Bruits de Palais N°88 UK

Issue 88

Winter 2023

THE MAGAZINE FROM PALAIS DES THÉS

The sustainable tea life

It is our pleasure to guide you in your discovery of tea. We want to do this in a way that protects our environment as much as possible: the ecosystems around us and the places where tea comes from. Everything we do can have an impact and at Palais des Thés we are all working hard to make the world of the future closer to our ideal: a more responsible, caring world in which sharing plays an important role.

We have already taken initiatives through long-term commitments. In tea-producing countries, we support farmers in their transition to organic methods. Our targets for 2026 include continuing to work towards zero plastic across all our ranges, offering 100% organic single-estate and flavoured blends, and achieving carbon-neutral status. Thanks to your support, we can go even further. How? By making sure you use reusable containers for storing the teas and herbal infusions we sell. By remembering to heat only the amount of water you need to make your tea. Nearly half the carbon footprint of a cup of tea comes from the way it is prepared by the consumer. So by using the correct amount of water and heating it to the desired temperature, you can help us reduce our impact!

Everything we do counts: together we can make tea consumption more responsible and create a sustainable, inspiring future.

The Palais des Thés team

COVER Pu Erh is usually compressed into a cake before being wrapped in a sheet of rice paper.

OPPOSITE

In northern Thailand, this woman from the Karen people picks new shoots from ancient tea plants that will be used to make Mao Cha.

By Léo Perrin

By Laetitia Portois

By Paul Roudez

CONTRIBUTORS

Léo Perrin

Léo visits plantations around the world to source the finest teas. He is passionate about sharing the fruits of his travels and encounters.

Paul Roudez

Paul is a Master Tea Sommelier who trained at our Tea School. He studied history and is dedicated to passing on knowledge.

Laetitia Portois

Laetitia is especially fond of Japanese green teas. She enjoys telling stories and is passionate about her vocation.

Dark teas from the land of the dragon

Almost four years had passed since my last trip to Vietnam. A few weeks earlier, the government announced that it was opening the borders. The opportunity was too good, and with so many reasons to go, I bought my ticket.

By Léo Perrin

Visiting a country is an experience; returning there is another. What a pleasure to slip back into old habits, to return to places one has been to before, to see the changes, rediscover the smells, colours and sounds, all the constants that make up the country’s identity. After a few days wandering around Hanoi surrounded by the opulent aromas of lotus flowers and the buzz of mopeds, spending time talking to sellers on  the tea stalls, I met up with my friend Nam and together we set out on a six-hour journey to Cao Bo.

Returning to Cao Bo

Nam Lê is one of the directors of the large tea factory at Cao Bo. Cao Bo lies in the extreme north of the country, near Hà Giang, not far from the Chinese border. Vietnam’s finest Pu Erh teas have been produced here for more than 50 years. For a long time, the factory worked with Hong Kong, sending its fine teas directly to the former British colony. These teas were stored in cellars with humid atmospheres where they developed their deep aromas of humus and incense. It was only at the end of the 1990s that these teas began travelling to new destinations, including France.

The factory works with some 20 villages which harvest leaves on remote mountainsides. The tea plants there are the Shan Tuyet variety and look like nothing else on earth. Forget the orderly gardens where the bushes are all picked to hip height and are grown in long rows that follow the contours of the valley. Here, the tea plants are trees, and the smallest ones are almost two metres high. They have solid, thick trunks and are spaced at random, either growing wild in dense forests or more sparsely, mixed in with other local crops. These are ancient trees that continue to be shaped by time.

At last, we reached this place I am so fond of. Four years ago, I stayed here with Nam for a month and he taught me the secrets of Pu Erh fermentation. The same people were there, with the same smiles, surrounded by the same smells of tea slowly fermenting under tarpaulins.

We greeted each other warmly, then it grew late and dinner was served. What a feast! I enjoyed delicious tiê ´ t canh soup made from freshly coagulated ducks’ blood, as well as carp sashimi and, of course, bamboo rat, which went pretty well with the Alsace wine I brought them. It was an interesting pairing of Gewürztraminer and rodent...

