Tea Adventurer an activity book Illustrated by Lee Hui Ting
This book is dedicated to Lee Chao Hunt, my lovely brother.
How to use the book
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Read the information on the left.
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Complete the activity on the right. (Take note that not every page has an activity.)
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The circle at the bottom right corner of the book on almost every page is for you to paste the sticker badges in. You earn sticker badges by completing the activity on that page.
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This book does not have a glossary. Instead, definitions are given at the bottom of the page.
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pg
This symbol represents parental guidance. It means that the activity requires parent’s supervision and the child should not be doing the activity alone.
01 page 2 to 9
page
Contents Introduction
the tea plant / tea lands / producers of tea / tea in China / how tea were stored in the past the trading of tea
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02 Tea Internationally 10 to 15 China’s visitors / tea trade in Europe / tea and coffee / the boston tea party / indian tea / british planters in ceylon / tea in Africa /
page
03 16 to 23
Tea Culture
page
04 24 to 25
The Japanese Tea Ceremony
page
05 26 to 29
Growing and Harvesting Tea
06 30 to 33
From Tea Factory to Tea Cup
page
07 34 to 37
Types of Tea
page
08 38 to 39
Useful Household tips
page
afternoon tea / high tea / tea gardens, shops and dances tea chills out / one lump or two
beginnings
/ zen and tea / the ceremony
tea harvest
/ tea pickers / a day in the life
process of withering / fermentation auctions / at the tea company
/ grading / tea
green tea / black tea / oolong tea / white tea and flavoured tea / compressed tea
as a dedorizer as a fertilizer
/ scented
/ for a finger bowl / for treating cuts / / as bath salts
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0 Introduction Tea lands
The tea plant
There are two main types of tea plants. The scientific name for the China tea plant is Camellia sinensis while the scientific name for the India tea plant is Camellia assamica. Tea is made from the leaves and buds of tea plants. They were first grown in the Himalaya Mountains. China tea plants can grow up to nine meters tall but are often pruned and cut back into shrubs of a two meters height. India tea plants can however grow up to eighteen meters and has larger leaves than China tea plants. Though similarly, they are also pruned into shrubs. Buds a part of a plant that develops into a leaf, flower or shoot
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Prune to trim (a tree, shrub or bush) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stem
Te a p l a n t s r e q u i r e a w a r m climate to grow; hence they are mostly grown in the Asia region. However, the climate cannot be too hot or too cold or the plants will die. Most tea plants are grown in tropical highlands for its cool weather. This enables smaller leaves that will produce better tasting tea. Other than the cool weather, tea plants require at least 45 inches of rain per year.
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Activity 01 After learning about the tea plant and tea lands on your left, fill in the blanks with the correct answer. Reward yourself with the Basic Tea Knowledge badge!
introduction
Producers of Tea
The world’s top producer of tea is China, followed by India. It is one of the most important exports of the two countries. This requires a huge amount of labour and land for plantation. Plantations are normally very large scale but there are also smallholder farms that are family-owned.
The third largest producer of tea is Sri Lanka. Their tea plantations are located in the mountains at the center of the island. The fourth largest producer is Kenya, where tea has been a very important export for the country. Tea is grown in the central highlands of Kenya as the rest of the country is too dry for growing tea. India has three main tea-growing Other producers of tea include regions. One major region is Indonesia, Japan and Vietnam, Assam, located at the foothills of where they have tropical climates. the Himalaya Mountains where the soil is fed by the annual flooding of the Brahmaputra R i v e r. A n o t h e r t e a - g r o w i n g region is the Darjeeling. It is located in the north and the Nilgiri Hills.
Export the selling and sending out of goods or services to other countries
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Smallholder an agricultural holding smaller than a farm
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Plantations are normally __________ scale. There are three main tea-growing regions in India. The major region is __________. Tea planting requires a huge amount of __________ and land for plantation.
Tea plantations in Sri Lanka are located in the mountains at the __________ of the island. Tea has been an important __________ of Kenya. __________ farms are family-owned.
