As a certain wise hobbit said, "Po-TAY-toes! Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew. Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish."

Wonderful, nutritious potatoes come in a plethora of varieties and are at home at any meal of the day, from breakfast to dessert. It's only natural that versatile potatoes and versatile tea find each other at the table.

Here are some recommendations for common ways to have your potatoes and eat them, too!

Mashed

Whether you prefer your potatoes loaded with every topping, simple with a pat of butter, or classic with a river of gravy, sweet tea is a perfect accompaniment!

For sweet tea, choose a strong, smoky or citrus tea such as Lapsang Souchong. Those strong flavors help it stand up to all the honey and sugar you add (to taste).

Brew your tea at roughly twice the strength for your pitcher or cup, add your sweetener, and fill the rest of the pitcher with ice for a quick, cool treat. Or, if you prefer, brew your entire pitcher normally, add your sweetener, and pour it over ice for a warm-cold contrast.

Of course, if you prefer unsweetened tea, it'll hold up just as well for a perfect potato meal!

In a stew

Every potato-enjoying culture knows potatoes and stew belong together, leading to a diverse collection of options.
Try Ti Kuan Yin for any stew, especially beefy ones, where leafy greens would be just as at home as starchy vegetables. Ti Kuan Yin's nutty, slightly vegetal flavors will be at home beside any of those stews.

For something creamier and lighter, perhaps White Chai could be your perfect potato buddy!

If your stew is the green chili kind, revisit oolong with Pouchong. This lightly oxidized oolong finds the perfect balance between nutty oolong and green tea and might just be your green chili's best friend other than the potatoes, sour cream, and cheese, of course!

Pan-fried

From hash browns and skillet potatoes to potatoes fondant, the goal here is to bring out the wonderful flavors from the Maillard reaction combining with creamy starchiness.

Complement any spices in dishes such as skillet potatoes with Masala Chai, served with a bit of cream. Otherwise, a more classic pairing with Irish Breakfast or any breakfast tea. Add a splash of cream in your breakfast tea as well for a great match!

Deep-fried

Whether you're eating your potatoes with a burger, some fish, spiral cut, or dipping them in certain soft-serve ice cream, there's a perfect cup! For an always easy match, sweet tea as suggested with mashed potatoes is always a win. Try Casablanca Mint for a minty spin on a hot day with savory fried potatoes.

Or, for soft-serve-as-a-condiment or sweet potato fries, Rooibos Vanilla Chai will make an excellent choice!

Creamy

Some potato dishes are just creamy and often cheesy as well. For these dishes, there are a couple of great choices!
For creamier potatoes such as au gratin, Pu Erh Spice's cinnamon and anise complement nutmeg found in many cream sauces and stand up to the creaminess.

For cheesier flavors such as cheesy potato casserole, there's nothing quite like the smoothness of any iced tea! Try Peach Iced Tea for a taste of summer, whether or not there's snow outside.

Sweet

Sweet potatoes in white to red to purple yams, and even the-not-technically-a-potato taro come with a variety of dishes. Whether you prefer your sweet tubers with salt and butter or mashed with brown sugar, try Thai Tea for a spicy, sweet complement. Otherwise, give into luxury with Golden Spring's rich flavors that might just be your sweet potato's match made in heaven.

If you're looking for more potato-beverage-focused ideas, try a sweet potato latte!

Simply blend plain mashed sweet potato (ideally purple sweet potato but taro and any sweet potato are excellent options) with a milk of your choice and honey (or your favorite sweetener) to taste. If you'd like, strain to remove any remaining clumps then top with whipped cream and, optionally, slivered almonds.

Other

Along with all the diverse cultures of the world comes diverse choices for eating potatoes, from simple mashed to delightful llapingachos' cheese-stuffed patties served with a peanut sauce and cilantro so we'd always be missing out if we said this list covers it all!

Sweet tea, breakfast teas, and oolongs are always going to be an excellent pairing with nearly any potato dish. If you need something a little brighter, try Citrus Mint Green, or Minty Comfort for a more herbal take on things!

No matter how you like your potatoes, there's surely a tea for them! Don't be afraid to open your tea pantry and see what you like!