The next morning after a short sleep, a tea tasting session awaited me. In the tasting room, a series of cups provided an uninterrupted flow of

These camellias left to grow wild are used to produce delicious dark teas.

infusions, all wonderful. I liked the depth of buckwheat notes of some Pu Erh Shus, as well as their roundness and irresistible sweetness. I enjoyed trying to control the wild astringency of their green teas. Passing time affects the teas’ notes, which evolve over the years. I was amazed by the changes that time had wrought on the aromas of a Mao Cha between 2017 and this year, by the subtle mushroom smell emerging from the leaves of a slightly older tea cake… When it’s done well, Pu Erh, like wine, improves with age, and the fragrances that result from this passage of time are glorious and unparalleled.

Amethyst buds

Among these teas, one stood out. A young Mao Cha from last year caught my attention with its incredible fruity notes that reminded me of gentian and green papaya. I asked Nam what makes this highly aromatic tea so unique. “The leaves come from a village we’ve been working with since last year. We can go there if you want, it’s next door.” After two and a half hours crossing rivers on scooters and falling off every hundred metres or so, the concept of “next door” became increasingly vague. At last, the focus of our quest gradually appeared through the thick fluffy mist, and I spotted the first camellias. “Here we are, these are the first tea bushes of the village,” Nam said.

At this point, I started to notice the very special aromas of the tea that had originally caught my attention. These tea trees with their massive trunks, most centuries old, all have a unique genetic trait, and for some unknown reason there are many of them in this village. They have purple leaves! This characteristic is often found in ancient tea trees which, over time, develop more anthocyanins in their leaves, darkening them and sometimes turning them a deep purple. The high numbers of anthocyanins* influence the aromatic particles of the leaves and bring a specific fruity quality to the tea.

The coveted jewels were finally within sight: beautiful amethyst buds. These magnificent tea trees gave me much food for thought. If this terroir is so good for Mao Cha, what would it be like for black tea? Or white? Or any other tea colour that camellias can produce? I concluded my visit by allowing these ideas to infuse in the creative mind of my friend Nam.

The Vietnamese revival

Next, I head to Ta Thàng, in Lào Cai province. It took more than nine hours to reach a new producer I’d heard about during my few days in Hanoi. We made a short stop in the city of Lào Cai where the atmosphere is very different from Cao Bo. Here, the architecture seemed more Chinese, which is no surprise given that the town, located on the Red River, is one of the border crossings with Yunnan.

The proximity to China plays an important role in the local tea market. Many Chinese traders cross the border to buy Mao Cha at low cost from the different Vietnamese peoples and resell it under a Chinese name at a much higher price.

*Anthocyanins are a natural colouring ranging from orange-red to purple-blue.

Ancient trees that continue to be shaped by time.

Northern Vietnam has rugged mountainous landscapes covered with lush vegetation and steeply sloping tea plantations.

In recent years, a radical change has taken place among these Vietnamese farmers who are starting to refuse to sell to the Chinese and instead want their teas to contribute to the reputation of their own country. This is a healthier and more transparent approach that guarantees the Vietnamese origin of the teas.

I met up with Tuãn Phan who is in charge of producing tea in Ta Thàng. Together, we set out for the final hour’s drive to get to the place he spoke so highly of. It was my first time in these mountains, and the higher altitudes offer up new landscapes. Large blue lakes surround the mountains, which are sparsely strewn with conifers. There’s a touch of Bavaria about it and only the presence of the pretty Hmong houses gives away the location.

The secrets of centuries-old tea trees

At the end of the road is the Ta Thàng factory, established only three years ago. In 2019, one of the current managers, Nguyen Van Linh, visited the region with a group of friends with no intention of starting a business there. But he fell under the spell of Ta Thàng and its community, and the group of friends decided to embark on a project there to support the village.

Attracted by the vast forests of ancient tea trees abandoned by the Hmong for several centuries, and knowing the trees’ potential, they revived tea production.

“I give tea my energy.”