Activity 02 Fill in the blanks to the following statements, then circle your answers in the word search above. After you have completed this activity, award yourself with the Word Searcher sticker badge!
introduction
Tea in China
Historians believed that traders in China play an important role in the rising popularity of tea. Tea was first introduced in temples and monasteries as monks drank tea to keep them awake for meditation and prayer. Tea was first mainly used for medicinal purposes. However, during around 400 A.D, tea was cultivated and grown on farms in the southern part of China. Chinese farmers presented the tea that they have grown on their farms to the Chinese emperor as tribute or tax. Slowly, tea became served in taverns and shops that also served noodles. The sale of tea helped the economy to grow and prosper while potters, silversmiths, and gold smiths began making and selling dishes for drinking and storing tea.
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How tea were stored in the past In ancient China, tea was either prepared from tea bricks, or cakes. The tea bricks were made of leaves that were steamed and crushed, then mixed into a paste that contains plum juice, and occasionally, animal dung. This mixture was then poured into moulds and baked. When it was time for tea, the tea brick will be soften by roasting it in fire, and followed by soaking it in boiling water. The other way of preparing tea is to obtain tea powder by crushing the tea cake, then whisked together with hot water to create a foamy beverage. During China’s Ming Dynasty, tea was prepared by using the tea leaves itself. Loose tea leaves were used. Chinese famers began to explore different ways to process tea into different forms.
Trader a person who buys and sells goods, currency or stocks
Cultivate to raise or grow on a large scale for commercial purposes
Meditate Think deeply or focus one’s mind for a period of time, in silence or with the help of chanting, for spiritual or religious purposes or a form of relaxation
Tribute an act, statement, or gift that is intended to show gratitude, respect or admiration Prosper to be financially successful
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down 1 and __________. across 2 Tea was first introduced in __________ Tea was first mainly used for what purpose? __________. across 3 across 1 Chinese farmers presented tea to the Emperor as __________ across 4 or __________. across 5 Tea bricks were made of ___________. down 6 One can obtain tea powder by crushing the tea __________. down 7 beverage. Tea cakes whisked together with hot water creates a __________
Activity 03 Answer the questions below. The directions given in the blank space gives you a hint as to where you should write your answer in the crosswords above. When you complete this activity, award yourself with the Crosswords Master sticker badge! introduction
The trading of tea In China, people not only buy things, but they also often trade for them. Tea bricks were made in a common standard size to allow easy trading. These tea bricks could also be drunk during long journeys. Silk road was an interconnected network of trade roads connecting East, South and Western Asia with the Mediterranean world, Europe and some parts of Africa. The Chinese go there to trade their silk, spices, teas and porcelain for items such as Indian textiles, ivory, precious stones etc. This helped to propel tea onto an international level. Another significant trade route is called the Chamadao, or “the tea and horse road�. It started out in Southwest China where many tea farms are located, then leads toward north through the mountains of Tibet and into India. Tea, sugar and salt were mainly traded for Tibetan horses, cows and furs. Ivory the main part of the tusks of an elephant, walrus or narwhal Propel drive, push or cause to move in a particular direction, typically forward Significant sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention
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9 The Chinese trade their:
ao
ad o r k l i s
Chinese trade for:
Activity 04 Fill in the boxes with what you have learnt before on page 8. Once you complete it, reward yourself with the Trade Expert sticker badge!
introduction
d ama
Chinese trade their:
Ch
The Tibetans trade their:
China’s visitors
2 Tea 0
Internationally Tea trade in Europe
In 1517, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to reach China by sea. Portuguese traders paid tribute to the Chinese emperor and asked to be allowed to trade there. A permanent trading post was then set up in the mid1500s in Macao, in Southern China. Macau would control the trade of Chinese goods to Europe while the Chinese could tax and monitor all goods that leave the country. By 1559, tea was reported in Europe as a beverage, which was a first to the Europeans. Historians believed that Portuguese sailors might have brought in tea to its capital city, Lisbon.
In 1602, the Dutch East India Company was a group of merchants and investors who were given permission from the government to trade in Asia. In 1610, they brought in a shipment of tea to the Netherlands. Tea quickly became a popular choice among all social classes. Dutch companies then continued selling tea to Italy, France and Germany. In France, tea was introduced in the 1930s where it was only popular among the wealthy. Most French people thought that tea was a “women’s drink.” On the other hand, tea was also being introduced to England in the 1950s.
