everything you ever wanted to know about tea

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Contents

Tea history and traditions from around the world.History of Tea in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).History of Tea in China.History of Tea in JapanEurope discovers tea.Various types of tea and how they are produced.Common blends and varieties of Camellia Sinensis.Loose tea - why not teabags? No name brands?What do those letters mean anyway ???How to "brew" the perfect cup of tea.How do I store my tea properly? Will it go stale?Useful Tea ConversionsCaffeine and other health issues.Decaffeinated teas and the decaffeination process.Tea TrivaPairing Food and Teas

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Tea history and traditions from around the world.

Before the tradition of infusing tea leaves as a drink came into practice, indigenous tribes in the mountains southwest of China chewed on tea leaves for medicinal purposes, and in Thailand, boiled or steamed tea leaves were seasoned with garlic and salt and served with foods like dried fish or pork. The use of tea leaves evolved in 2737 B.C. when the leaves from a wild tea bush are said to have blown into the cup of a Chinese emperor who sat resting in its shade. Today in China, tea is often brewed in a covered cup from which the liquor is then sipped in small amounts.

As navigators, sailors, and missionaries traveled to China in search of its treasures, the custom of taking tea began to slowly impact those in Western Europe, especially those in England. Tearooms where a strong pot of black tea can always be found now dot the landscape. Following English colonization, Sri Lanka (Ceylon at the time), Australia and New Zealand, Canada, and the United States also inherited the British habit of drinking tea, with each area incorporating its own customs, traditions, and values. In Sri Lanka, tea is served with breakfast, lunch, and then again in the evening at the various tea gardens on the island, and tea drinkers occasionally sit on pillows on the floor in keeping with native custom.

Australian sheep farmers adapted the British custom of tea drinking in their own unique fashion. In a tin vessel called a "billy can," the sheep farmer boils water and puts in a handful of leaves. He then lets this brew until his bacon is finished cooking, and after adding a generous amount of sugar, he drinks the strong brew. The billy can is left with the leaves inside to simmer all day, so when the sheep farmer arrives home after a day of work, the intense infusion is reheated and enjoyed. Further south on the island of New Zealand, tea is consumed as a less intense brew. Two pots are served for tea; one holds the infused tea liquor while the other contains hot water for dilution if the tea is too strong.

Today in Canada, tea traditions vary only slightly from those in Europe. A "crockery teapot" is scalded with boiling water, and a teaspoon of tea is measured out per two cups of tea. The leaves are then infused from five to eight minutes depending on the desired strength. In the United States, most of the tea consumed is either from teabags or iced tea. Stemming from the American Revolution against British rule, loose-leaf tea was viewed as unpatriotic, and the cultural effects can be seen even today. Still, fine tea is regaining popularity among connoisseurs and green and white teas are gaining recognition for its health benefits.

Indias tea customs include the tradition of blending cardamom seeds, fennel, sugar, and milk to make chai. On tea gardens in the districts of Assam and Darjeeling, a good cup fresh tea can almost always be found. There is some debate as to whether the Indians originally learned of tea through British conquest or from experimentation with native plants.

England was not the only country to learn from Chinas tea traditions, however, and other countries that were in close contact with China developed their own unique infusion methods. Morocco, Russia, Spain, and Portugal also modified Chinese tea methods to suit their own distinctive regional tastes and preferences. The Japanese combined tea drinking with their own Taoist ideals, and the popular tea preparation of Cha-no-yu emerged. In Cha-no-yu, the ceremony focuses on the beauty of the tea preparation and the ability of the teamaker. The tradition of Sencha became popular as a countermovement among humanists and the Chinese elite. Praise of cultural sophistication -- imitation of Chinese values -- and refinement are embodied in the Sencha tradition, which was once more popular than Cha-no-yu.

From Japan, Korea and the Netherlands learned to enjoy tea, but once again, unique traditions were incorporated into the brewing methods. Freshly boiling water is used to infuse a strong cup for five to six minutes, and tea from China, Java, India, or Ceylon are preferred in the Netherlands. In Korea, the way of tea was modified even more to include the habit of sipping raw egg in between hot cups of tea.

Moroccans blend Chinese gunpowder green tea with spearmint and other indigenous mints to create the popular Moroccan mint tea. Ample amounts of sugar are added to the infusion to create a delightfully sweet and refreshing beverage. Often, the eldest man of the household serves the tea with elegant motions that creates froth in the cup.

The samovar, a symbol of tradition, is used to brew tea in Russia. At the base of the samovar, a charcoal fire burns, and a metal pipe runs up inside the container to heat the water. Tea leaves are infused in a concentrated form in a small teapot that rests on top of the samovar. Water dispensed from the copper vessel is mixed with the strong tea to create a hearty drink that is often served with sugar cubes that are held in the mouth while drinking. In Iran and Turkey, the Russian samovar is used for special occasions and holidays.

As Portuguese and Spanish explorers settled parts of South America, they brought with them the budding European tradition of brewing tea; however, coffee drinking already had a firm stronghold in the culture. Yerba mat, an indigenous plant in many areas of South America, was already known and used by the native tribes. The leaves of this stimulating plant are infused and sipped through a tube with a strainer from a bottle-shaped gourd.

The practice of infusing tea leaves has endured in various forms throughout the world, with each new participant in the tradition of tea adding its own new modification. The method of infusing loose leaf in a small cup is still practiced in China, Japan, and Taiwan while only a dedicated minority in Japan practices the more rigid, traditional tea ceremonies. European modifications to tea include the popular English teapot and the samovar. Today, a return to fine, loose leaf tea in many regions of the world, including the United States, is adding yet another unique practice to the tradition of tea.


History of Tea in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

The plantation industry in Ceylon, now called Sri Lanka, began in 1825 with the widespread planting of coffee. Between 1839 and 1840, tea seed and plants were sent to the Royal Botanic Gardens in the Kandy district, but these early arrivals were largely ignored for the more lucrative coffee craze that had seized the region. However, this booming industry came to a dramatic halt in 1869 when a leaf disease known as the "coffee rust" spread rapidly throughout the countryside -- reaching every coffee district within the span of five years. While the plantation owners desperately cleared and replanted coffee at a remarkable rate, the disease continued to spread unhindered.

During the next twenty years, in a frantic effort to avoid financial ruin, planters in Ceylon converted their decimated acreage to tea; it was a remarkable effort that involved the wide-scale uprooting and burning of millions of infected coffee bushes. Perhaps the rapid cultivation of tea in Sri Lanka was aided most by the knowledge and experience of their fellow Indian tea planters.

Within the span of a few years, tea processing factories -- most resembling nothing more than shacks constructed from mud and wattle walls and floors -- sprang up across the island of Ceylon. Fresh-picked tea leaves were withered in separate sheds and hand-rolled on long, grooved tables before undergoing fermentation. Inside the factory building, lines of charcoal-burning ovens were situated across the mud floor, and it was over these ovens that the tea leaves were fired or dried.

