The subject of tea continues to fascinate and confound this tea-loving blogger. Fortunately, my husband, Greg, and I operate a gourmet food company that offers to our clients some of the world’s finest teas. However, it hasn’t always been this way. My love of fine tea was cultivated at a very young age with tea blends that, in hindsight, pale in comparison to what is now available from reputable tea merchants.
As a child, I was pretty sure my Scottish heritage confirmed my status as an expert on tea. First of all, my sisters and I all knew the “proper” (pronounced “proppa”) way bring cold (not hot) water to a rolling boil; to warm the teapot before adding the tea bags, etc., etc. Tea made any other way was dubbed “dishwater” and was next to heresy in our family.
Alas, my naivety was soon replaced with knowledge that there is so much more to know about this drink made from the Camellia Sinensis plant, featured in legends, adored by kings and drunk as far back as 2700 BC. For centuries, tea has been an important part of Chinese culture and livelihood. To say many revere it would not be an understatement.
Since becoming involved in the tea business, there are many interesting facts that I have come to learn:
· It may surprise some to learn that Green Tea, (which is made from the same plant as Black Tea), is made simply by not allowing the leaf to oxidize. Black tea leaves on the other hand, are fully oxidized. Oolong Tea is “semi-oxidized”.
· As tea drinkers develop a more sophisticated palate, he/she often moves from black tea in tea bags with milk and sugar to pure black tea with no milk to green tea to the sacred white tea (loose of course). This is a remarkably similar progression that a wine lover moves from “sweet blends” (otherwise known as “plunk”) to dry whites to fruity, light reds and finally, to full-bodied, bold red wines.
· Commercial tea (from mass-produced tea bags), contain the “trailings” of tea leaves. This is in stark contrast to the joy of “loose tea” which features the whole leaf and allows the essential oils to stay trapped inside the leaf thereby eliminating bitter taste.
· Loose White Tea is the paramount of tea quality. As novices progress from commercial blends of tea to higher qualities, they often discover that they have only touched “the tip of the iceberg” when it comes to the enjoyment of fine tea. Realizing they have a vast universe to seek out they spare no cost exploring, researching, testing and, especially, sharing.
At www.epicureanfoods.com, we feature some of the finest quality teas in the world. Those seeking a wonderful white tea might start with Pai Mu Tan Loose White Tea, a round and full-bodied white Tea that dazzles with subtle layers of peach and assertive floral notes and is available at a reasonable price.
The best decaffeinated tea I’ve ever tasted is the Decaffeinated English Breakfast Loose Tea produced by The Metropolitan Tea Company. This tea passed for the caffeinated version with some of the professional tea buyers around the world.
For those who prefer green tea, try Jasmine Gold Dragon Organic Loose Green Tea, Sencha Kyoto Cherry Rose Loose Green Tea or Japan Sencha Loose Green Tea.
I invite you to do as I have done and embark upon a lifelong journey of learning more about the various tea growing regions of the world, the types of teas that they produce and how their tastes can be so unique and wonderful. It truly is a labor of love for me and I invite you to follow me as I discover more about this ancient and still fascinating beverage…