Permanent Lasting or intended to last or remained unchanged indefinitely
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Tax To make a compulsory contribute to state revenue
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Russian Camel Caravans The first time tea came into contact with Russia was when the Chinese presented it as a gift to the Russian Tsar, or king, Alexis in 1618. When tea began to get popular in Russia, regular trade then developed between the two countries. Trade caravans of about 300 camels travel 8 months with Russian furs to the Russian-China borders where trading posts are set up. Eight months later, the camels will carry back tea that they have traded for. The Russians believe that tea that travelled by camel caravans were better than tea that travelled on ships. They thought that it could be ruined by the humidity, or moisture in the air. By the early 1800s, Russia became the largest consumer of tea after China.
Tea Internationally
The Boston tea party
Tea and Coffee In England, tea was served in coffeehouses. It is a place where men gathered to drink, talk and do business. Tea was made and stored in barrels and only taken out when a customer requests for it. The cold drink will then be heated up and brought to the customer. Tea was a luxury drink that sold for very high prices, therefore only the wealthy could afford it. In the early 1700s, the British East India Company decided to import tea in huge quantities. Even though the British government imposed a high tax on tea making it expensive, it was still a popular choice among all. The poorer people sometimes bought used tea from the wealthy. Soon, smugglers started bringing tea into England illegally, causing the British East India Company to lose money as their expensive tea were unable to sell. When the British government finally lowered the taxes, there was already an oversupply of tea in their storage.
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The British East India Company was given permission by the British government to export its extra tea to Britain’s North American colonies. At that time, the thirteen colonies, now the eastern United States, were ruled by Britain. The colonists were already furious about the fact that the British government granted the British East India Company control over imports of tea to the colonies, threatening their business. Therefore, the colonists refused to drink tea. In 1773, seven ships carried tea from England to the American ports. In Boston, Massachusetts, American colonists boarded the one of the ships and threw all the tea into the waters. The British government then decided to close the Boston port, which further enraged the colonists. This event helped unite the thirteen colonies to fight for their independence from Britain.
Luxury An inessential, desirable item that is expensive Smugglers People who move goods illegally in and out of the country Colonies A country or area, under full or partial political control of another country, and occupied by settlers from that country
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Tea Clippers In the early 1800s, tea travelling on the British East India Company ships took as long as one year to travel from China to London. Therefore to improve the situation, shipbuilders built better fast sailing ships called the “clippers.” The ships were lighter, smaller and had more sails installed. They could travel from China to London and then back to China in less than eight months. These clipper ships used in tea trade came to be called the “tea clippers,” or “China clippers.” Tea clipper races were held to see which ship travelled the fastest, it became a sport than people bet money on. The ship that wins could sell its tea first, and make the most money.
Tea Internationally
Indian Tea
In the 1700s, all the tea in England came from China. Around 1840, China refused to sell any more tea to the British, hence, the British looked to their Asian colonies for a solution. In 1823, two employees of the British East India Company learnt that people in India drank tea made from the Assam tea plant. Realising that they might have found a solution, they established a tea plantation in northeast India and shipped the tea back to England. British planters started tea plantations in Darjeeling and other areas of northern India, and they needed workers to help grow and harvest the tea. Therefore, they brought in hundreds of people from southern India. The workers had poor living conditions and they received very little pay even though they worked nine hours a day, six days a week. The managers, who oversaw the day-to-day operations, were all English. After India gained independence from Britain in 1847, new labour laws were implemented, requiring the tea plantations to provide schools and medical care for their workers and their families.
British planters in Ceylon
British planters also established tea plantations in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. They grew coffee in Ceylon but a disease wiped out the entire crop in 1869. A planter named James Taylor decided to plant tea instead, becoming the first to do so in Ceylon. In thirty years time, Ceylon became a major producer of tea. By 1901, the British were consuming about 260 million pounds of tea per year and most of the tea came from India and Ceylon. British planters looked to India for cheap labour. The British paid for the trip for the labourers to go to Ceylon from India, but the labourers were forced to sign a contract once they reached Ceylon. As soon as they started work, they had to repay the money it cost to bring them here and were not allowed to leave due to the contract they had signed.
Tea in Africa
In the early 1900s, tea plantations were set up in the British colonies in Kenya. Between 1884 and 1914, German planters set up plantations in Cameroon and Tanzania. In 1900, tea plant seeds from Ceylon were planted in Malawi. In 1877, seeds from Ceylon were also planted in South Africa. Many of the tea plantations in Africa were broken up into smallholder farms after their country achieved independence.
