All about Tea

The History of Tea

The story of tea began in ancient China over 5,000 years ago. According to legend, Shen Nung, an early emperor was a skilled ruler, creative scientist and patron of the arts. His far-sighted edicts required, among other things, that all drinking water be boiled as a hygienic precaution. One summer day while visiting a distant region of his realm, he and the court stopped to rest. In accordance with his ruling, the servants began to boil water for the court to drink. Dried leaves from the near by bush fell into the boiling water, and a brown liquid was infused into the water. As a scientist, the Emperor was interested in the new liquid, drank some, and found it very refreshing. And so, according to legend, tea was created.

Tea Comes to Europe

When tea finally arrived in Europe, Elizabeth I had more years to live, and Rembrandt was only six years old. Because of the success of the Dutch navy in the Pacific, tea became very fashionable in the Dutch capital, the Hague. This was due in part to the high cost of the tea (over $100 per pound) which immediately made it the domain of the wealthy. Slowly, as the amount of tea imported increased, the price fell as the volume of sale expanded. Initially available to the public in apothecaries along with such rare and new spices as ginger and sugar, by 1675 it was available in common food shops throughout Holland.
As the consumption of tea increased dramatically in Dutch society, doctors and university authorities argued back and forth as to the negative and/or positive benefits of tea. Known as “tea heretics”, the public largely ignored the scholarly debate and continued to enjoy their new beverage though the controversy lasted from 1635 to roughly 1657. Throughout this period France and Holland led Europe in the use of tea.

Tea Comes to America

By 1650 the Dutch were actively involved in trade throughout the Western world. Peter Stuyvesant brought the first tea to America to the colonists in the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam (later re-named New York by the English). Settlers here were confirmed tea drinkers. And indeed, on acquiring the colony, the English found that the small settlement consumed more tea at that time then all of England put together.

Types of Teas

There are four major categories of tea, each of which gets its distinctive characteristics from the way the leaves are processed. (Herbal tea does not usually include actual tea leaves, but rather is a mixture of herbs and other ingredients, such as dried citrus; it is not, strictly speaking, “tea”.)

Oolong

Originates from about 400 years ago. It is said that oolong tea first began to be produced at Mt. Wu Yi Shan in Fujian Province at the end of the Ming Dynasty about 400 years ago.
Today, the highest grade Oolongs (Formosa Oolongs) are grown in Taiwan. A cross between green and black teas, it is fermented to achieve a delicious fruity taste that makes milk, lemon, and sugar unthinkable. It is basically difficult to make delicious oolong tea. However, since canned oolong tea, which allows consumers to enjoy delicious oolong tea easily, was launched 18 years ago, it has attracted an increasing number of Japanese aficionados and penetrated the Japanese lifestyle. In order to enjoy the flavor and rich aroma unique to oolong tea, an art of drinking it delicately was developed. This involves drinking oolong tea by using a tiny teapot and a tiny teacup. Chinese people have adopted this style for generations right up to the present day.
With such clarity, it is perfect for afternoon use with such tea fare as cucumber sandwiches and madelaines.
Oolong tea is effective in controlling obesity. Specifically speaking, it activates the enzyme that is responsible for dissolving triglyceride. It has been confirmed that the continuous intake of oolong tea contributes to enhancing the function of fat metabolism and to controlling obesity.
Consuming polyphenol found in oolong tea contributes to the reduction of tooth decay significantly and is effective in preventing the occurrence of such decay. The Department of Dermatology, Shiga University of Medical Science carried out research into its effect on atopic dermatitis and discovered that 64% of sufferers of atopic dermatitis reported an improvement in their skin condition. This indicates that oolong tea is very effective regarding atopic dermatitis.

Green tea

It`s made from the steamed and dried leaves of the Camellia sinesis plant, a shrub native to Asia. Green tea is the most natural of Chinese tea classes since it is subject to minimum processing
Green tea is not oxidized; the leaves are steamed or baked immediately after being plucked. They are then rolled and dried allowing the leaves to remain green in color. Green tea is made from both new buds as well as young leaves – “pluckers” take ‘two leaves and a bud’.
Green tea, which is unfermented tea, remains the most popular tea in Asian countries such as China and Japan have less caffeine than black tea. In fact, up until the eighteenth century, it was also the most popular form of tea in Britain as well.
Chinese Green tea is light and refreshing. Well known for its many health benefits, Chinese Green tea helps to prevent cancer, lowers cholesterol & blood pressure, strengthens the immune system, prevents cavities, reduces stress and regulates ageing.

Black tea

Black tea is nothing more than the leaves of the camellia sinensis that have been processed a certain way. Black teas are the most consumed of the four types of teas. They are the highest in caffeine, but still have antioxidant properties, just not quite as much as others.
The processing of black tea requires a full oxidation of the leaves. After the leaves are plucked, they are laid out to wither for about 8 to 24 hours. This lets most of the water evaporate. Then the leaves are rolled in order to crack up the surface so that oxygen will react with the enzymes and begin the oxidation process. The leaves are left to completely oxidize, thus turning the leaves to a deep black color. The resulting leaves and liquor are usually darker than an oolong. After that, a final drying takes place. From there, it goes off to be sorted, graded, and packaged.
Recent studies have proven that the health benefits of black tea rank as high as the benefits of green teas. The naturally occurring antioxidants found in black tea are equally beneficial to your body coming from a brewed hot black tea or delicious iced black tea. It`s improve the function of the lining of the blood vessels. This means that arteries have a better capacity for expansion and contraction as needed, and will be less prone to developing plaques and lesions associated with heart disease.
Both black and green tea and tea preparations have repeatedly been found to reduce tumor formation for cancers of the skin, lung, oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, pancreas, and prostate.
Black tea is by far the most consumed tea in the Western world.  The flavor of a black tea depends on where it’s grown. Many are used to milk and sugar in their morning black tea. Try it straight, gongfu style.

