I ask how much grams of tea leaves are in the connaisseur/filter system?

[@yuliachannel778]

Mmm I love a good traditional keemun for breakfast! But I think it goes better either on ts own, with cistrus fruit (due to keemun's natural citrucy notes) or with savoury dishes rather than sweet, such as mushroom based and meats - there, it provides the 3rd flavour in my opinion! I think the criossant would go SO wll with Yunnan gold due to its natural malty, mik chocolate flavour! Or with a mild green, such as Anji Bai Cha, or white tea such as Bai Hao Silver Needle as these will be very cleansing i.e. the contrast pairing! What do you think Don? Yulia X

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks Yulia, yes there are lots of experiments and I think Keemun could work really well with savouries. Milder and bud heavy teas would probably be a little light for most foods so it would be more cleansing.

[@Tracks777]

Nice content!

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks Bassbooster!

[@guitoo1918]

Ti Kuan Yin is my favorite tea.

[@Sangejzer]

what is this+ a crossover episode+ love it

[@cozyvamp]

I'd like to see suggestions for what to serve with particular teas. For example, I love the various white teas, but what goes best with that type, rather than taking a food and finding the right tea? Sort of tea driven instead of food driven.

[@katarinatagesson1729]

Hi, I came from Alex channel and love the nerdiness and slowness of this video. I am a tea drinker and prefer a lot of white teas. I will definitely watch more of Mei Leafs videos! I have a question, maybe answered in different videos, but you said the brewer was some sort of connoisseur brewer. What is it called? And the glasses/mugs, so beautiful! I wonder if it would be possible to make the same design in ceramics, might keep the warmth longer. Thank you for an entertaining video!

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks for watching. The brewer is called the Connoisseur Tea Brewer and it is available at meileaf.com (it will be in stock in a few days actually).

[@katarinatagesson1729]

Mei Leaf thanks! I’ll check it out for sure

[@kaylawells8985]

I wish you guys shipped to the US :< Your knowledge of tea blows me away. This is a great video though, It's really getting me interested in tea! I look forward to more videos!

[@MeiLeaf]

+Kayla Wells we do ship to the USA every single day!

[@MeiLeaf]

+Kayla Wells we do ship to the USA every single day

[@kaylawells8985]

Oh great! I just wasn't using the website correctly haha.

[@moomoopuppy5810]

What is your opinion of those "blooming" tea ball? Are they just a gimmick, or are some actually good? Also I was wondering what that tea "caddy/locker" with the strainer is?

[@timkarlsson2921]

+Mei leaf What does you think about "green gunpowder" tea?

[@LiiLPANDA]

Do you do any formation or class by any chance ? I would love to learn more about tea :3

[@thommekx7739]

Thank you for all the wonderful videos. Maybe you could make one about how to awake pu erh tea in a clay caddy? I heard that it is good idea to break the tea cake into small nuggets and leave it for a few week in jar or clay caddy. How does it affect the taste and aroma?

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes that is good practice and a great video idea, thanks!

[@abdulazizal-abri2920]

can you try the karak tea

[@snuffman5497]

what is a good "wake me up tea" for in the morning

[@alvincay100]

Depends on breakfast...

[@ritaputatunda]

Hi, I've subscribed to your channel, I love all the info on tea. Being from India, I'm a Darjeeling tea addict. But lately I've decided to try out green teas. I got a couple of tins of Green Tea Mix Chatramue Brand from Thailand. When I brewed it, it had an intense green colour, which looks like artificial colour to me. Is artificial colour added to it?

[@MeiLeaf]

Could easily be coloured, the Thai's seem to have no issue putting a load of colours in their tea unfortunately.

[@feelz_4_dayz885]

you should try jasmine green for breakfast

[@mercedeswalt6621]

What Chinese tea would go well with eggs and bacon?

[@chaosenergy1990]

What I’m most interested in here is those amazing devices you’re brewing the tea with. What are those?

[@MeiLeaf]

Connoisseur tea brewers, you can find them on meileaf.com

[@DerBjjjg]

If you ask me the best drink for breakfast is milk. Sometimes some fruit juice is also a good way to begin the day.

[@StuninRub]

Try Duck Shit Oolong or Honey Orchid Oolong. Really fruity tea.