Employee A person paid to do work
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Establish Set up on a firm or permanent basis
Independence the state of being free from control from another country
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Activity 05 In this activity, there are 7 boxes that represents different parts of the world. Using the stickers provided, can you paste the planter and seeds into the correct box? Some boxes have more than 1 answer! After you are done, reward yourself with the Tea Planter sticker badge! Tea Internationally
3 Tea Culture
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around the world Afternoon tea
In the United Kingdom, afternoon tea is a social event. The beginning of the whole idea behind an afternoon tea is believed to have started in the early 1800s by the English Duchess. The Duchess thought that she always grew hungry and weak before her late evening meal as the time gap between that and her lunch was too long. Therefore, she always asks her servants to prepare tea and a light snack for her. Soon, she asked her friends to join her, which then developed into the British custom of afternoon tea, or “low tea” in which a small snack and tea is consumed in the late afternoon.
High tea
During the industrial revolution, many people were working at machines in the factories. Tea became a drink of the working class as they took “tea breaks.” Their main evening meal came to be called “tea,” or “high tea.” This was because when they had finished their workday, it was around the same time as when the wealthy were having their afternoon tea.
Industrial revolution the rapid development of industry that occurred in Britain in the late 18th and 19th centuries. It is characterised by the use of steam power, the growth of factories, and the mass production of manufactured goods
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Activity 06 Prepare some tea and a light snack for yourself. Ask for some guidance or help from parents and make this recipe together with them. After completing this activity, award yourself with a Picnic Professional sticker badge! Tea Culture
Tea gardens, shops and dances In the early 1700s, tea gardens were opened after England’s coffeehouses closed. In tea gardens, men, women, and children of all social classes came to enjoy the day while taking a walk in the flower gardens, listening to outdoor concerts, and drinking tea. People not only shopped in teashops, they also have an area where they sit and have tea and a snack. The first teashop opened in England in 1864. The manager of a bakery in London opened a room at the back of the store for people to have tea. Not long after, companies that sold other products like tobacco, tea, and cakes, also opened teashops in their stores. They served hot and cold food, tea, and often provided musical entertainment. Tea dances became popular in the early 1900s in England, where people began socialising more outside of their homes. Hotels began to serve fanciful afternoon teas that came in three courses, or meals. Also, the tango, a dance from Argentina, grew to great popularity in London. These dances were organised to coincide with teatime. Tobacco a preparation of the nicotine-rich leaves of an American plant, which are cured by a process of drying and fermentation for smoking or chewing Coincide occur at or during the same time
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Activity 07 After reading about tea gardens, shops and dances on your left, fill in the blanks above. There are little drawings to guide you. Once completed, you can award yourself with the Best Lister sticker badge! Tea Culture
China from China
When tea was first imported to Europe, it came together with small teapots from China. This porcelain pots and cups helped to add weight to ships to make them more stable at sea because if the chests only contained tea, it will be very light. The pots and cups were sold separately to the Europeans and came to be called “china.� In China, tea was prepared by boiling with water in open pots and then poured into smaller cups, which did not have handles, for drinking. When tea began to be prepared as an infusion drink, the tea was soaked with hot water. A spout and lid were then added to teapots. Slowly, tea sets in Europe became more decorative. The British added more utensils to the tea set including spoons, sugar bowls, milk jugs, and saucers to hold the spoons.
Tea bags
Europeans colonists first introduced tea to North America. It became very popular in large cities, such as New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, where tea was drunk in tea gardens and coffeehouses. In 1908, Thomas Sullivan, a New York tea merchant, invented tea bags. Small samples of tea were contained in loosely woven silk bags that could be used to brew tea. Slowly after that, gauze and then paper were used to replace silk as tea bag material. In North America, tea bags are the most popular way of brewing tea today.
Infusion a drink prepared by soaking the leaves of a plant or herb in liquid
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Gauze a thin translucent fabric of silk, linen or cotton
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Activity 08 Simply follow the steps to do a simple tea bag decoration where you can hang in your room. This activity requires parental guidance. After completing the activity, award yourself with the Do-It-Yourself sticker badge! Tea Culture
Tea chills out
Iced tea is a cold beverage, a brewed tea served together with ice. It first started in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair. Most tea consumed in the United States at that time was green tea from China. Tea producers from India set up booths to interest the Americans into drinking black tea from India. The weather at the fair was very hot, and people had no interest in trying hot tea. The man in charged at the booth, Richard Blechunden, made iced tea by pouring tea into glasses of ice. Customers tried the cool, refreshing drink and iced tea became a success. One hundred years later, Americans were drinking almost two billion glasses of iced tea a year. In United States today, most of the tea consumed in iced tea. Soda pop companies in the United States also used tea to make flavoured drinks.