Although many influential and successful planters were responsible for transforming Ceylon from ruined a coffee-producing region to one famous worldwide for its tea, nearly all of their names have been forgotten except for one -- Thomas Lipton. Already a millionaire grocer by the time he looked into tea prospects in Ceylon in 1888, Lipton decided that the best way to make money in the lucrative European tea market was to eliminate the costly middlemen and develop a direct source for tea. Because the economic effects of the coffee blight were still drastically affecting Ceylon, Lipton naturally chose this island as the inexpensive source for his tea.

Lipton's genius was not in the area of growing tea but rather in the marketing and distribution of the final product, and his tireless capacity to invent and popularize clever slogans and effective advertising campaigns are legendary. It is a testament to Lipton's remarkable force of character and business acumen that his name alone is often included in any popular discussion of Ceylon tea.

Under the watchful eye of Lipton and other business tycoons, there were 380,000 acres of tea by 1900, and steady increases resulted in 600,000 acres by the late 1960's. Today, most of the same land that was converted from coffee continues a thriving international tea industry.


History of Tea in China.

While most agree that tea was first discovered in China about 5000 years ago, the specifics of tea's discovery are lost forever in the mists of time. The oft repeated tale tells the story of the legendary emperor Shen Nung who discovered tea in 2737 B.C., when a few leaves from a wild tea plant fell into his boiling water. The emperor found the resulting drink to his liking.

Chinese historians warn that this colorful story should not be taken literally because Shen Nung, who is also known as the Divine Cultivator, may never have existed as more than a Chinese legend. Still, any literary reference to tea, no matter how ancient, is more likely based upon the far older oral traditions of China, so tea is without a doubt one of the oldest beverages known to man.

During the third millennium B.C. in China, healers experimented with the medicinal qualities of herbs, and it is likely that the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, was among those used at that time.

One of the difficulties in clearly identifying the origin of tea stems from the early use of the Chinese character t'u to represent tea and at least one other plant, the sowthistle, which is botanically unrelated to the tea plant. While several early references to the character t'uexist in Chinese literature, there is much uncertainty as to whether the tea plant was actually the herb being discussed. It is known that Confucius (551-479 B.C.) was an advocate of a beverage made from an herb called "t'u;" although some doubt that this was an infusion made from Camellia sinensis, it is quite likely that this was indeed the same tea that we enjoy today.

It appears that the character ch'a was in use by the time of the western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-7 A.D.), as a specific reference to tea (Camellia sinensis), but interestingly, ch'a differs from t'u only by the lack of a single stroke. An early use of ch'a may have been to differentiate the higher grade teas from those of lesser quality. By the eighth century A.D. ch'a became synonymous with tea -- more correctly, green tea (the Chinese had not yet developed a process for making black tea).

According to tea sage Lu Yu's Canon of Tea, which was written in the eighth century (T'ang Dynasty), tea was used as a medicinal during the Zhou Dynasty (eleventh century B.C.), and tea's use as a medicine probably continued for several centuries before it became more widely consumed as a beverage. Even today many Chinese believe that tea has health benefits beyond those which can be ascribed to its vitamin and mineral content. Certain teas, such as Pu-Erh, are especially prized for their health benefits, and increasingly, modern scientific studies are substantiating some of these claims.

The use of tea as a non-medicinal beverage probably began about two thousand years ago, but the scarcity of tea leaves restricted consumption to royalty and wealthy elders. By the T'ang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), tea became a drink not only of the privileged few, but also of poets, scholars, and artists. During the Song dynasty (960-1279 A.D.), tea was the customary beverage offered to visitors, and from that time forward tea has been, more than any other beverage, the symbol of social grace in Asia and around the world.

During the Song dynasty, tea was commonly prepared by grinding the leaves into a very fine powder, which was then whipped with hot water and served in shallow bowls. The entire process of preparing tea became a means of tranquilizing the mind, and eventually tea gained an even greater appreciation as a way to achieve a balanced and wholesome relationship between the body and the soul.


History of Tea in Japan

Tea was first introduced to Japan during the seventh and eighth centuries A.D. by Buddhist monks who returned from study in China. Tea was widely used within Buddhist monasteries as an aid to meditation and as a medicinal herb. During Emperor Saga's reign (810-23 A.D.), the popular form of tea was dancha, a pressed cake, which was the tea of the T'ang Dynasty in China.

The Japanese Buddhist priest Minan Eisai first brought matcha, powdered green tea, to Japan upon his return from China in 1191. His enthusiastic promotion of the ritualistic preparation of tea could be considered the genesis of Cha-no-yu -- popularly called the Japanese tea ceremony. Eisai authored an influential two volume treatise on tea which led to the idea of tea's potential as an independent medium of spiritual enlightenment. It was, however, another two centuries before an official Japanese tea ceremony would be formalized.

As Cha-no-yu evolved as an independent art form, tea achieved the stature of a "Way" - "do" in Japanese -- which can be understood as an art form with an accompanying code of ideals which are intended to guide one's daily life. Therefore, "Cha-do," or the "Way of Tea," is a philosophy of life in which Cha-no-yu is the associated art form. This concept is closely associated with Zen Buddhism and its correlated mysticism.

The belief of Cha-no-yu is that an interchange between host and guest, in the proper ambiance, can be a transcendental experience and will instill a spirit of tranquility and harmony among the participants regardless of their social, political, or religious affiliation.

Tea masters who dedicated their lives to the study of Cha-no-yu were devoted to upholding even the minutest details of the ceremony. The furnishings in the tea room, the objects on display, and the very conversations between host and guest were appropriately structured. The shape and size of the tea room, the placement of stones in the pathway, and the type of lanterns lighting the way were studied at length to ensure the proper environment. An indication of the mastery of Cha-no-yu became the degree to which participants could perform in the precisely defined manner with apparent grace and natural ease.

Within the history of Cha-no-yu, the most famous individual is undoubtedly Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591) who is considered by many to be the true "father of tea." Countless anecdotes about Rikyu and his incomparable skills as a tea master dot the history of Cha-no-yu and the traditions of tea in Japan, and many of these tales focus on the master's ability to see the pure essence of beauty in simple things and to express this ideal of Zen Buddhism in his tea ceremonies.

Today, there are practitioners of Cha-no-yu in nearly every country. While some of these practitioners profess an affiliation with one of the traditional "Schools of Tea" in Japan, others simply enjoy it as an exotic diversion -- a curious foray into Eastern culture.


Europe discovers tea.

While the Chinese arguably perfected the art of tea almost 500 years before, Europeans did not learn of the drink's existence until 1271 A.D., when a young Marco Polo convinced his father and uncle to allow him to accompany them on a return trip to the strange land of "Cathay" (China). After an arduous journey into territory unknown to their contemporary Europeans, the Polos reached the grand palace of the Mongol conqueror Kublai Khan where they would remain for over twenty years as trusted court messengers and advisors. From Marco Polo's memoirs, historians have learned that he tasted tea, but he seems to have placed little emphasis on its uniqueness -- possibly because the Mongols did not value the customs of their conquered people.

