Ya Zhou Tea Banquet

Ya Zhou Tea Banquet

　　As the name suggests, it is a banquet prepared with tea. Here, tea leaves are used as seasonings to remove fishiness, greasiness, gamey odors, and other off-flavors. Rather than overpowering the dish, the tea complements the ingredients perfectly. The hallmark of a tea banquet is that the food always takes center stage, while the tea plays a supporting role. The “five flavors and six colors” are what make the tea banquet truly remarkable. The five flavors—sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty; the six colors—black tea, green tea, oolong tea (blue tea), yellow tea, white tea, and dark tea (Pu'er tea). The tea banquet is vibrant and colorful, with hues derived naturally from the tea leaves. The aroma, charm, taste, form, and character of tea give rise to hundreds of exquisitely crafted, artistic dishes.