Cocoa in Your Tea Is a Game Changer

Coffee gets all the attention and delicious collaborations. Like caramel lattes, or even cocktails. But the humble-yet-comforting cup of tea has some surprises for us all. Like pairing black tea with cocoa. It’s a game-changer.

Firstly, whenever someone’s a bit stressed, or just needs to chill out, it’s often met with: “would you like a cup of tea?” It’s comforting, right? Like a solid hug. Then why don’t we give making a cup of tea the same level of attention to detail as we do with coffee?

The folks at Nerada — Australia’s own tea brand that turns 50 this year — are on a mission to convince us all that tea deserves your attention.

As part of the birthday celebrations, they’ve come up with two special tea blends: Sunrise and Indulge.

Sunrise is a mix of 70% black tea and 30% lemon myrtle, and as the name suggests, it’s a perfect brew to perk you up in the morning. The lemon myrtle offers a really fresh hit. I had it straight-up because I hate milk in tea, but if that’s your jam then go for it.

Indulge was the big surprise for me — it’s 90% black tea with 10% cocoa husks. Sure, 10% cocoa in your tea might not sound like much, but it definitely delivers a chocolatey hit. This one would be a good match with milk (still not my thing though), and is really great as an afternoon pick-me-up or after dinner drink.

Now, if you really want to make the most of your cup of tea, Nerada’s plantation director, Tony Poyner, has a couple of tips.

• Let your tea sit for a while. Whether it’s teabags or a looseleaf concoction, don’t rush your cup of tea. Let it stew so the flavour develops.
• Tea might be a pantry staple, but that doesn’t mean you can just chuck it in the cupboard and forget about it. Most tea has a best before of about two years if it’s well sealed. But — and here’s the kicker — the flavour will change over time. The key is to keep the moisture out. Ideally, though, you want to consume it within six months.

Nerada’s Sunrise Black Tea with Lemon Myrtle and Indulge Black Tea with Cocoa cost $20 each and are available only on the Nerada Tea website.