Once back home, Polo embellished the tales of his experiences with lavish details that added to the already fantastical image of China that would captivate the imagination of Europe for the next 700 years. As an integral part of Eastern culture, tea would forever after be associated with romantic mystery in the Western mind.

As the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries dawned, Europeans became increasingly exposed to the world through the variety of foreign wonders that trickled into their marketplaces. Imported from China, sheer silk cloth from "magical" worms and mysteriously hard porcelains which no European could replicate dazzled the population as they became growingly convinced of the East's mysticism. In a Europe which hungered for exotic sensations, the arrival of tea, an integral aspect of Chinese life, was inevitable.

Yet, it was coffee, not tea, that would first thrill these eager Western palates. Coffee's arrival in advance of tea can be ascribed to several factors -- the simplest of which was the close geographic location of its source; transported overland from the Near East, coffee was grown thousands of miles closer to Europe than the tea of China. Because Europeans were already familiar with the dark browns and rich ambers of beer and ale, coffee seemed a familiar and natural addition to their beverage options when most of the tea to first reach Europe was green and strange-tasting.

Tea, especially the black variety, needed extensive and skillful processing, but the Chinese were determined to protect their monopoly on tea. Refusing to divulge the secrets of tea's preparation and seldom allowing Westerners to venture onto the mainland, the Chinese rulers insisted that all business be conducted either offshore or at the port of Amoy; the result was a complex and cumbersome system of trade that discouraged many Europeans from importing tea.

It was not until 1610 that tea gained a presence in Europe, and by that time, sea trade routes to the Far East were firmly established -- mainly through the efforts of the Portuguese and the Dutch (through the Dutch East India Company). From the Chinese, the Dutch bought small quantities of green tea and likely traded this for small amounts of Japanese tea as well. In Holland, tea rapidly gained popularity among wealthy women who were generally barred from the male-only coffee and ale houses. These affluent ladies sponsored lavish tea parties where they conversed, ate, and drank tea from thimble-sized cups or shallow saucers. Still, tea was prohibitively expensive and several decades away from being affordable to the masses.

Although rival England had repeatedly proven herself the naval power of the day, the English merchants lagged far behind their Dutch and Portuguese counterparts in the Far East trade, and while some English merchants undoubtedly knew of tea as part of this burgeoning trade, they could obtain it and other potentially lucrative treasures only at the inflated costs charged by middlemen. To remedy this deficiency, Queen Elizabeth I. created the British East India Company in 1600 to establish trade routes, ports, and trading relationships with the Middle and Far East, but due to political and other factors, tea was relatively slow to reach the English market.

The English were first introduced to tea through early shipments that were often stale and incorrectly infused because the small coffee house owners were familiar only with coffee preparation. While they knew that tea should be steeped in hot water, they did not know the quality of water to use, the steeping time, or the amount of tea leaf per cup. Even when instruction became more readily available, the proprietors did not always heed the advice.

Some, such as London's Thomas Garway, simply treated tea as they would ale -- that is, they brewed it and then stored the infusion in wooden barrels with taps. Often times, these barrels formerly held beer or other concoctions, so it is easy to understand the diversity of popular reaction to tea.

"Tea gains popularity in Europe."

By the middle of the seventeenth century, tea became increasingly available in England, and in 1658 British coffee house proprietor Thomas Garway advertised the availability of an exotic "Chinean" tea. Little was known about this bizarre tea, or "tay" as it was often pronounced, except that it was highly valued by the Chinese for its medicinal and restorative properties. The European Scientific Revolution had just begun, so for a continent still firmly gripped by superstition and ineffective medical practices, tea's reputation as a medicinal was met with great interest.

A few years later, no doubt in an attempt to increase sales and take advantage of the prevailing superstition, Garway and others began to promote tea as beneficial for a long list of ailments. While some doctors and writers enthusiastically proclaimed tea's effectiveness against a dazzling array of ills, others just as emphatically voiced dire warnings that it was a dangerous beverage that would lead to an early death or cause innumerable other ills.

Yet, in the absence of solid evidence one way or the other, the use of tea grew -- however haltingly. In 1669, the English East India Tea Company imported only 143 1/2 pounds of China tea; yet even nine years later, a shipment of merely 4717 pounds satisfied the English market for several years. With a pound of tea selling for roughly a month's wages, the demand among average workers was nonexistent. Still, tea continued to make headway, and by 1717 Thomas Twining found that it could be profitable and opened an establishment devoted strictly to tea.

Worldwide demand for China tea continued to grow steadily as the product became more affordable, and largely due to the efforts of the English East India Company, England became one of the biggest importers of tea -- with annual imports reaching 32 million pounds by 1834. This booming popularity of tea created a serious economic problem for the English market. Until well into the nineteenth century, the Chinese held a near monopoly on the tea market, and they well-understood the considerable advantages of having a commodity that everyone wanted. While China was experiencing an unprecedented demand for her silk, bone china, and tea, the Europeans had little that the Chinese wanted in return trade -- except silver.

Ultimately though, the British could not afford to have their state coffers depleted to satisfy what was fast becoming the national craving for tea. In an attempt to cultivate a product that would be equally desirable to the Chinese, the British began to expand their opium production in India with the ultimate goal of selling the addictive drug to Chinese merchants. Although not officially sanctioned by the British government, the opium trade was generally overlooked by those in power, and soon China was at the mercy of her own opium-addicted population.

In an effort to further protect herself from the corrupting, barbaric influences of England, China chose not to renew its trade agreement in 1833, and it was only a matter of time before conflict ignited. In 1839, the Chinese destroyed a shipment of British opium destined for port, and the infamous Opium Wars erupted.

For three long years, the two proud nations fought to protect their own national interests -- China desperately struggling to defend her conservative heritage in the face of encroaching Western ways and England fighting for the principles of free trade and mercantile capitalism. The treaty following Britain's siege on Nanking left China wide open for European merchants. Trading centers were developed, with guaranteed protection to the English, at Canton, Amoy, Foochow-fu, Ningpo, and Shanghai. England had successfully created a trade route with the unwilling Chinese.

"England attempts to cultivate tea."

Even earlier at the beginning of the nineteenth century, British traders already sensed that their reliance on China as the sole source of tea could not continue indefinitely. China's monopoly on commercial tea production was fast becoming unacceptable to England, and the illicit opium trade continually aggravated the Chinese government. For decades prior to the outbreak of the Opium Wars, alternate attempts at tea cultivation in climatically favorable areas controlled by the British Empire offered little success.

Several of these early attempts to bring tea plants to Europe also failed, either because the plants perished in transit or because the plants that survived turned out to be varieties other than the tea-producing Camellia sinensis. So dismal were European attempts at tea cultivation that by 1763, members of the French Academy of Sciences pronounced that the tea bush was so unique to China that it could not be grown anywhere else in the world. Even while the Academy was making its dire declaration, however, Swedish and English botanists achieved limited success in the cultivation of Camellia sinensis in botanical gardens, but a number of errors would be made before these various attempts in growing tea would succeed.

