How I Fell in Love with Tea: A Sober Path to Rich Flavor

I’ve always admired the way people talk about food and drink pairings—how wine brings out the best in cheese, or how beer and chicken wings are a match made in heaven. Sake and sashimi? Classic. But there’s just one problem: I can’t hold my alcohol.

Being sober meant I often felt like I was missing out on that rich, layered world of flavor pairings. At first, it felt like a limitation. But then, something unexpected happened—I discovered tea.

And not just a tea, but the world of tea. It’s vast, nuanced, and full of pairing possibilities that are just as exciting and satisfying as those boozy combinations I used to envy.

Green tea with a warm, freshly made onigiri. Roasted hojicha with a chewy, salty mochi. A mellow black tea alongside a fluffy muffin. Royal milk tea with buttery scones on a cozy afternoon.

Tea opened doors I didn’t even know existed. It gave me a way to enjoy the art of pairing, the joy of exploring flavor, and the comfort of a ritual—all without needing alcohol.

That’s how I became a tea lover. Or maybe more accurately, that’s how I became obsessed with tea.