Situated at more than 200 metres above sea level, the Cao Bo factory has been producing exceptional teas for several years. In this valley where wild tea trees grow between lakes and conifers, some delicious black and white teas are produced. Each ethnic group has a different relationship with the land. Here, the Hmong people pick leaves from centuries-old tea trees. The producer Tuãn Phan is proud of this factory, set up just three years ago by a group of friends who fell in love with Ta Thàng and its community.

I was welcomed there by the light of a beautiful full moon. Tuãn gave me a tour of the factory, where black tea was slowly oxidising on woven bamboo racks and where white tea buds were drying slowly. The place had a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere. The workers, who are so often talkative, were quiet here, focused on their task. Tuãn sees tea production as an active meditation, which requires being fully present to obtain exactly the right results. The next day, we set off to see the famous tea forest where their finest teas come from. The Shan Tuyet trees are all at least two hundred years old. Some measure several tens of metres and I can’t resist picking a few leaves off them. Beneath these great trees, buffalo watch us, like guardians of this almost sacred place. While tasting some of the precious leaves, processed that same day, I asked Tuãn the same question I ask all producers I meet around the world: “What is the secret of a good tea?” Between two sticks of smoking incense, I watched him move his hands over the tea and close his eyes. He stayed that way for several minutes. “I give tea my energy,” he explained.

I’m not sure that “energy” plays a role in the taste of his tea but this one is, without a doubt, one of the finest in Vietnam. •

TEA AND FOOD ARE PERFECT PARTNERS

Long known and valued for its medicinal properties and its ability to stimulate mind and body, tea was consumed as a food before becoming a refined drink appreciated for its flavours and aromas. It was not until the beginning of this century that tea was brought back into cooking, despite the obvious links!

Is that tea in your soup?

Tea has been consumed for about 3,000 years and has long been an ingredient in its own right. We ate tea long before we drank it! In China, originally classified as a bitter herb, it was combined with onions, spices, fruit peel, flowers and salt to make soup. The tea leaves were crushed and compressed, then roasted and ground to a fine powder and whisked into boiling water. This is how it is still consumed in some parts of Tibet, as a condiment.

A refined drink

During the Chinese Song dynasty (960-1279), green tea began to be prized as a delicate drink. The leaves were ground into a very fine powder, to which a little simmering water was added. With the Ming era (1368-1644), tea became part of a more hedonistic quest, as people came to appreciate the pleasure of preparing it, taking time to taste it and drinking it from a beautiful ceramic vessel, especially from an aesthetic perspective. Although people were not yet focused on the flavours or taste sensations, they began to identify the aromatic characteristics of different teas. The leaves were pulverised with a hand millstone and the resulting fine powder was added to simmering water and beaten with a bamboo whisk to obtain a foam. This technique, which inspired the Japanese tea masters, is still used to prepare Matcha in Japan (Cha No Yu).

Since the fourteenth century, tea has been consumed in its current form, infused in a receptacle. The kettle replaced the tea bottles of the Tang period (618-907) and tea was infused in teapots and zhongs.

Tea at the table, an ancient tradition in Asia

In China and Japan, your cup is filled with tea as soon as you are seated. Tea not only accompanies the entire meal but can be enjoyed at any time, in any situation. It offers all the benefits that the West now appreciates: it quenches thirst, helps fats dissolve and makes food more digestible; it is also virtually calorie-free and it warms the body. Beyond these health benefits, tea naturally complements traditional dishes, especially in Japan, such as sashimi, tempura and grilled eel.

“COOKING” TEAS

Tea is used as an ingredient in various drinks such as lei chai, which is consumed in southern China (crushed or ground tea, mixed with roasted seeds and herbs), Indian chai (an infusion of black tea, spices and sugar in boiling full-fat milk), Sri Lankan siri thay (a shaké tea with milk powder, sugar and boiling water), Myanmar’s lahpet (a fermented or marinated tea, often spicy), and more recently, bubble tea (a sweetened, highly flavoured black tea with milk, ice cubes and cassava or tapioca balls).

AFTERNOON TEA

Around 1840, the Duchess of Bedford is said to have instigated the tradition of inviting friends over for an afternoon gathering with tea and cakes. This occasion became a ritual, but afternoon tea is also a legacy of the industrial revolution which changed working hours, delayed the time of the evening meal, and created a need for an afternoon break. The tradition was initially the preserve of the nobility but became widespread.