One Lump or Two
In today’s world, tea is prepared in many different ways. In the United States, tea is made with milk and sugar and drunk in the morning and throughout the work day. In some countries, masala chai is popular. The drink is a mix of spice usually includes ginger and cardamom, then added to black tea leaves that are boiled in milk. It originated from India. “Chai” is the South Asian and Middle Eastern word for tea. In Russia, tea is drunk together with jam or sugar. A spoonful of either is eaten and then a drink of tea follows.
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pg This is not an activity, but a recipe to prepare together with your family! Only do this with parental guidance. Tea Culture
4 The 0
Zen and Tea
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Beginnings
In 1191, a Buddhist monk named Eisai returned to Japan after visiting China. He wrote a book called Kissa-yojo-ki, or “Notes on the curative effects of tea.” In the book, he mentioned about the medicinal powers of tea. When the book reached Sanetomo, the Shogun, or military leader of Japan, he was suffering from a stomach illness. However, a method mentioned in Eisai’s book helped cure him. The method included instructions on how to pick, prepare, and drink a powdered green called matcha. Suddenly, teahouses and tea stalls sprung up all over Japan and people began to grow tea plants in their home gardens.
Vessel a hollow container used to hold liquid
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By 1400, the steps of tea preparation mentioned in Eisai’s book turned into a tea ceremony. The ceremony was greatly influenced by Zen Buddhism, which is an important part of Japanese culture. It is a form of Buddhism in which people strive to live “in the moment” and to appreciate the things in everyday life. Earlier tea ceremonies were held in great halls and were a chance for the wealthy to show off their elaborate tea vessels. However, Buddhist priests slowly incorporated the ideals of Zen into the tea ceremony. The ceremony was made some changes. It moved to smaller tearooms and the equipment used for preparing and serving tea became simpler. This allows people to be more aware of their surroundings and actions. By the 1500s, the tea ceremony evolved into Sado, or Chado, as it is practiced today. Sado means “the way of tea.” The tea ceremony represents four important J a p a n e s e b e l i e f s : h a r m o n y, respect, purity and tranquillity.
Tranquillity free from disturbance, calm
25 Furo: a portable stove or fire pot used to boil water for tea
paste chasen here
Chasen: a bamboo whisk for mixing tea and water.
paste chashaku here
Chashaku: a bamboo tea scoop used to dispense tea.
paste kama here
Fukusa: a silk cloth used for cleaning the tea container and scoop.
paste furo here
paste matcha jawan here
Incense burner
paste incense burner here
Matcha Jawan: A bowl used for preparing and drinking matcha.
paste fukusa here
Kama: a pot, usually made of iron, in which the water used to make tea is heated.
Activity 09 The tea ceremony requires specific tools, called Dogu. In the following activity, first paste the correct stickers into the respective boxes on the left. Next, match the stickers with its description on the right. Once you finish this activity, award yourself with the Japanese tea sticker! Japanese Tea Ceremony
5 Growing&Harvesting tea
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Today, most new tea plants are grown from cuttings of mature or grown plants. The cuttings are usually branches or leaves. New plants are grown in greenhouses where temperature and humidity can be controlled to enhance the growth of the plants. When the plants are fifteen to twenty centimetres tall, usually taking about six months, they are transferred to fields. Another method to grow new plants is by “branch layering.� A branch from a mature plant is bent down into the soil. As time passes, this branch will grow roots into the soil and become its own plant. It is then cut from the original plant and replanted somewhere else on the plantation or farm.
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New Growth
In five years time, the leaves of new tea plants will become ready to be harvested for the first time. It will continue to produce leaves suitable for making tea for the next fifty years. While the plants are growing, they are sprayed with chemicals like pesticide to keep harmful insects from killing the tea plants. The tops of the plants are often pruned back so they begin to spread outward, instead of growing taller. This creates the “plucking table.� Pruning also has other advantages. It makes the new leaves and buds tenderer than the leaves of the trees that grow wild, and also help makes it easier for the pickers to reach.
