A Mid-Autumn Special: 5 Best Teas for Your Mooncakes + 5 Tea Accessories to Buy

The Mid-Autumn Festival has to be one of my favourite times of the year, if only because mooncakes are a staple during this period. But what is this indulgent, once-a-year treat without its classic pairing, tea? Teas help to cut through the richness of the mooncakes (which just gives you a good reason to eat more of them), but they also help to enhance the flavours of the pastry if you know which teas to pair them with. While there isn't a hard-and-fast rule when it comes to tea and mooncake pairing, certain brews just go better with certain mooncakes. I spoke with Colleen Chan, co-founder of Singapore-based tea e-shop, Collaboration Tea, to find out which teas are best paired with what kinds of mooncakes. For serious tea lovers, I've also included, at the end of the article, a list of tea wares you can get for your home.  

TEA + MOONCAKE PAIRINGS

Traditional Lotus Seed Paste Mooncakes Try: Pu-Er “Traditional mooncakes are sweet and rich in flavour, so full-bodied blends with a slight astringency or ones that have a smooth flavour are best paired with them. A traditional Chinese tea like Pu-er is a great choice as it doesn’t overpower the mooncake while helping to balance its richness.” RECOMMENDED PAIRING: White Lotus Paste With Single Yolk Baked Mooncake, $45.22 for 4, Intercontinental Singapore Pin Tea Ooh La Orchard Pu-Erh Tea, $19.90, Naiise   Tea-flavoured Mooncakes Try: Jasmine Tea “A floral flavoured blend is best for tea flavoured mooncakes like green tea as it provides an immersive experience from smell to taste.” RECOMMENDED PAIRING: Snowskin Matcha Green Tea Truffle Mooncake, $66 for 8, Baker’s Well Jasmine’s Magic Tea, $3.20, Collaboration Tea   Durian Mooncakes Try: Fruit teas “Fruity teas or a cold brew would work with these mooncakes to combat the heatiness of the durian.” RECOMMENDED PAIRING: Mini Snowskin Mao Shan Wang Durian Mooncake, $78 for 8, Ritz Carlton In Love With Peach Tea, $3.50, Collaboration Tea   Fruit-flavoured Mooncakes Try: Black teas like Earl Grey or English Breakfast “Black teas work best with fruit-flavoured mooncakes as they help to combat the sweetness of the pastry.” RECOMMENDED PAIRING: Prickly Pear with Bergamot Mooncake, $32 for 2, Goodwood Park Hotel Earl Grey Lavender Tea, $17.40, Gryphon Tea Company   Chocolate Mooncakes Try: Mildly sweet teas like Lychee Tea “Sweet teas help to accentuate the rich flavours of the chocolate.” RECOMMENDED PAIRING: Mini Tuxedo Snowskin Mooncake, $62 for 8, Carlton Hotel Lychee Fiesta Tea, from $18, 1872 Clipper Tea  

HOME ACCESSORIES FOR THE TEA CONNOISSEUR

For folks who love brewing your own teas at home, these elegant and functional tea wares should making tea-time a real treat. 1. Black Pearl Teapot $120, 1872 Clipper Tea This stylish tea pot comes with a thermo-protective warmer to keep your brews warm all day. 2. Brew Tea Infuser Bottle $42.90, A.Muse Projects A stylish bottle for on-the-go tea drinking moments. It comes with a double-glass wall and a 2-in-1 infuser that allows you to brew loose tea leaves or infuse fruits. 3. T2 Jug-A-Lot Pink Jug $52, T2 Perfect for iced tea drinkers, this handy jug fits right at the side of your refrigerator door. The airtight lid prevents spills and locks in freshness. 4. Icon Au Gold Infuser $80.25, Tea Forte Now you can sip your brews with class using this 23K gold-plated tea infuser. Comes with an accompanying gold monogrammed, ceramic tea tray. 5. ForLife’s Tea For One Drink Set $59, Naiise A functional tea set that features an extra-fine 0.3mm stainless-steel tea infuser built into the teapot and a cup for drinking. Great for steeping fine loose tea leaves like Rooibos to large whole tea leaves like Oolong.  

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