White tea

It`s grown in the high mountains of Fujian province. Similar to Green tea (resulting in a light sweet flavor), White teas undergo very little processing. Is made from the youngest buds, picked in Spring, before they are open and still covered in fine white hairs.
White Tea has more antioxidants than any other kind of tea, including Green Tea. In fact, study after study is now telling us that White Tea is the healthiest of all teas. Tea may inhibit oxidation of LDL (low density lipoproteins), sometimes referred to as “bad cholesterol”. Scientists believe that oxidized LDL is a potent initiator of coronary heart disease. White tea also reduces high blood pressure by inhibiting the formation of certain enzymes that cause constriction in blood vessels.
One of the added benefits of drinking White tea that many don’t realize is that it is far less likely to stain your teeth than when drinking coffee or even other tea varieties.

Brewing the Perfect Pot

You’ll need a kettle, a teapot, a timer, an instant-read thermometer and, for loose-leaf tea, an infuser and a measuring spoon. Elaine Terman, proprietor of Elaine’s Tea Shoppe in Sylvania, Ohio, offers a method for making a perfect infusion every time:

- Begin with fresh, cold water, preferably filtered to remove chemical tastes, such as chlorine. Bring the water to a boil in a teakettle. Pour some of the hot water into the teapot to warm it up (if you start with a cold pot, it will chill the water in which you steep the tea to a temperature that’s below optimum). Swirl the hot water around, then discard it.
- Place the leaves or bags directly in the warmed pot or use the infuser. The general rule is about one teaspoon (or tea bag) for each cup of tea, plus one for the pot to ensure that the resulting brew is full flavored.
-Pour the hot water over the leaves or bags immediately if you’re making black tea, or let the water cool slightly for other types. Oolongs should be steeped at 185 degrees F to 200 degrees F and green and white teas at 175 degrees F to 180 degrees F.
- Let the tea steep. Oolongs should generally sit for one to two minutes for optimal flavor, while green tea needs two to three minutes. Black teas typically require three to five minutes to be at their best and white teas five to seven minutes. The longer the steeping time, the more bitter the beverage will be. If you prefer a brew with some brawn, you should add more leaves, not more time.
- If you’ve made black tea, you might try adding milk or lemon and a sweetener such as honey or sugar. Avoid using cream, which is heavy and overpowering. Experts say that Asian-style brews, such as green or oolong, are best enjoyed plain.

Gongfu Tea Preparation

In China the formal presentation of tea is known as “gongfu” which, like the gaiwan method of tea preparation, dates from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The term “gongfu” denotes skill from practice—the idea being that expertise is derived not so much from learning as from experience, that is: practice (which we could say in this case does not “make perfect”, but which is instead an end in itself).  While literally gongfu could signify the serious practice of any art form, today “gongfu tea” is generally used to refer to the more or less elaborate preparation of tea using miniature unglazed wares made of the special “purple sand” clay of Yixing in Jiangsu province.

Rinse

Whenever tea is prepared, the first step is always to rinse all vessels with hot water.  This signifies that the ritual of tea making has begun by purifying the pot: cleaning it of dust and residue and making it ready to receive the tea. It also warms the vessels since the hot water is then poured into the serving pitcher and from there into the tasting cups. This is done because at room temperature ceramic teaware is usually quite cold and unsuited to brewing fine teas whose temperature must be carefully controlled.

Tea leaves

The tea leaves should be prepared in advance, ready to be placed in the pot as soon as it has been warmed. A tea caddy or “tea presentation vessel”, as shown, is recommended for this purpose, as is a proper set of tea tools. Approximately one to two teaspoons of leaf is a good quantity to begin with and is easily adjusted to taste after the initial infusion.

Aroma

Before infusion hot water should be poured over the leaves and quickly poured off.  This removes any dust from the leaves and begins to open them up—releasing the tea’s aroma, which should be savored prior to infusion in order to prepare the palate to appreciate the full flavor of the tea.

Water

it’s important to give some thought to the water you use for brewing.  Tap water should be avoided since its chemical treatment imparts undesirable flavors and odors which interfere with the delicate aromatics of tea.  (Home filters and other water purification systems can minimize and, in some cases, eliminate these problems.)  The best water for tea brewing is spring water with a natural mineral content that’s neither too hard nor too soft.

Infusion

Infusion, water temperature, and steeping time are just as important as the quality of the water and tea leaves used. For the best infusion fill pot to the top with hot water and cover. Then pour water over the top of the pot, drawing the stream over the air hole until a little water comes out the spout. When this occurs you know the pot is full and heated to the right temperature.

Service

When the leaves have infused, pour the tea out into the pitcher and then serve in individual tasting cups

Resteeping

One of the benefits of using high quality, full-leaf teas is that they do not “leech out” like the chopped-up tea found in teabags and, as a result, may be resteeped—generally two or three times, sometimes more. To resteep it is usually necessary to increase the infusion time slightly and also to reheat the water— at least to the original infusion temperature, sometimes higher. It is not recommended that tea leaves be left for any length of time between infusions.

Now that you know how to brew tea properly, you can make yourself a pot, share this comforting drink with a friend or throw a party. Tea goes well with food ranging from light sandwiches, scones and sweets to something heartier, such as a buffet of casseroles, salads, bread and cheese, fruit pies and cake, says Elizabeth Knight, author of Tea With Friends. “Everything except the tea can be made ahead of time, so you can be a guest at your own gathering,” says Knight. Your only responsibility when your visitors arrive is to relax and enjoy the occasion.

Source imperialtea stashtea republicoftea green-tea
 

Related Posts

• No related posts