Mariage Frères. These two words have the power to excite Francophiles and tea enthusiasts alike. They will tell you Mariage Frères is the crème de la crème of French tea. Based in Paris, Mariage Frères founded by the Mariage Family has been setting the standards for top quality teas from over 30 countries. In 1986, Mariage Frères opened their first of four tea salons. At these salons, you will not only find a perfectly brewed cup of one of their extraordinary blends, but also a whole menu steeped in tea-infused foods from cocktails to salads to desserts. Start the meal with a champagne cocktail flavored with Marco Polo syrup, followed by seared cod on a bed of lentils braised in Earl Grey Imperial and finish the meal with tea sorbets. These creative dishes inspired us to think about tea as more than a morning or afternoon ritual and how it could be used beyond the teapot.
The addition of tea in cooking adds a surprising complexity to many dishes. In their tea salons, Mariage Frères utilize their teas like a fine spice. Their green teas, afternoon teas and smoky black teas, such as Jasmin Mandarin, Darjeeling Princeton and Lapsang Souchong lend themselves well to savory uses. Make an easy tea dry rub for pork, chicken or roasted root vegetables--combine 3 tablespoons Darjeeling Princeton with 1 tablespoon Marash pepper, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and then grind the mixture in a coffee grinder until fine. Whisk a couple teaspoons of lightly brewed Jasmin Mandarin into a lemon vinaigrette for a fresh salad of smoked salmon, radishes, cucumber and butter lettuce. Or, create a flavorful poaching liquid for chicken or duck with Lapsang Souchong, star anise and ginger-for every 4 cups of liquid, use 2 pieces of star anise and one _-inch knob of ginger.
Many of Mariage Frères teas flavored with vanilla, spices, chocolate and caramel, such as Black Orchid and Wedding Imperial, are perfectly suited for sweeter preparations. For a light end to a meal, serve your guests a tea granita made with Rouge Bourbon, a red, caffeine-free tea flavored with bourbon vanilla. If you are craving something a little more decadent, try frosting cupcakes with Black Orchid icing-just add a tablespoon of strongly brewed of tea to a classic buttercream. Or use our best-selling Marco Polo, a black tea flavored with red fruit essences, to infuse vanilla pots de crème (recipe follows). This simple dessert has all the lusciousness of classic custard and the flavor of a good cup of tea with a hint of cream and sugar.
Start Cooking with Tea Now
NEW Tea Refills Now Available
We understand that you can only accumulate so many Mariage Frères black tea tins, so we have brought in two more customer favorites in bulk. Eros and Marco Polo Rouge are now available in 3-ounce and 6-ounce refills.
Browse Our Entire Tea Refill Selection
Tea-Infused Pots de Crème
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 bourbon vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped
- 2 tbsp. Mariage Frères Marco Polo, or your favorite Mariage Frères tea
- 2 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- Whipped cream (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium saucepan, heat milk, cream, scraped vanilla bean and seeds over medium heat. Once the milk mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat and add loose leaf tea. Cover and let steep for 15-20 minutes, for more pronounced tea flavor steep up to 25 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolk, sugar and salt. Slowly pour in hot milk mixture whisking continuously so the eggs do not curdle.
Pour into individual ramekins, mason jars or oven proof tea cups. Place ramekins in a 9x13" baking dish. Pour boiling water into baking dish until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for 35-45 minutes. Check after 30 minutes, custards should be set on the top, but slightly loose in the middle. Remove from water bath and let cool in refrigerator for 2-3 hours or until set.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
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