Tea Destination by Liz Pasekal

Tea Destination a sampling of tea from around the world

White tea

Rooibos tea

Black tea

Matcha Latte

Masala chai

Chamomile tea

Types of tea While all tea comes from the same plant, the Camellia sinensis, there exist hundreds of kinds of teas, with their own individual appearance, taste, and aroma. Like wine or coffee, every harvest of tea will vary year to year due to changes in climate, rainfall, and other seasonal conditions. Thus, tea from the same plantation or garden may taste very different from one year to the next. Moreover, a particular tea gains much of its individual character from how the leaves are cultivated and processed. To make sense of all the varieties possible, teas can be placed in several categories. The most common categories used today are green, white, oolong, black, and fermented. These categories refer to how much a tea is oxidized or, in tea terminology, fermented. Before modern science, Europeans thought teas were the result of the fermentation process similar to that of wine or cheese. In actuality, it is oxygen that is responsible for altering the tea leaves. By selectively exposing the tea leaves to the air, tea farmers and artisans can bring out certain flavors and aromas from the leaves.

White tea White tea tends to have the most delicate flavors and aromas. The nuances are gentle, even elusive, evoking fresh flavors like subtle floral bouquets. White tea undergoes the least processing of all teas. Traditionally cultivated in China, white tea was picked only a few days out of the year, when a white down, known as bai hao, appeared on the tender shoots. The tea shoots are allowed to wither then dry to prevent oxidization. This process is a delicate one, requiring strict attention from the tea makers. Nowadays, other tea growing regions as Darjeeling and Sri Lanka have begun to cultivate white tea, in an effort to capitalize off white tea’s growing popularity.

history

The name “white tea” derives from the fine silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds of the tea plant, which give the plant a whitish appearance.The beverage itself is not white or colourless but pale yellow and light to the taste. It is harvested primarily in China, mostly in the Fujian province, but more recently it is produced in Eastern Nepal, Taiwan, Northern Thailand, Galle (Southern Sri Lanka) and India.

PREPARTION White tea leaves can withstand longer infusion times than other tea types before pouring. Make sure that the tea you buy is packed in as airtight a container as possible. Keep it dry, cool and dark to prevent oxidation. White tea doesn’t keep for years like black tea does; it must be consumed within six months of purchase. • Place 2 tsp of tea leaves for every 1 cup of water. • Steep for 7 to 10 minutes in boiling water.

Rooibos tea This plant has very similar growth and flowers to the rooibos plant. The specific name linearis comes from the plant’s linear growing structure and needle-like leaves. Rooibos meaning “red bush” is a broom like member of the Fabaceae family of plants growing in South Africa’s fynbos. Traditionally, the local people would climb the mountains and cut the fine, needle-like leaves from wild rooibos plants. They then rolled the bunches of leaves into hessian bags and brought them down the steep slopes using donkeys. The leaves were then chopped with axes and bruised with hammers, before being left to dry in the sun.

Consumption

Dutch settlers to the Cape learned to drink rooibos tea as an alternative to black tea, an expensive commodity for the settlers who relied on supply ships from Europe. It’s a great tea to drink when suffering from stomach cramps or other digestive problems. Furthermore, the tea is rich in minerals that may help boost the immune system and keep the body healthy. It contains calcium, iron, potassium, copper, fluoride, manganese, magnesium, zinc and alpha hydroxy acid.

PREPARTION In South Africa, it is common to prepare rooibos tea in the same manner as black tea and add milk and sugar to taste. Other methods include a slice of lemon and using honey instead of sugar to sweeten. Does not contain caffeine. • Place 1 tsp of tea leaves for every 1 cup of water • Steep for 5 minutes. • Add milk and sugar or honey to taste. Alternatively you can brew the tea in hot milk.

black tea Black tea is the most well-known variety of tea in the West. Known as “red tea” in China, black tea leaves are fully oxidized. The long-standing trend in black tea, taken from the British, has been to create “blends”. For centuries, tea companies take various kinds of tea to create a particular flavor or character-for example, a strong breakfast tea or a delicate afternoon tea. And just like a perfume house, several older tea companies are known for their signature blends. But as the quality and character of tea harvests can vary greatly year to year, tea companies rely on the skills of tea blenders to take different teas from the year’s harvest to create the same taste again and again.

