T
he many different types of Tea come from
HOW the Tea leaves are handled
AFTER they are picked. Of course, climate conditions, the soil & altitude where they are grown, and when they are picked are important too. Generally, high mountain Teas are more highly prized. They grow slowly and develop a deeper flavor.
Quality Tea must be picked by hand and it takes about 10,000 Tea leaves to make a single pound of finished Tea! It is critical to pick just the right leaves on the plant at just the right time of the year, to ensure the
Tea plant is kept alive and healthy.
All Hail the Tea Pickers! As soon as the leaves are picked time is of the essence. The leaves must be handled quickly and properly.
A
fter all that work, it would be sacrilege to brew Tea using anything less than the purest water possible.
Typically
1 Teaspoon of loose Tea will brew a Standard
6 oz Teacup, but tastes vary of course.
WHITE TEA (bái chá 白茶)
W
hite Tea is the first 'flush' of new leaves, usually in the spring. The Tea is picked before the leaves have fully matured. The new leaves are covered in a light white fuzz, like down feathers. The taste is wonderful, light, and very flavorful. I actually like to snack on White Tea leaves - so nice. These leaves have less caffeine than other Teas and usually contain more of the powerful antioxidant,
EGCG. White and Green Teas should brewed with fresh cold water brought to no more than 185°F (85°C) to help preserve the powerful antioxidants.
GREEN TEA (lü chá 绿茶)
G
reen Tea may be picked whenever the Tea master deems it is time. The leaves are quickly gathered and layed out to air dry. Many times the leaves are 'rolled' or 'flattened' which ruptures the cell walls of the Tea leaves and opens them up to enhanced oxidation. This is done while they still contain some moisture. Then the leaves are air dried. Steaming may also be used sometimes to prevent the leaves from aging or fermenting before they are dried. All this ensures the leaves are 'fresh' and green. Green Teas contain a great deal of the antioxidant
EGCG. Brew Green Teas with water brought to no more than 185°F (85°C).
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OOLONG TEA (wū lóng chá 乌龙茶)
O
olong Teas go through very special processing. In Chinese this Tea is pronounced "
Wū Lóng" which means
Black Dragon. These Teas usually demand much higher prices in China than the more common Green Teas. Depending on the climate and the desired result the picked leaves may be dried and then partially re-hydrated, may be tossed or 'bruised', and even heated on a steel plate. All this processing brings out the distinctive floral overtones of the Tea leaves. Oolong Teas can be closer to Green Teas or closer to Black Teas depending on how the leaves are processed. Brew Oolong Tea with fresh cold water brought to about 185°F (85°C).
DRAGON PEARL JASMINE TEA
(lóng zhū mò lì huā chá 龙珠茉莉花茶)
T
ea blends well with many other plants. One of the most famous of which is the fragrant
Night Blooming Jasmine. Jasmine flowers are picked at night and then combined with a long leaf premium Green Tea. The leaves and flowers are rolled together into small balls which are known as
Dragon Pearls. This Tea is exceptionally fragrant and relaxing but care must be taken to brew the leaves for
no more than 90 seconds. This will prevent the Jasmine flowers from making the Tea bitter. Also the water cannot be too hot - only 180°F (82°C). Properly done, the result is wonderful and the Tea can be chilled to make a very refreshing beverage.
BLACK TEA (hóng chá 红茶)
I
n China black Tea is called Red Tea and Pu-Er Tea is known as Black Tea. These Chinese names are more representative of the color of the brewed Tea. To produce Black Tea the oldest
pekoes and souchong leaves are generally used (see below). Leaves destined for Black Tea are gathered and then laid out to dry for 12-36 hours. This allows the leaves to 'ferment' and change chemically while they turn coppery red to dark brown. When the desired color is reached they are steamed to halt the fermentation and dried. Usually the leaves are then broken into somewhat smaller pieces. Black Teas have a great deal of the powerful
Antioxidant Polyphenols known as
theaflavins. Brew Black Teas with fresh cold water brought almost to a boil (210°F or 99°C).
PU-ER TEA (pŭ-ĕr chá 普洱茶)
T
he
Pu-Er Tea goes through a specially controlled 'aging' process. The exact details of the processing are a guarded secret, but generally the leaves are laid out between layers of burlap and turned every few days in a locked climate controlled room. The prepared leaves are pressed into large cakes about 8 inches in diameter which are then stamped, dated, & certified. Sometimes they're pressed into single serving balls called '
Tuo Pu-Er' and allowed to age further. The best Pu-Er comes from
500 year old Tea Trees that grow in the pristine mountains of the Yunnan Province of China and the cakes are aged there in caves. This cool, controlled, environment is perfect for the cakes to age properly.
P
u-Er cakes can last many decades and are said to be a
Living Tea. Pu-Er Teas are extremely high in antioxidants and also contain many trace elements including Fluoride. Pu-Er Tea is sometimes used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is said to be very good for the digestion. Pu-er cakes can sell for $100 to over $1,000 depending on the quality. Brew this smooth and satisfying Tea with fresh water brought to a boil (212°F or 100°C).
SMALL GREEN MANDARIN (shăo qīng gān 少青柑)
T
he
Small Green Mandarin Pu-Er is very special. Fine Pu-Er Tea is placed inside a hollowed out Small Mandarin Orange while the Tea and the Fruit are still not quite dry. They are then wrapped and sealed and allowed to dry together. This embues the Tea with delightful
Mandarin Orange Overtones. This Tea is fairly rare but a real treat if you ever have the opportunity.
EARL GREY TEA (bójué huī chá 伯爵灰茶)
M
ost popular with Americans,
Earl Grey Tea is a Fine Black Tea flavoured with
Oil of Bergamot, which is a variety of Orange,
Citrus bergamia, grown in France and Italy. The Tea is very aromatic and smooth. Earl Grey is named after the British Prime Minister,
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, circa 1830.
CONSTANT COMMENT
T
he
Constant Comment Tea is a Fine Black Tea also flavoured with rinds of Orange and select spices. The recipe is a guarded secret. It was first created by the Bigelow Tea Company in 1945. It is still available today in most supermarkets.