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恒大英萃:佳餚配香檳 原來是杯茶

2020-09-11

白露剛剛過去了,可是天氣仍舊悶熱難當。氣溫似乎仍然居高不下,人體表面的毛孔汗腺舒張,血液循環愈趨旺盛,供給大腦的血液隨之減少。

酷暑期間總是頭昏腦脹,提不起勁?此時來杯茉莉花茶,理氣和中,開鬱辟穢。縱使茉莉花茶耐喝不厭,但你可有心忖中國茶了無新意嗎?英國著名高級百貨公司福南梅森(Fortnum & Mason)推出了貌似香檳的氣泡茶,叫為福南氣泡茶(Fortnum's Sparkling Tea),強調酒精濃度為零。

商家如此介紹新產品:「The latest evolution in our 312-year tea history, our Sparkling Tea is a certified organic blend of eight of our famous and rare brews - and despite its celebration-ready appearance, contains zero alcohol.」(本公司賣茶312年以來的最新破格之作,氣泡茶獲有機認證,混合八種馳名珍罕的茶品──氣泡茶最合適用來表達祝賀,卻不含酒精。)

讀到這裏,對茗茶極有興趣的你必要懂得沖泡(Brew)一字,可作及物動詞(Transitive verb)和不及物動詞(Intransitive verb)用:He brewed us some tea./ He brewed some tea for us.(他給我們泡茶);The coffee is brewing.(在沖咖啡了)。除了沖茶泡咖啡,Brew也可以解作醞釀:There is trouble brewing between them(他們之間正在醞釀不和)。此外,Brew亦可以是名詞,解作茶或啤酒:Make us a brew please.(請給我們泡茶);I'll buy you a brew.(我給你買啤酒)/ Would you like to try one of my home brews? (想試試我自家釀製的啤酒嗎?)。

喝茶自然是本能動作,品茶評茶卻易學難精。齊來看看福南梅森如何仔細形容氣泡茶:「With complex flavours and remarkable layers, notes of tropical fruits on the nose precede a palate of lemongrass, water mint and Darjeeling, leading into drier tannins and a long-lasting hint of jasmine on the finish.」(氣泡茶口味多樣,層次分明,聞起來有熱帶水果的香氣,喝起來有檸檬草、水生薄荷、大吉嶺紅茶的味道,單寧酸更為苦澀,茉莉餘韻悠長。)不厭其煩地詳閱食物飲品包裝,說不定能令你的味覺更加敏銳。

老饕講求餐酒搭配,可有想過餐茶搭配呢?廣東人有「一盅兩件」,福南梅森在推介氣泡茶的同時,亦不忘宣傳旗下的佳餚:「The light and refreshing tipple is best enjoyed chilled, and is a perfect pairing for Fortnum's Organic Smoked Salmon, Fortnum's Paté and Fortnum's Melton Mowbray Pork Pie.」(氣泡茶口感輕盈清爽,冷藏後飲用風味更佳,最適合配以福南的有機煙三文魚、肝醬、梅爾頓莫布雷鎮的豬肉餡餅。)Tipple是口語,既是名詞,又是動詞:He gave up tippling(他戒酒了)/ What's your tipple? (你最常飲哪種酒精飲料?)。

行筆至此,可有讓你心癢難耐,想買氣泡茶來細細品嚐嗎?一支氣泡茶索價16.95英鎊(約170港元)。還是泡一杯價廉物美的茉莉花茶好了,清肝明目,生津止渴,小休片刻後再全情投入鑽研英語,渾然忘卻四季更迭。

■李樂軒博士

香港恒生大學英文學系講師

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