If Europeans knew little about the preparation of tea as a drink, they knew even less about the optimum growing conditions of the tea plant -- such as the fact that certain varieties of Camellia sinensis thrive in rather specific climates at certain altitudes. Little was also known about the actual processing of the leaves for the final product. Understandably, the Chinese were quite satisfied with the ignorance of the foreigners, and they showed little interest in sharing their knowledge with anyone who might jeopardize their monopoly. In addition to substituting ordinary Camellia plants for exported tea seedlings, the Chinese more than likely boiled tea seeds to prevent germination.

But why did the Europeans need to rely on China for a supply of tea seeds or plants? Afterall, Scotsman Robert Bruce had discovered a tea plant (Camellia sinensis assamica) growing wild in the Assam district of India in the 1830s. Why not simply cultivate native tea in India rather than the often-sabotaged China variety? Conventional wisdom of the time held that only Chinese bushes could yield the leaves essential to a quality finished product, so the wild Assam bushes were looked upon as inferior. Acres of the naturally thriving Assam plants were uprooted to make room for the difficult China seedlings. Failed attempts at cultivating Chinese tea varieties in India were undoubtedly frustrating for all involved, but these efforts surely appeared futile to those who believed that the native Assam varieties offered more promise.

Success with India grown China tea finally came -- although the early yield was less than inspiring in both quantity and quality. Weighing approximately 350 pounds, the first commercial batch of Indian tea was shipped to London in May 1838 and arrived 6 months later in November. Attracting considerable interest from all sectors of the tea trade, this historical tea was classified according to Chinese nomenclature as souchong and pekoe and sold for between 16 and 34 shillings per pound. Still, England was far from gaining independence from the Chinese tea monopoly; that year alone over 30 million pounds of Chinese tea entered the British market.

Ignorant of the magnitude of the challenge that lay ahead, thousands of London spectators eagerly invested in the fledgling Indian tea enterprise with hopes of earning huge profits from the new business. Predictably, those expecting to make a quick fortune from their investment were grossly disappointed because the small advances in production could be funded only through enormous increases in expenses. Impatient investors sold their shares at a considerable loss, but those who truly believed in the future of the India tea venture -- and stayed the course against all odds -- would ultimately be rewarded.

With new emphasis on the high-yielding, indigenous tea plants, the turn-around of fortunes began in 1847, and gradual but significant improvements in production rekindled the waning enthusiasm for the India tea trade. Ultimately, India would become the world's largest tea producing country. By the early 1900s, production of India tea exceeded 350 million pounds -- over a million times the amount produced in 1838!


Various types of tea and how they are produced.

The soil, climate, altitude, time of picking, and manufacturing expertise determine the quality and taste of the tea, but it is the manufacturing process and level of fermentation (correctly understood as oxidation) that determines whether the tea will be white, green, oolong, or black.

At one time, all processing of tea was done by hand in a carefully executed series of stages that were first developed by the Chinese. Today, far fewer teas are handmade; instead, machines carry out some or nearly all stages of manufacturing. The term "orthodox" is used by the tea industry to designate manufacturing methods that mimic the traditional hand-processing.

WHITE TEAS:

After careful plucking, the buds and leaves are withered for several hours at room temperature. During this time, water evaporates from the leaves, and up to 40% of the original weight is removed. The wilted leaves are then roasted until they lose 93-95% of their moisture content. Because the processing of white tea is simple and quick, the resulting tea yields a pale color and delicate taste.

GREEN TEAS:

In the processing of green tea, freshly plucked leaves are spread out in pans or bamboo trays to dry. Once most of the water has evaporated from the leaves, they are quickly heated to prevent any fermentation from ruining the delicate leaves. In some mechanized processes, the leaves are warmed in metal pans to induce vaporization of the leaves moisture. Often with high-quality green teas, the leaves are twisted or rolled to create distinctive shapes that gracefully unfurl during infusion.

OOLONG TEAS:

The processing of oolong teas begins with the partial withering of the leaves in sunlight; these shriveled leaves are then shaken in baskets to cause slight bruising which releases oils and enzymes. Subsequently, the leaves are fermented for varying lengths of time depending on the desired character of the tea. A long fermentation of 40-70% creates an oolong that has deep color with nutty or woody flavor while a shorter fermentation of 12-20% results in a light, sometimes green-tasting tea. Pouchong teas, sometimes classified as oolongs, are lightly fermented and usually have a subtle, green character. Because of this delicate flavor, pouchongs are often scented by the addition of flowersas in high-quality jasmine teas.

BLACK TEAS:

After withering, the leaves that will be processed in the orthodox manner are rolled 2-6 times for a period of up to 30 minutes each. The leaves are then fully fermented to produce a black tea. The expert tea manufacturer will determine the precise time at which to stop the fermentation by observing the color, smell, and general appearance of the leaves. A quick firing of the leaves halts oxidation without imparting a burnt flavor onto the leaves.

With emphasis shifting to production efficiency, the majority of tea produced today is not orthodox. In 1925, it was discovered that commercial grade tea could be produced from unwithered tea leaves if they were first shredded using a tobacco cutter, and today the CTC (crush, tear, curl) machine is widely used. Using this machine, lightly withered leaves are processed in such a way that fermentation time can be cut in half. The distinguishing characteristic of a CTC tea is its uniform, granular appearance.

PU-ERH TEAS:

Pu-erh teas, from the Yunnan province of China, are unique due to a true fermentation -- not the oxidation used for oolong or black teas. Bacteria may be added to processed green tea leaves which are then placed in damp caves to age for up to 60 years. As a result of this storage, the leaves take on an earthy, mold-like flavor.

FLAVORED TEAS:

Flavored teas require an additional step once the leaves are sorted and graded. A black or green tea base is dried a second time, and flavoring, fruit, spices, or flowers are added. Some teas, such as most Jasmines and our Rose Congou, are flavored during the actual fermentation process to develop deeper flavor notes. After the flavoring is added, the tea is cooled and packaged.


Common blends and varieties of Camellia Sinensis.

Classic Blends Blends often begin as a regional or cultural preference toward a particular strength or style of tea, and as people travel to these areas, they too gain an appreciation for that unique style of tea -- hence the popularity of many classic blends.

East Frisian Blend:

The Ostfriesens (East Frisians), residents of the tiny German province along the North Sea near Holland, have fully integrated tea into their daily lives. Here, strong black tea is highly valued. Hot tea is poured over a large crystal of sugar that has been placed at the bottom of the teacup; a sharp crackling sound fills the air as the sugar begins to fracture from the heat. The tea is then allowed to steep for no less than five full minutes. The drink is completed with a spoonful of heavy cream that is not stirred, but rather left to form a cloud in the center of the cup.