Activity 10 Fill in the blanks after reading for information from these two pages (26 and 27). After completing them, award yourself with a Tea Harvesting Expert sticker badge! Growing & Harvesting Tea
Tea Pickers
Tea Harvest
Te a p l a n t s s o m e t i m e s g r o w faster at certain parts of the year. The number of times the plants produce new buds and leaves and the number of times the leaves can be harvested all depends on where the plants are grown. In some parts of the world, the plants have a dormant winter period and a growing season. Tea plants that are grown in warmer parts of the world grow throughout the year, and the leaves are picked as often as once a week during harvest.
Dormant temporarily inactive
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The method of harvesting tea l e a v e s i s called “plucking.� Many workers to required during the harvest season and most of them are women. On some tea farms, mechanical shears are used to harvest the leaves instead. However, they pick too many leaves at one time and may damage the crop. Picking tea by hand is still the best way because only the bud and top two leaves are harvested.
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A day in the Life
Each day, tea pickers have a quota to fulfil. They must pick a certain amount of tea leaves. Often, this quota is set very high and tea pickers must work as long as nine hours a day to reach it. At the end of each day, tea pickers must carry their baskets many miles to have it weighed. Experienced pickers can harvest up to thirty kilograms of leaves a day, for which they are only paid four dollars. Other than working under hot weather conditions, their lives could be in danger as snakes and insects could possibly live in the plantation or farm. Many of them do not have the proper working attire to protect them too.
Growing & Harvesting Tea
6 From Tea factory 0
to Tea cup
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Process of withering
Fermentation
After the tea leaves are harvested, the next step is to process them at the tea factories. This stage will get the tea leaves ready to be used. The tea leaves are first withered to reduce the amount of moisture in the leaves and make their sap, or juices, stronger. This is done by laying the leaves out thinly on trays and leaving them to dry in an airy, dry space in the factory for twenty-four hours. In areas where the climate is not suitable, the leaves are withered on racks or troughs by having hot air blown over them for about sixteen hours. After the withering process is finished, a machine will then crush, roll, and break the leaves up.
Crushed tea leaves are left to ferment on large trays in a humid room. During fermentation, the sap in the leaves mixes with the air. This is a chemical process called oxidation, or fermentation. During this process, the leaves will turn dark brown. Black tea and Oolong tea are fermented, but Green tea is not. After several hours, when the fermented leaves are of the right colour and odour, they are placed in drying chambers where hot air is blown over them to make them crisp. Drying prevents further fermentation from taking place.
Grading Grading the leaves means to sort them according to their size. Mechanical sieves with different sized holes are used for this step. The largest pieces are called “broken leaf” and are the most valuable. “Fannings” are smaller pieces and the remaining tiny pieces are called “Dust.” They are used in tea bags.
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the largest leaves are called
the smaller pieces and remaining tiny bits are called
Activity 11 Paste the stickers in the correct order above! Once you are done, reward yourself with a Tea Factory Boss sticker badge! Tea factory to Tea cup
Tea Auctions When the processes mentioned above are done, tea will then be shipped from the factories to the warehouses until an auction is held to sell the tea. This is where tea brokers buy tea and sell them away. They work for either the seller or for the tea company that is buying the tea. The tea buyer who offers the highest bid gets the tea. Once the tea has been sold, it is then packed into wooden chests lined with aluminium foil. The aluminium helps to make the chest airtight, which means the tea will remain fresh and full of flavour. Tea will lose its freshness once it comes into contact with air for too long. The chests of tea are shipped on large cargo ships around the world. Some tea auctions today are offshore, which means the auctions will take place on ships. Tea can also be sold to the tea companies from the tea factories.
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At the Tea Company The tea will now arrive at the tea company factory. Over there, tea leaves are blended or mixed with other teas. Tea blenders are also tea tasters. They mix teas and flavourings to make specialty teas. Their job is to make sure that one brand, or type of tea is consistent from package to package. This is because the quality of a tea crop varies from year to year and can taste different depending on which plantation or farm it comes from. Tea blends contain as many as thirty-five different types of tea. Tea is mixed in a large revolving drum, then it is sifted, packaged and sold to stores.
