TEA

My slow collection of all things TEA will continue here after making its {hopeful) mark on the main page:

The Word TEA

    

The Word TEA:

Where does it arrive from?
At last something is starting to make sense to me, the word CHA.  After many years of watching English television  and wondering how the word CHA had any similarity to TEA. I have found out why, as you will see very soon.It comes from the Mandarin word CHA, but the central coast & SE Asia pronounce it TE.  So both words have found their way into English with TEA being the most popular

Also, the word CHA has now many derivatives, hence the word CHAI.

We (English speaking) use the word Tea because we acquired our tea from the  "te-derived" Min.  Whilst the CHA meant people derived their tea from "cha-derived" Cantonese and Mandarin.

For more information go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea where there are very interesting Etymological observations. 

The History of Tea (brief)Tea likely originated in China during the Shang Dynasty (The Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project dated them from c. 1600 BC to 1046 BC.) as a medicinal drinkDrinking tea became popular in Britain during the 17th century. The British introduced tea to India, in order to compete with the Chinese monopoly on tea.Tea has been historically promoted for having a variety of positive health benefits.  (we will cover this more in future blogs)(I told you it was a brief history, if more detail is required, Wikipedia has a reasonable outline.)

Cultivation & Harvesting: (brief)Leaves of Camellia sinensis, the tea plantCamellia sinensis is an evergreen plant that grows mainly in tropical and subtropical climates. There are a few  varieties which can also tolerate marine climates and are cultivated on the British mainland and in the United States. Tea plants are propagated by seed   it takes about 4 to 12 years for a tea plant to bear seed, and about three years before a new plant is ready for harvesting. In addition to a warmer climate, tea plants require at least 127 cm (50 inches) of rainfall a year and prefer acidic soils. Many high-quality tea plants are cultivated of up to 1,500m (4,900 ft) above sea level: at these heights, the plants grow more slowly and acquire a better flavour, Only the top 1–2 inches of the mature plant are picked. These buds and leaves are called flushes.  A plant will grow a new flush every 7 to 15 days during growing season, and leaves slow in development tend to produce better-flavoured teas. Tea plants will grow into a tree of up to 16 m (52 ft) if left undisturbed, but cultivated plants are pruned to waist height for ease of plucking. Pests of tea include mosquito bugs that can tatter leaves, so insecticides may be used.1.  China plant (C.s. sinensis), used for most Chinese, Formosan & Japanese teas.2.  Assam tea plant (C.s.assamica) used for most Indian & other teas (not Darjeeling) From these two varieties, there are many strains and clonal varieties.Leaf size  is the chief criterion for the classification of tea plants (Indian clonal varieties) with Assam type tea being characterised by the largest leaves.China type characterised by the smallest leaves Cambod (?) characterized by intermediate leaves.

Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary.  ~Chinese Proverb

Black Tea

Different Types of Tea:

(I said this would be a big chapter, and it is, but I have decided to break it up a little, makes it easier for me. So, I hope you will persevere with me.  I only hope that no-one is in a hurry to read this story on tea as it is going to be prolonged.  It is such a big subject.)

After my research I have come to the conclusion that there are not as many varieties as I thought.  There are many blends that come under a FEW varieties.
The main headings for TEA are:

1. Black
2. Oolong
3. Green
4. White

Then there are many blends etc under these headings.  The herbal teas / tisanes will be discussed separately. 

1.  BLACK TEA

• Is more oxidised and stronger in flavour than the other teas.
• In Chinese, "black tea" is a classification for post-fermented teas such as Pu-erh tea and rooibos (will talk about this later)
• Retains its flavour for several years
• Accounts for over 90% of all tea sold in the west.
• usually graded on one of four scales of quality
• Whole leaf teas are highest quality, followed by the broken leaves,
• Whole leaf teas are produced with little or no alteration to the tea leaf
• Whole leaf teas are widely considered the most valuable, especially if they contain leaf tips.
• Broken leaves are commonly sold as medium grade loose teas
• Smaller broken varieties may be included in tea bags.
• Leaves are oxidised  under controlled temperature  & humidity- called fermentation
• level of oxidation determines the quality of the tea.
• Then the leaves are dried to arrest the oxidation process.
• Finally, the leaves are sorted into grades according to their sizes
• Brewing of black tea varies around the world and we will discuss differences at a later date, along with serving of the tea.
• Popular varieties of black tea include Assam, Nepal, Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Turkish & Ceylon teas

Black Tea

Black Tea

Pictures courtesy of

Wikipedia 

"Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea? how did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea."      Sydney Smith, Lady Holland's Memoir (1855), Vol. I. P. 383.

Oolong Tea

The name oolong tea came into the  English language from the  Chinese name meaning "black dragon tea".  -  Wikipedia

A traditional Chinese tea produced through a process including withering under the strong sun & oxidation before curling and twisting.  Many, especially those of fine quality, involve unique cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties.

Degree of oxidation range from 8 - 85% depending on variety and production style.

Oolong is popular with tea connoisseurs of South China and Chinese Expatriates inSE Asia.

The taste of oolong ranges hugely amongst various subvarieties.  It can be sweet and fruity with honey aromas, or woody and thick with roasted aromas,or green and fresh with bouquet aromas.  All depends on the horticulture and style of production.  Several subvarieties of oolong tea are available.  

Different varieties are  processed differently, but the leaves are formed into one of two distinct styles. Some are rolled into long curly leaves, while others are 'wrap-curled' into small beads, each with a tail. The former style is the more traditional of the two in China

Rolled oolong tea leaves

There are many varieties of Oolong tea but I am only going to cover the most popular that we may know or use:

·                    Darjeeling Oolong - (this is one of my favorites and I wasn't aware until writing this article that it was an Oolong tea) -  Darjeeling Tea made according to Chinese methods.

·                    Assam smoked Oolong: Assam tea made according to Chinese methods, and delicately smoked over open fire

·                    Vietnamese Oolong

·                     Thai Oolong

·                     Indonesian Oolong: made in Lebak-Banten, Indonesia

·                    African oolong: made in Malawi and in Kenya

·                    Nepali oolong

The most famous and expensive oolong teas come from the Fujian province, and the production is still usually accredited as being organic.   

STEEPING:

Generally, (as we all have different tastes and prefer different strengths)

• 3 grams of tea per 200 ml of water, or about two teaspoons of oolong tea per cup 
• Oolong teas should be prepared with 200 to 205 °F (93 to 96 °C) water (not boiling) 
• Steeped 3–10 minutes. 
•  High quality oolong can be steeped several times from the same leaves and, unlike other teas, it improves with re brewing  it is common to steep the same leaves three to five times, the third or fourth steeping usually being considered the best (didn't know this fact).

A small tea pot steeping charcoal fire oolong

Oolong does contain Caffeine, but less than Black Tea

Benefits of Oolong Tea (courtesy of http://www.oolongteainfo.com/)

·         Most well known is prevention of obesity and active contribution in weight loss

·         Assists in combating aging of the skin

·         Also assists in preventing heart disease & cancer, reducing high blood pressure

·         Assists in prolonging and improving vitality & life span

·         Strengthens teeth and prevents tooth decay (I need more obviously)

·         Relieves physical & mental stress

·         Helps with treating skin problems like eczema & rashes

·         Helps improve brain power, helps lower blood sugar levels

·         Assists with the treatment for diabetes.

Oolong Tea also has a couple of other benefits:

It can be used as a household cleaner and is NON TOXIC.  Can also be used as a deodoriser and disinfectant.

There are a few side effects if OVER CONSUMED

Oolong Tea