[@MikeThatNormalGuy]

I’m late but it’s ALEX!!!!

[@savannafc]

Omg Alex!

[@ade531001gmail]

Please answer EpicNibla and Dacr0n's questions. I have the same question about the all-in-one gong fu tea pots.

[@DerBjjjg]

Does this count as a London riverside teaparty?

[@WeAreBullets]

hey Don what's a good tea for a sore throat / cold?

[@MeiLeaf]

Chrysanthemum and boat sterculia seeds. All on the website for ya!

[@chrisgreen6259]

Must come and visit your shop some time. Do you offer free tasters in the shop before buying? I have no clue about real proper tea, but this video interests me a lot.

[@MeiLeaf]

Hey Chris, We have a full bar so you can taste any tea for a couple of £ or buy taster packs.

[@autumist]

Can't believe this is 4 years ago...

[@EpicNibla]

Where can I buy the container you are brewing the tea in?

[@MeiLeaf]

meileaf.com/teaware/connoisseur-tea-set-bundle/

[@appa609]

English Breakfast tea sure surely be tried with the English Breakfast?

[@MartiusGao]

10:13, kind of cute, hahaha

[@Shoblast]

Tea and cheese pairing please

[@TheNanoSan]

Shoblast they've already done that.

[@Combat_Pyro]

1.8K Views with 179 Comments and only 1 thumbs down. What's wrong with that guy?! Lol. Thumbs up!👍

[@MeiLeaf]

Hahaha we are actually really fortunate with the positivity from everyone. We can't please everyone though ;)

[@Shoblast]

Pair the eggy tea with light cheese cake of some sort?

[@MeiLeaf]

Mmmmm we did and it works!

[@DahliaLegacy]

@.@ I love both of you, and I'm a geek too. The thing that pisses me off so much, is that people don't care about what they eat. Like why be like that? Day to day, life can be so much more if you only tried new things. Without trying new foods and drinks my world would be such a small and depressing place, but when I adventure out there I find loves I never knew I had. ^_^ Like durian, ever try that?

[@yaboi-km2qn]

He is the frenchest person alive

[@rans0927]

I didn’t know that yimen black tea is the original English breakfast?

[@scarletletter4900]

Do you guys ship to the US?

[@MeiLeaf]

+Scarlet Letter yes we are US and dollar friendly on our website. Click on the flag symbol.

[@dacr0n229]

Aren't those kind of glasses exactly thos, you don't like too much because they hold back the last bit of the tea?

[@ponytheprostituteonvinyl7591]

Make more videos together

[@ventus0517]

Red Robe is extremely expensive though

[@sevidebueb7035]

wonderful video 👌 but i actually miss the pu erh in here 🙁

[@MeiLeaf]

I agree we should have included a PuErh!

[@utopiadaniele]

I also agree: a (Shou?) Pu-Erh would have been most appropriate too! congratulations, nice video as we are used to get :-)

[@k.wegner]

👍👍👍✌️

[@ade531001gmail]

I reviewed the video and Don mentioned Connoisseur glass tea brewer and decanter which answered my point. See meileaf.com/p/cl-gltbc/

[@Username-xd3qx]

A muffler would benefit your videos very much. Great content!

[@benjaminvanwey1385]

in teadrunk as hell right now from too much of meileafs silver needle, mountain green, and alishan cream.

[@oczarkowana957]

how you make sure that the rock wulong is real?

[@MeiLeaf]

Sourcing the tea direct from farmers and building good relationships over 15 years with suppliers.

[@anlsrnvschtny]

I think the person was trying to ask for himself, as in how would one purchase quality rock oolong

[@diogogoncalves1020]

English breakfast is best to be taken with western brewed style black tea with a little drizle of whole milk, just a little tiny bit to give it flavour. If you don't like milk in your tea you can use earl grey tea served with a slice of lemon.

[@alexgheorghiu6523]

'I am not sure I am allowed to take back those croissants.' Burn.

[@oasisman]

This was a bit drawn out. Great info though.

[@appa609]

You're kind of talking over Alex. He's humble and takes your opinions but I don't know if he actually agrees.

[@stuartgoldstein1856]

That's weird I follow both of you