Consistent unchanging in achievement or effect over a period of time
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How many cups of tea do you drink per day? (MAR 2009) 1940votes.
Tea factory to Tea cup
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0 Types of Tea Green Tea
Green tea is the most popular tea in China and Japan. There are several types of green tea. Sencha is Japan’s most popular tea. Fukamushicha is ideal for delicate stomachs. Kukicha is a refreshing fragrance to wake up to. Konacha is good for cooking with or for sprinkling over dishes. Bancha is a tea that refreshes the palate after meals. Matcha is a tea to go with desserts and Japanese confections. Gyokuro is a high grade tea that combats fatigue. Hojicha is a mild tea for children and those with a delicate constitution. Genmaicha is the perfect tea after a rich meal.
Black Tea
Black tea is fermented tea. It contains the most caffeine among teas.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is semi-fermented tea. To make Oolong tea, the leaves are left to wilt in the sun, and then shaken in baskets to bruise the edges of the leaves. The bruising helps it to ferment. The leaves are spread to dry until they are yellow and the edges are red. About two hours later, fermentation is stopped and the leaves are dried. Most Oolong tea comes from Taiwan and China.
Palate the roof of the mouth, separating the cavities of the nose and the mouth in vertebrates
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Fatigue extreme tiredness, typically resulting from mental or physical exertion or illness
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Activity 12 Earn yourself a No. 1 Matcha Float sticker badge by preparing the above recipe! This activity requires parental guidance.
Types of Tea
White Tea
White tea is also known as “silver tip� as it has a silvery appearance. To make White tea, only unopened new buds are used. Most White tea comes from China or Sri Lanka. It has less caffeine than other types of tea and has a light and sweet taste.
Scented and Flavoured Tea
Green teas, Oolong teas and Black teas are used to make scented and flavoured teas. To make scented tea, flower blossoms or essential oils of fruits are added to the processed teas. This will change the smell and taste of the tea. Teas are scented with flowers such as Jasmine, and fruits such as orange, mango and lemon. Flavoured teas are prepared by adding flavouring during processing. Some examples of flavoured teas are Christmas tea, or tea flavoured with cinnamon, orange peel or cloves.
Compressed Tea Compressed tea is made into bricks or cakes. In the past, fresh tea leaves were steamed and then pressed into cakes and dried. Today, most compressed tea is made from tea dust squeezed by machines into one-kilogram bricks. Compressed tea is made into a drink in Tibet and Mongolia, and eaten with butter and cheese.
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Activity 13 Prepare the above recipe and earn yourself the Most Awesome Tea sticker badge! This activity requires parental guidance.
Types of Tea
8 Useful Household Tips
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As a deodorizer
For a Finger bowl
Used tea leaves can be used as good odourremovers in refrigerators and wardrobes. First, dry the leaves thoroughly and wrap them in gauze bags. The leaves can be taken our periodically and dry roasted in a fry pan to revive their deodorizing function, but do not burn them. You can also choose to wrap the leaves in decorative cloth and display it attractively.
After handling fish, you can clean your hands by rubbing them with used tea leaves to remove fishy smells. Same method can be applied to remove grease from your hands after handling meat. You can also prepare a bowl of tea to rinse your hands after eating crabs or prawns.
Deodorizer an object that will remove an unpleasant smell
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For treating cuts
As a fertilizer
As bath salts
Chew the used leaves a little to soften them, and then apply them to minor cuts such as those sustained when working in the kitchen. This will help to stop the bleeding and can also act as a disinfectant.
Squeeze the water out of old tea leaves and bury them in the soil next to the roots of the plants. After a while, you will notice the leaves looking brighter than before.
Used tea leaves wrapped in gauze and placed in the bath emit a rich aroma that will help soothe your body and mind. Tea leaves are also said to improve complexion but please be aware that tea will stain towels.
Emit produce and discharge
Useful Household Tips
Bibliography Gleason, Carrie. (1973). The Biography of Tea. Canada, Crabtree Publishing Company. Houdret, Jessica. (2001). Herbal tea Remedies. United States, Lorenz Books. Tonkunaga, Mutsuko. (2004). New Tastes in Green Tea. Japan, Kodansha International Ltd. United Kingdom Tea Council. (2010). Surveys. Retrieved from http://www.tea.co.uk/survey
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