English Breakfast:

English Breakfast tea, while falling under no clear and universal definition, is generally blended to create a strong morning cup that goes nicely with the addition of milk. Some allege that "traditional" English Breakfast teas must contain Chinese Keemun, but there is little historical evidence to substantiate this claim; the English were enjoying hearty tea long before Keemun was introduced into the market.

Irish Breakfast:

Typically a blend of strong Assams, Irish Breakfast style tea is recognized for its full-bodied character and malty flavor. Only teas with the darkest hue and strongest flavor are chosen for blending this eye-opener. Today, Ireland is the largest per capita tea drinking country in the world!

Russian Caravan:

Through a caravan treaty with China, Russia gained exposure to a multitude of treasures from the Far East -- one of which was tea. These days of rugged trade are revived in contemporary Russian Caravan blends that attempt to recreate the high grade loose leaf tea which was imported only for Russia's wealthiest citizens. (The lower classes could afford only the more standard grade found in Chinese tea bricks.) Often, the inclusion of Lapsang Souchong in these style teas yields a gently smoky cup that is often enjoyed in the afternoon or early evening.

Scented, Spiced, and Flavored Teas Like blends:

Scented teas can also begin as a regional or cultural preferences toward a particular flavor. The most popular scented teas are usually flavored with fruit, natural oils, or flowers, but as is evident with the popularity of Lapsang Souchong, any style of flavored tea may gain worldwide appreciation.

Earl Grey:

How Earl Grey tea originated is still somewhat of a mystery, and a number of different accounts attempt retell this famed tea's beginning. One version declares that the Earl was in China on a diplomatic mission when he was given the tea recipe as a gift from a grateful mandarin. In another version of the tale, he received the recipe after he left his post in the government. The quirk of history is that the Chinese have never produced nor consumed any style of tea scented with bergamot. Whatever its historical origin, Earl Grey is perhaps one of the most well-known teas in the United States and Europe, and the citrus flavor of bergamot oil is surely unforgettable to anyone who has tasted it.

Jasmine:

Jasmine teas are celebrated throughout the world for their light, floral quality. Fresh green or pouchong tea base is dried with freshly picked jasmine flowers, which are occasionally left in the tea for visual appeal. After the scenting process, the leaves are then refired to remove any moisture imparted by the jasmine blossoms. Chun Hao: Literally translated, "Spring hair or fur." Yin Hao: Literally translated, "silver hair or fur."

Lapsang Souchong:

Lapsang Souchong is one of the most distinctive teas in the world. During production, large souchong grade leaves are placed over smoky pine fires until the strong scent permeates the tea. China and Taiwan are currently the only two countries in the world that produce this intensely flavored tea, which can be enjoyed at any time of day. Because it is naturally low in caffeine, Lapsang Souchong is a popular choice for an evening cup of tea.

Lychee Tea:

With a taste reminiscent of light citrus, Lychee tea is made from a black tea base and lychee fruit from southern Chinese evergreens. This unique fruit is popularly known in China as "Feizi Xiao" (Feizi's Smile) from the story of a Tang emperor who had lychee fruit imported daily to please his favorite concubine, Feizi.

Rose Tea:

The Chinese create rose tea by blending a standard grade of green or black tea with petals from the native Rosa odorata, or "tea rose." The result is a floral aroma with a refreshingly floral flavor. Like jasmine, the tea is dried with fresh petals which may or may not be left in the final product.

Japanese Green Teas

The different types of Japanese teas are best understood as variations on a continual theme -- quality green tea. This does not mean, however, that all Japanese green teas taste the same, as anyone comparing a cup of Genmaicha and Gyokuro could easily tell you. Within Japanese teas there is a wide array of choices available to the loose tea connoisseur.

Bancha:

Savored throughout the day, Bancha greens are the "everyday" teas of Japan. Because this tea is gathered in the last few pluckings of the year, old and new leaves are often mixed together. Because it is the lowest grade of Japanese green tea, Bancha is often used as the tea base for Genmaicha or scented with fruit flavoring to impart a unique fragrance and taste.

Genmai Cha:

Puffed rice is added to a Bancha or Sencha tea base to create Genmaicha. The result is a delightful, toasty tea with an equally interesting aroma.

Gyokuro:

Gyokuro (literally translated "Pearl dew") is the finest of all Japanese teas. The bushes are covered with straw or dark cloth shades three weeks before the first buds are expected to "flush." Sleek, dark green leaves are the unique result. This shading also creates a chemical change where flavanol levels are slightly reduced while caffeine content remains at a higher concentration. Pleasingly vegetal, Gyokuro offers a full green flavor with a slightly sweet finish.

Hojicha:

During the production of Hojicha, Bancha leaves are lightly roasted. The delicate, earthy liquor is characterized by a subtle nutty quality.

Kokeicha:

Kokeicha begins as a paste of Matcha and water which is then extruded through tiny holes to make long, spaghetti-like strings. This pale yellow tea is known for its vegetal quality.

Kukicha:

Made from twigs of Camellia Sinensis, Kukicha is a mild, earthy tea that is low in caffeine. The woody character is pleasingly subtle.

Matcha:

Used in Cha-no-yu, the Japanese tea ceremony, Matcha is a powdered form of the highly valued Gyokuro. Tencha leaves (the storage form between Gyokuro and Matcha) are mechanically ground into very fine particles. When infused, Matcha has a slightly bitter flavor that can be controlled by stirring the tea with a bamboo wisk to create more froth.

Sencha:

Sencha tea is well-known for its beautiful long, flat, green leaves that infuse to yield a pale green cup with a vegetal, grassy quality. Ichiban-cha: Is a first flush Sencha. Niban-cha: Is a second flush Sencha.

Tencha:

Gyokuro leaves are cut up into these smaller pieces for storage until they are needed for the Cha-no-yu ceremony. Then, they are ground into the fine powder known as Matcha.

Chinese Green Teas

As Chinese history is full of rich tales and legends, so too are the individual backgrounds of the country's exquisite teas. Different regions produce the unique styles which are well-known throughout the world, but perhaps their individual tales are not as familiar.

Chunmee:

A form of "eyebrow" tea whose name originated because the Chinese believed that the delicately shaped leaf resembled a lady's plucked eyebrow. Literally translated, Chunmee means "precious eyebrow." The twisted leaves yield a pleasing plum flavor.

Feng:

Literally translated, "point or peak" (as in a mountain).

Gunpowder:

Because the tightly rolled leaves preserve moisture and freshness, gunpowder greens were some of the first teas to be exported from China to Europe. The small pellets earned the gunpowder reference because they supposedly resembled ammunition. As the leaves infuse, the compact balls unfurl and yield a dark liquor that often has a slight smoky quality.

Temple of Heaven:

This premier style of gunpowder from the Zhejiang province has an aromatic cup with a sweet, grassy character. Temple of Heaven is more delicate than other gunpowder teas.

Gu Zhang Mao Jian:

Gu Zhang Mao Jian is a springtime tea that is harvested only once a year during a brief ten-day period. Grown in the Yellow Mountains of the Anhui province, these leaves are often flecked with silver tips. When infused, Gu Zhang Mao Jian yields a dark yellow liquor with a pleasingly smooth flavor.

