Pics: Manoj Kumar Kar & Aatreyee Mohanta
Tea took centre stage at a boutique hotel on Russell Street last Friday, when chef Smriti Iyer – known for her ingredient-forward, modern vegetarian cooking – hosted a six-course tea pairing menu, in collaboration with the property, whose tea from their Darjeeling estate accompanied every sip. CT was there, and we watched six cups become six personal stories, each brew matched with a bite built to echo it. Landing in a city fiercely loyal to its own tea traditions, chef Smriti flavours that were wacky, by her own admission, but rooted in years of morning experiments. My relationship with me began over a cup of white tea I had in college. Now nine years later, my husband Anant and I are still enjoying our tea rituals Every course tells a unique story through ingredients. I don’t want my patrons to just taste tea; I want them to taste a memory through the cup