Consumption

Many people drink black tea for alertness and energy. There is good scientific evidence to show this works. Black tea has a lot of caffeine. It also contains a little bit of a stimulating substance called theophylline. Both can speed up your heart rate and make you feel more alert. Black tea is also full of healthy substances called polyphenols. Polyphenols are antioxidants that can help protect your cells from DNA damage.

Matcha Latte Macha is finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea.

Because they are unoxidized, green teas keep their vital color. To prevent oxidization, the leaves are heat processed to eliminate the enzyme responsible for oxidization. In China, this is generally done by roasting or pan-firing the leaves, while the Japanese generally accomplish this by steaming the leaves at a high temperature. Each process tends to bring out a more particular flavor from the tea leaves. The Chinese style of processing tends to bring out a mouthwatering range of flavors from citrus-like to smoky with a lighter body.

Consumption

It is special in two aspects of farming and processing: the green tea plants for matcha are shade-grown for about three weeks before harvest, and the stems and veins are removed in processing. During shaded growth, the plant Camellia sinensis produces more theanine and caffeine. This combination of chemicals is considered to account for the calm energy people might feel from drinking matcha. The powdered form of matcha is consumed differently from tea leaves or tea bags, and is dissolved in a liquid, typically water or milk.

PREPARTION Bring unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, or cow’s milk to a bare simmer in a small pot over medium-high heat. Place 1 teaspoon matcha powder in a heatproof cup. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup boiling water, then almond milk, tipping cup slightly to help create more foam. Sweeten with agave syrup. • 3/4 cup unsweetened milk for every 1 cup of water • 1 teaspoon matcha powder • 1/4 cup boiling water

Masala chai Masala chai literally “mixed-spice tea” is a flavoured tea beverage made by brewing black tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs. Originating in India, the beverage has gained worldwide popularity. Tea plants have grown wild in the Assam region since antiquity, but historically Indians viewed tea as a herbal medicine rather than as a recreational beverage. Some of the chai masala spice mixtures, or Karha, that are still in current use are derived from Ayurvedic medical texts. There is no fixed recipe or preparation method for masala chai and many families have their own versions.

Masala tea is a very popular beverage in South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal). People start their day by consuming a cup of tea. This first cup of tea is fondly called ‘bed tea’. Throughout the day people consume many cups of tea. Every street corner in places of business has a ‘Chai Walla’, a tea maker who brings hot tea to people’s places of business whether they are retail businesses or commercial.

PREPARTION Grind together cardamom, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and fennel seeds with mortar and pestle or coffee/spice grinder.Bring milk just to a simmer in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir or whisk in brown sugar, ground spice mixture, ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. • 10 green cardamom pods, cracked, seeds removed, and pods discarded, or 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom ground or seeds • 1 (1 1/2-inch) piece cinnamon stick • 4 peppercorns (preferably white) • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds • 2 cups whole milk • 3 1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger • 2 cups water • 5 teaspoons loose orange pekoe tea 12

Chamomile tea It is known for its fruity flavor that often reminds one of apples. Chamomile tea has the capacity to soothe a person down and act as a muscle relaxant as well as a mild sedative. The name Chamomile comes from the Greek word meaning “ground apple.” Its history dates back at least to ancient Egypt, where Chamomile tea was prescribed as a cold remedy. The Romans enjoyed it as a beverage, as well as an incense. Ironically, the name “Roman Chamomile” by which it is sometimes known, does not stem from this time. It rather comes from an arbitrary naming of the herb in the 19th Century by a botanist who happened to find some growing in the Roman Coliseum.

Consumption

Commonly used to make herb infusions to serve various medicinal purposes. Popular uses of chamomile preparations include treating hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia, ulcers, gastrointestinal disorders, and haemorrhoids. Camomile tea is also used to treat skin conditions such as eczema, chickenpox and psoriasis.

PREPARTION Rinse and clean the chamomile flowers in cold running water. It makes no difference whether the flowers are fresh or dry. *Chamomile should be avoided during pregnancy • Place 3-4 tsp of tea leaves for every 1 cup of water • Steep for 5 minutes in boiling water • Serve with lemon or honey to taste

TEXT: www.themarionhousebook.com