Long Jing:

Long Jing (or Lung Ching) is perhaps one of China's best-loved green teas. Chinese legend retells the story of a drought that devastated the farming monks of the Dragon's Well (Long Jing) monastery around 250AD. One desperate monk prayed directly to the dragon, the king of water, and shortly thereafter, the dragon honored his prayers with much-needed rain. Today, all Long Jing teas are picked in the Zheijiang province near this famed well. Tasters identify the quality of a Long Jing using four characteristics: se, xiang, wei, and xing (color, aroma, taste, and shape). The flat, smooth, uniform leaves infuse to a pale yellow flavor with a distinctively vegetal flavor.

Pan Long Yin Hao:

Grown in the Zheijiang province, Pan Long Yin Hao is a delightfully complex tea with subtle flavor notes. The vegetal yet sweet flavor is truly unique.

Pi Lo Chun:

Pi Lo Chun, or "Green Snail Spring," was traditionally called "Astounding Fragrance" for hundreds of years before a Manchu emperor renamed the tea in the 1700s. The original name is thought to refer to the legendary belief that the tea gained its wonderful aroma from the gardens of surrounding fruit trees. Pale yellow in the cup, Pi Lo Chun is arguably one of the most prized teas in China. The delicate, twisted leaves unfurl to yield a sweet aroma and liquor with a well-rounded body.

Shou Mei:

Another of the "eyebrow" teas, Shou Mei is literally translated as "longevity eyebrow" because the leaves seemed to resemble the wiry brows of wise, older men.

Yun Wu:

Literally translated, "clouds and mist."

Yu Hua:

Literally translated, "flower rains." Elegant, pointed leaves yield a clear tea with delicate flavor notes that are similar to those found in Pi Lo Chun.


Loose tea - why not teabags? No name brands?

Many people are shocked the first time that they try loose-leaf tea. "I had no idea that tea could taste this good!" is often one of the first comments that we get from a new customer. Since Americans are generally familiar only with teabags and instant tea, the initial experience with fine tea can be astonishing.

Most teabags that are available in your local supermarket or specialty food store are filled with finely ground tea leaves that are aptly termed "dust." Pre-packaged months in advance, teabags can sometimes be quite stale even before they reach the shelf. Thus, the inferior, stale leaves of tea in teabags infuse to create a strong, harsh cup that is generally tolerable only with milk and sugar. Even tins of seemingly high-quality loose tea are often as old and tasteless as teabags by the time they reach the consumer shelves.

Those who are seeking the ultimate enjoyment from tea will invariably use only the finest loose leaves. Tea is an annual crop, and the best grades come from rather specific plucking periods. Different growing regions achieve their best crops at varying times throughout the year. The Darjeeling district of India, for example, has three "vintage" pluckings -- the first flush in late March, the second flush from April to May, and the autumnal picking from October to early December. You should find a reputable dealer whom you can trust to ensure that you are getting the best products available.


What do those letters mean anyway ???

Orange Pekoe, SFTGFOP1, BOP, etc... what do these mean anyway? Due to a lack of information on the subject, there is great confusion over one of the simplest of tea terms, OP (Orange Pekoe). Contrary to popular opinion, Orange Pekoe does not refer to a particular flavor, or even to a specific variety or quality or tea. Orange Pekoe is nothing more than a designation of leaf size.

As a result of the manufacturing process, the final product is comprised of leaf particles of varying sizes. Because the finer particles steep quickly, the tea is sifted into lots of uniform leaf size. Teas designated OP are comprised of larger leaf particles or whole leaves that will not pass through a sieve of a particular gauge. BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe) designates a grade that is finer than OP. Grades finer than BOP are called fannings, PF for Pekoe Fannings, and the smallest particles are referred to as dust. Dust grades are used primarily in teabags.

Other letters are often appended to the grade of tea to produce a baffling list of designations such as SFTGFOP1 (Super-Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, grade 1). While there is a general correlation between acronyms and the general appearance and character of the tea, there is no strict correlation between the acronyms and the value or flavor of the tea. While these lengthy acronyms appear on nearly every chest of single-estate tea, the real value of the tea is in its appeal to the palate.

A Quick Guide to Nomenclature

PFPekoe Fannings OPOrange Pekoe BOPBroken Orange Pekoe GBOPGolden Broken Orange Pekoe TGBOPTippy Golden Broken Orange Pekoe FOPFlowery Orange Pekoe GFOPGolden Flowery Orange Pekoe TGFOPTippy Golden Flowery Orange PekoeFTGFOPFine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange PekoeFTGFOP1Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, grade 1 SFTGFOP1Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, grade 1


How to "brew" the perfect cup of tea.

Brewing a good cup of loose tea is quite simple, and attention to a few crucial details will generally assure excellent results. Good water, the correct quantity of tea, accurate steeping time, and a proper teapot are important for success.

If your source of water is suspect, try using bottled spring water or purified water; many teas have a variety of subtle flavors that can be destroyed or masked by poor water that contains heavy concentrations of iron or other impurities. Correct water temperature is essential as well. Black teas should be brewed with water that has just come to a rolling boil. Oolongs are often best when steeped with water near the boiling point. For green and white teas, always use water that is less than boiling to avoid a bitter infusion.

Steeping instructions often advise the addition of a teaspoon of tea for each cup and "one for the pot." However, a small, preheated pot will generally not require this extra spoonful, especially if high quality tea is used. Begin with a teaspoonful per cup or use our brewing suggestions listed for each tea in the online catalog, but do not hesitate to adjust the amount until you find the right balance of flavors. Each tea is unique -- as is each tea drinker.

Steeping time depends on the type of leaf and its leaf grade. Many teas yield a pale liquor, so steep by time not color. If milk is to be added, the steeping time must be long enough for sufficient flavor elements and tannins to be extracted. Too short a steeping time will result in a thin, insipid tea. Conversely, over-steeping will yield a bitter tea with an overpowering imbalance of tannin.

The Chatsford Teapot makes the preparation of loose tea quick and easy for everyday use. Fitted with a convenient tab for effortless removal, the ample mesh infuser basket allows full infusion without restricting leaf expansion. Rinse the pot thoroughly with boiling water to warm it, and then pour this water off. Place the infuser basket with tea leaves into the pot and add the hot or boiling water. Cover with the lid, and a cosy if desired, and let the tea steep for the desired time. Once the infusion is complete, pull out the basket to halt infusion. Since dust-sized particles will inevitably pass through the infuser and continue to steep, serve the tea as soon as possible.

If you wish to steep the leaves loose in a pot or cup, be sure to pour the excess liquor into another pot to prevent over-steeping. A high-quality, metal strainer or nylon infuser will remove most particles of tea and result in a perfectly infused cup of tea.

Consideration of these few simple factors -- good water, the correct amount of tea, accurate steeping time, and a quality teapot -- will result in a great pot of tea.

