Steak with Wuyi Mountain Tea 牛排+武夷茶

Whenever we have a special family event worth celebrating, our first thought is to go to a steakhouse. We have probably tried out all of the best steakhouses, BBQs, and teppanyaki restaurants in Hong Kong already. Later, however, I gradually appreciated that with the right ingredients, a home-cooked steak was just as tasty and more economical. We usually choose Australian wagyu or American sirloin that is not too lean. First, we marinate it in salt and pepper for half an hour, then fry it on a cast iron plate until medium or medium rare. Quality red meat, steak, or lamb, if paired with Wuyi Mountain tea, such as Dahongpao, will become more tender and delicious. 

We once visited Wuyi Mountain in Fujian Province in China. Although the altitude is low, there are endless peaks, valleys, waterfalls, rock walls, and caves. The hills and rivers are intertwined, and strange rock formations abruptly start and end. Sunshine and water are plentiful, giving rise to a vibrant ecology and rich topsoil, which nourishes the local tea trees, giving the Wuyi Mountain tea an enticing aroma. Tea master Chi (池老師）said that the acidic Wuyi Mountain Tea tenderizes the meat, enhancing the aroma.

We have also tried Wuyi Mountain tea with other Chinese and Japanese dishes, such as Beijing roast duck and Matsusaka pork. In both cases, the pairing really brings out the taste.

每當有特別值得慶祝的事兒，全家就很自然想去吃一頓上等的牛排，香港好的牛排屋和燒肉店我們幾乎嘗遍了。 後來漸漸覺得外頭的牛排屋，也不見得比家中自己煎的好吃。我們一般選油花充足的澳洲和牛，或是美國沙朗，煎至四，五分熟，只簡單加些許鹽花和黑胡椒，再放在鐵盤上靜置15分鐘收緊肉汁。出色的紅肉，牛排或羊肉，如果配上武夷山的茶，如大紅袍，肉質更加鮮嫩美味。

我們曾去福建武夷山玩，海拔雖不高，是一片低山丘陵，但其中奇峰，瀑布，岩壁，洞穴連綿不斷，山水交織，奇岩佇立，自然生態豐富，可能因爲這樣，武夷山的山巖和土壤飽含各種礦物質，滋養了當地的茶樹，讓產出的武夷山茶香氣迷人，池老師 說武夷山土壤中的草酸性，更進一步軟化了牛肉，羊肉吃起來更美味。 我們試過武夷山的茶配上中國名菜，北京烤鴨，或是松板豬肉，都很好吃。