About Tea

TEA
Tea is one of the last affordable luxuries and at the same time is as common as water, being the world’s #2 most widely consumed beverage. While there are an endless number of tea varieties available today, there are only 4 main types of tea, all of which originate from the same evergreen shrub—Camellia sinensis: White, Green, Oolong, Black (though some schools of thought maintain that there are only 3 kinds of tea–that white and green teas belong in the same category). Like a single grape can be processed into red and white wine with different qualities depending upon terroir and the skill of the winemaker, a single tea leaf can be turned into countless kinds of tea depending on similar factors. Also, like wine, teas are often named for the region from which they come– Darjeeling, Ceylon, Formosa and Assam all speak to the origin of the leaf.

TISANE
Chamomile, peppermint, ginger and rooibos “teas” are not actually teas, but are infusions of herbs. Any medicinal or edible herb, root, stem or flower steeped in water is technically a “tisane” (tea-ZAHN) or an herbal infusion. It is fun to experiment with making your own tisanes. I like to steep dried lemon verbena from my garden or a few crushed green cardamom pods and a cinnamon stick in some hot milk with honey. Slice some fresh ginger in your green tea. Find your own favorite, you will find it changing with the season and your mood!

WHITE, GREEN, BLACK, OOLONG
Tea is not a science, but an art, so any definitions are merely guidelines, rather than strict rules. Guideline for differentiating between the 4 types of tea:
White: The least processed type of tea. The steamed and dried terminal bud or top 2 leaves and terminal bud of the tea plant. The “Far East” countries like Japan and China are known for producing the world’s best white teas.
Green: The second least processed kind of tea. Green tea is generally steamed, rolled and dried. While India and Sri Lanka produce some great greens, Japan and China’s long, long history ( since 2737 BC in China) of artisan green tea production make these countries’ green teas the most sought after.
Oolong: Oolong tea is my personal favorite– it is gathered, withered, rolled, partially oxidized and then dried. It is often considered to contain the health properties of both green and black teas, being somewhat of a hybrid of the two. “Formosa”, as Taiwan was once was known, and China produce the best, most typical Oolongs. Look for Ali High Mountain Oolong– the most expensive tea ever produced and taste it’s buttery layers of orchid, white flower and wood change with each subsequent steeping.
Black: Black tea is the most processed type of tea. It is withered, rolled, fully oxidized and then dried. The oxidation process brings out color, flavor and body while deceasing antioxidant levels. Since the British colonists set up tea estates in India and Sri Lanka around the 1600ds to feed their vast appetites for tea, these countries export some of the worlds finest black teas. Amazing black teas are also found in China.

MAKING A PERFECT CUP
Second to choosing a great tea is knowing just how to prepare the tea. Since we have relied on tea bags and iced tea for so long, there is some confusion around making a cup of tea. Here are some guidelines to help you discover your favorite cup of tea.

There are really only 3 variants in tea preparation.
1. amount of tea
2. water temperature
3. steeping time

First-Amount of tea- One mistake people often make is using too much tea and producing a bitter, overly-strong tea. You actually need less tea than you may think.
As a rule, use 2 grams per 6-8 ounces (1 teaspoon per cup).

Second-Water temperature- As a rule of thumb, the more processed the tea is, the hotter the water temperature you will need to steep it in. Steep green and white teas in 165 degree water. To get to this temperature, bring your kettle to a boil, remove it from the heat and wait 1 minute before pouring the water. For Oolong and black teas, the rule of thumb is 212 degrees. To get to this temperature, bring our kettle to a rolling boil for 1 minute before pouring it over the leaves.

Third-Steeping times- The second most-common mistake in making a cup of tea is over-brewing the leaves. The rule is 3-5 minutes per cup, but this varies drastically according to the type of tea and your preference. Most quality teas will give you specific amounts, temperatures and times for that tea on the package. Use your best judgement and trust your own palate.

Then, taste the tea, if it is too bitter, strong or weak, you can experiment with adjusting the amount, temperature and steeping time. In the end, tea is meant to be enjoyed and you are the best judge of the perfect cup of tea to suit your taste. These notes are merely a starting point from which to begin your journey.

TRICKS OF ENJOYMENT
Reuse your leaves
Many people don’t know that you can and should re-use your tea leaves 2, 3 4 and up to 5 or 6 times depending on the tea and your taste. Some Oolongs develop a more complex flavor upon re-steeping.

Natural decaffeination
Most of the caffeine comes out of tea in the first 20 seconds of steeping. So, to remove the majority of the caffeine and bitterness from the tea or to clean non organic tea, you can “wash the weeds”– pour just enough water over the leaves to cover them. Steep for 20 seconds and then discard the cup of tea. Next, cover the leaves with enough hot water to make a perfect cup and allow the leaves to steep to your desired strength. White, green and Oolong teas are particularly great for re steeping.

LEARN MORE
Come to a scheduled class or plan your own to learn more about pairing tea with foods, health benefits, grading and quality, storage techniques, great online tea shops, history, etc… Click on the “Tea Classes” tab above to learn more.