Two Factors: Time and Temperature

Suggested ratio is one teaspoon of leaves per cup of water. However, the light and voluminous teas will taste best with twice that. To steep, please use boiling water (212F) when preparing black, dark oolong and herbal teas. And it's important to use cooler (180F) water when steeping green, light oolong and white teas. And remember to not over-steep, or your tea will taste bitter. Rule of thumb is 5 min. for most black, 7 min. for dark oolong and white, and only 3 min. for light oolong and green teas.

Black teas:

Black teas taste best when prepared with boiling water, and steeped for five minutes. Recommended ratio is one teaspoon of leaves per cup of water. The only black tea that deviates from this rule is our Darjeeling Symphony no. 1. This is a delicate First Flush tea that grows high along the slopes of the Himalayas. This tea will taste best when prepared with cooler water (180F) and steeped for three minutes.

Green teas

Green teas taste best when prepared with water that is cooler-than-boiling (180F) and steeped for three minutes. Recommended ratio is one teaspoon per cup of water for the relatively heavy Japanese greens (Sencha) and slightly more for the light Chinese greens (Pi Lo Chun). Remember to use cooler-than-boiling water. Otherwise your tea will taste bitter. If using a kettle, water is ideal when it begins to emit a 'rumble' sound. If using a microwave, look for the tiny air bubbles forming. These are good signs that your water is ready.

Dark oolong teas

Dark oolong teas taste best when prepared with boiling water, and steeped for seven minutes. These tend to be voluminous, and the recommended ratio is two teaspoon of leaves per cup of water. Lighter oolong teas taste best when prepared with water that is cooler-than-boiling (180F) and steeped for three to five minutes. Recommended ratio is one teaspoon per cup of water.

Fruit teas

Fruit teas taste best when prepared with boiling water, and steeped for five minutes. Recommended ratio is one teaspoon of leaves per cup of water. Please remember to remove all leaves after five minutes. Otherwise, your tea will over-steep. and become bitter.

White teas

White teas taste best when prepared with water that is cooler-than-boiling (180F) and steeped for seven minutes. Recommended ratio is two teaspoons per cup of water, as these teas tend to be very light. Remember to use cooler-than-boiling water. Otherwise your tea will taste bitter. If using a kettle, water is ideal when it begins to emit a 'rumble' sound. If using a microwave, look for the tiny air bubbles forming. These are good signs that your water is ready.

Herbal teas

Herbal teas taste best when prepared with boiling water, and steeped for up to seven minutes. Recommended ratio is one teaspoon of leaves (or fruits) per cup of water for the heavier kinds, like Rooibos and all our fruit blends. Lighter varieties, like chamomile and peppermint, will taste best with a ratio of two teaspoons per cup of water.


How do I store my tea properly? Will it go stale?

Have you ever found the perfect tea and been disappointed a month later when that same great tea seemed disappointing or less satisfying? Proper storage of tea is essential, and if kept improperly, even the freshest and best tea on the market will lose its subtle nuances and become uninteresting. Tea should always be stored at a constant temperature in an airtight container, away from light, moisture, and strong odors. When exposed to air, delicate tea leaves rapidly lose flavor. If you buy in bulk, keep most of the tea in a large container and use a smaller one for everyday use to limit air contact with the tea leaves.

While fine tea leaves are stunning when displayed in a clear glass container, the effect on the resulting infusion is not quite as impressive. Light strips tea leaves of their color over time, but more importantly, the refined flavor in the leaves is also lost.

Moisture is equally detrimental to fragile tea leaves. Like any organic matter, tea, when wet, begins to mold and decaya wholly undesirable effect. For this reason, we do not recommend storing tea in the refrigerator or freezer because continual opening and closing of the door causes rapid changes in humidity. Modern freezers cycle through different temperatures and often create an icing problem. Moisture seeps into the container and robs the tea leaves of flavor.

Strong odors will also permeate tea. Avoid storing your tea near spices or aromatic foods, or you might find that your best jasmine now tastes like yesterdays roast turkey. Even when storing teas together, a spicy tea, such as chai, can often impart its flavor onto the others.

Overall, the best way to store tea is in a tea tin or caddy. Away from odors, moisture, light, and air, tea will remain fresh for months. If you reuse the tins, be sure to let them air out completely before refilling with a different tea to avoid transferring scent. When properly stored, your favorite loose-leaf teas can remain untainted, fresh, and enjoyable.


Useful Tea Conversions

Metric WeightEnglish Weight # of Cups

15g.54oz6 cups 50g1.78oz 22 cups100g3.53oz44 cups 125g4.41oz55 cups 200g7.05oz 88 cups 250g8.82oz 110 cups 400g14.08oz 177 cups 500g1.1lbs 220 cups 800g1.76lbs 355 cups 1kg2.2lbs 444 cups


Caffeine and other health issues.

Despite what many erroneously believe, green teas do not necessarily have less, or more, caffeine than black teas. Some will argue that green tea has 1/3 the caffeine of black tea while oolongs are slightly more caffeine-rich with 2/3 the caffeine of black tea, but this is simply not true. Caffeine content is not related to level of fermentation; instead, it is more closely aligned to the type of leaf used.

The bud and first leaf of the tea plant contain the highest concentration of caffeine, between 4 and 5% of the total dry weight, and the second leaf contains about 3% of the total dry weight. Thus, the desired "two leaves and a bud" plucking contains caffeine that is approximately 4% of the dry weight. When these teas are infused for 5 minutes, 40-50 milligrams of caffeine dissolve into the water.

The specific variety of tea bush that is used also plays a major role in the amount of caffeine in tea. Green teas are generally produced from Camellia sinensis sinensis shrubs (China variety), and these leaves have a tendency to be slightly smaller than those produced from the Camellia sinensis assamica shrubs (Assam variety) -- used primarily for black teas. These China varietal teas may have a slightly lower caffeine content.

Per weight, coffee beans have less caffeine than tea leaves, but more coffee grounds are used to brew one cup of coffee. Thus, while tea has more caffeine by weight, it has less caffeine than coffee when infused. When compared with a cup of tea, a cup of coffee can have two to four times as much caffeine.

Caffeine is highly water soluble, and nearly 80% of the total caffeine content of the tea leaves will be extracted within the first 30 seconds of steeping. If you wish to "decaffeinate" your own tea, the process is simple. Pour boiling water over the tea leaves, and allow a maximum of a 30 second rinse. Empty this water off, and pour fresh boiling water over the rinsed leaves to brew for the prescribed time.

Polyphenols are a general name for a group of chemical compounds which have become the target of considerable research in the past decade. Much of the research on polyphenols has focused on their ability to act as antioxidants in the human body.

Antioxidants are chemicals which have the ability to deactivate a dangerous group of highly reactive atoms and molecules known as free radicals. These free radicals move around in cells, colliding and combining with other molecules, and over time, the effects of these continual collisions damage important bodily structures, including each cells DNA. Damage to DNA may promote the development of certain cancers and also increase the frequency of cell replication errors.

Some researchers believe that it is this cumulative damage that is at least partly responsible for some of the diseases of aging, such as heart disease, arthritis, wrinkles, some cancers, and to some extent aging itself. The polyphenols found in tea and red wine act as antioxidants and possibly anti-carcinogens in the body, and they may be beneficial in blocking some of this minute damage at the cellular level.

As is also true with caffeine, the concentration of polyphenols is highest in the bud and first leaf -- approximately 20-30% of the dry weight. Climate and other agricultural factors also affect the total flavanol content as well; shading, for instance, slightly decreases the polyphenol content while the caffeine remains at a high level. Of the total solids extracted during infusion, around 40% are polyphenols.

Polyphenolic compounds are highest in green teas because the leaves are not oxidized during processing. When black teas are processed, the leaves are oxidized for a number of hours, and it is during this time that most, but not all, of the unoxidized polyphenols are transformed through air exposure. It has generally been accepted that unoxidized polyphenols have greater biological activity than those which are oxidized; thus, white and green teas, as a whole, are more highly valued for health benefits.


Decaffeinated teas and the decaffeination process.

Decaffeinated teas offer an excellent alternative for those who enjoy a relaxing cup of tea but cannot tolerate the "kick" resulting from caffeine intake. For a tea to be legally labeled "decaffeinated" in the United States, 98% of the caffeine must be removed. The main decaffeination processes use one of three organic solvents: carbon dioxide, methylene chloride, or ethyl acetate. See below for instructions on "decaffeinating" your own tea!

Super Critical Carbon Dioxide When pressurized, carbon dioxide (CO2) liquefies and acts as a solvent -- and a highly caffeine selective one at that! In a sealed chamber, moistened tea leaves are exposed to the pressurized CO2. After a number of hours, the liquid is poured off, and the tea leaves are dried. Because caffeine is the only compound affected during this process, CO2 decaffeinated teas have much more flavor than those treated with either methylene chloride or ethyl acetate.

Methylene Chloride A high proportion of decaffeinated teas on the market today are treated with the chemical named methylene chloride. While studies have shown that the traces of the chemical that inevitably remain on treated tea leaves are not enough to pose any health danger, many are justifiably concerned that their favorite decaffeinated tea may contain the same chemical that is used in paint strippers, aerosol sprays, and dry cleaning solutions. The side effects of high exposure to methylene chloride include headaches, faintness, dizziness, and skin irritation.

Ethyl Acetate Ethyl acetate is a chemical compound that occurs naturally in tea leaves, so any traces of this organic solvent are not as risky as those from methylene chloride. Unfortunately, ethyl acetate is not as highly caffeine selective, so other compounds in the tea leaf are also removed during the decaffeination process. The result is a lower quality tea with a weak flavor.

Decaffeinating Your Own Tea Caffeine is highly water soluble, and nearly 80% of the total caffeine content of the tea leaves will be extracted within the first 30 seconds of steeping. If you wish to "decaffeinate" your own tea, the process is simple. Pour boiling water over the tea leaves, and allow a maximum of a 30 second rinse. Empty this water off, and pour fresh boiling water over the rinsed leaves to brew for the prescribed time.


Tea Triva

How did WWII affect tea consumption in America? What gave birth to the custom of tipping? How were early American fortunes made? And how did Brits come to love putting milk in their tea?

another reason to hate the war

American tea consumption prior to World War II is an interesting bit of trivia. In those days, black tea accounted for only about 40% of our tea intake. Another 40% were green teas and the remainder were oolongs. However, the war with Japan had closed off Asian tea markets, our source of green and oolong teas. Americans were left consuming black tea from countries unaffected by the fighting, primarily in Argentina. Ever since the war, America's consumption of black tea had remained close to 98%.

save the queen and tea

Tea deliveries to Britain were also affected by the fighting in the two World Wars. The German U-boat blockade had severely restricted supply during World War I, resulting in rationing and price controls on tea. Rationing was less severe during the Second World War. However, given its role as a national morale booster, stocks of tea were dispersed to over 500 different location all over England in order to better protect it from air raids by the Luftwaffe.

to insure prompt service

Tipping as a response to prompt service was born in the tea gardens of England. A small wooden box was placed on each table in the garden. The box was inscribed "To Insure Prompt Service" or TIPS for short. A coin dropped in the box usually assured prompt tea service. And thus the custom of tipping was born.

america's early millionaires

The fortunes of America's first three millionaires were made in the China trade. T.H. Perkins of Boston, Stephen Girard of Philadelphia, and John Jacob Astor of New York prospered by bringing tea directly to the colonies, bypassing the hugely wasteful and monopolistic East India Company.

the union of milk and tea

The British custom of drinking tea with milk has its roots not in taste but economics. The long journey from the Orient made tea prohibitively expensive. Milk, on the other hand, was cheap and became the condiment of choice among the lower classes. The amount of milk added became a telltale of one's social standing. The wealthy took their tea undiluted. The middle class poured the expensive tea and then diluted it with milk. The lower class filled the cup with cheap milk and then added a splash of the costly tea.

Contents - Prev Pairing Food and Teas

Exploring the world of connoisseur-level teas is as intoxicating as that other beverage: Wine. For wine lovers, the current fashion is not to insist that whites pair up with poultry nor drink only reds with meat. This has led to many adventuresome pairings and new taste sensations.

Fortunately, teas pairings are also open to exploration. Anyone who says blacks are only for entrees or that greens must stand alone, haven't had the pleasure (or perhaps the opportunity) to pair a wide variety of teas with every part of a menu.

Greens like Dragonwell or Sencha are wonderful with seafood or fish fillets, salads, or chicken. Blacks like Ceylon or Assam from India are soft accompaniments to beef or steak dishes or spicy foods from Mexican, Italian, or Indian cuisine. Although it is traditional to have Oolongs with Chinese dishes, one may argue that rich black Yunnan or Keemun teas offer more complexity and layers to the experience of tea pairings.

Formosa Oolong and Pouchong teas seem to demand solo drinking, quiet, and something restful to look upon. However, oolongs are delicious in many foods. Try them to flavor liquids used for cooking rice or grains. They add a wonderful punch, and like all tea, no calories, sodium, or sugar!

For desserts, seek out the chocolatey essence of a Golden Monkey. This exquisite Chinese tea is hearty, rich, and tastes perfect when infused into baked custards, chocolate cakes, or drunk as a beverage with a rich dense strawberry shortcake. Assam is another rich black tea that complements chocolate desserts yet is a surprising foil against lemony or custard dishes.

As a digestive, nothing is better, more satisfying or more calming than an aged Chinese Pu-erh, the darker, the stronger, the better. The only intentionally aged tea, it is particularly good after a multiple-course feast like a Thanksgiving or similar heavy holiday meal. If you're a milk-and-cookies snacker before bedtime, try a Fruit Medley herbal infusion instead. You'll sleep better, and will wake up feeling great.

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everything you ever wanted to know about tea

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