Endless food and tea pairings

Tea has long been reserved for pairing with Asian dishes – the classic and delicious combination of the roasted scents of a Hojicha or the grilled notes of a Genmaicha with raw fish – and in the West is often overshadowed by the traditional choice of wine as a partner to food. Yet it makes an excellent alternative to alcohol, especially wine, which it rivals in terms of the variety and richness of its flavours and aromas. To venture in other tasting directions, it is interesting to create pairings that take advantage of the almost infinite variety of teas and their multiple flavours. The different temperatures at which we can drink tea are an asset. They create many possible combinations (see the examples illustrated above) and allow us to bring out the texture and aromas of the dishes tea accompanies. These might be toning, fusional or contrasting.1 In our stores, our tea sommeliers can provide recommendations based on your specific requirements! •

1. To learn more and explore different pairing ideas, check out the book Tea Sommelier by F-X Delmas and M Minet (published by Chêne, 2016, pp. 151-170) or sign up for a course at our Tea School (www.ecoleduthe.com).

Cooking tea, cooking with tea

Eastern cuisine has incorporated tea for millennia, but the West has only started using tea in cooking in recent years. Motivated by the desire to explore complex flavours, chefs have realised that tea can be served with their dishes as a drink, while the leaves can be used as an ingredient to enhance the flavours and aromas of the food. It is easy to use tea in everyday cooking, and flavoursome too!

The five golden rules

Tea is a culinary pleasure that appeals to all the senses. To get the most from it in the kitchen, get creative, try things out, and keep tasting!

GOLDEN RULE NO. 1

Replace water with tea at every opportunity.

Whenever there is a liquid in a savoury or sweet recipe, tea can make a subtly aromatic alternative.

GOLDEN RULE NO. 2

Tea does not need to be infused in water.

Tea can be infused in milk or single cream which, like water, are excellent vehicles for flavours. Depending on whether you are infusing the tea hot or cold, experiment and adapt the quantity of leaves and the steeping time (often upwards). This is an easy way to update the classics in our culinary repertoire.

GOLDEN RULE NO. 4

Break the rules: be daring and try things out!

GOLDEN RULE NO. 3

Do not throw away leftover tea.

If you do not finish all the tea in your teapot, keep the remaining liquid as seasoning to add to a dish while cooking. You can also reuse the used tea leaves.

To cook with tea, disregard the usual guidelines in terms of quantity of leaves and infusion time. The infusion you prepare for cooking with won’t necessarily be pleasant to drink but could provide wonderful aromatic flavouring once incorporated into your dish. And don’t forget that cooking, like tea, is a story of successful failures.

GOLDEN RULE NO. 5

Take a look through all your cupboards.

It is good to cook with what you have at hand, and that applies to your teas too. Use the teas you have available and revisit your favourite recipes by asking yourself what tea could add in terms of taste or appearance. What about adding your morning Earl Grey into your citrus cake mix?

Twenty ideas for using tea in cooking

Tea can be used in cooking in all its forms: whole-leaf or crumbled dry leaves, infused leaves, or as a liquid infusion. The infusion often needs to be stronger than you would make it for drinking tea, in order to obtain more robust tea flavours.

1. Steam the tea leaves Japanese-style to savour their chewiness and fresh vegetal quality, similar to spinach or watercress.

→ Salad of Shincha, bonito and soy sauce

2. Roast Chinese tea leaves to bring out their crispy texture and notes of fresh hazelnut with a touch of astringency. Whether they are just infused or sautéed in a wok, plain, with pickles or as a tempura, choose young shoots of spring green tea.

→ Scrambled eggs with green tea leaves

4. Infuse the leaves in water for cooking grains or pulses.

→ Lentils with Lapsang Souchong

5. Steep the leaves in water to add interesting flavours and aromas (smoky, grilled, tangy, spicy, etc.) to a soup

→ Cream of pumpkin soup with Earl Grey

6. Infuse the leaves in cream or milk , which capture flavours like tea really well.

→ Chai cream, smoked tea potato purée

7. Steam your food on a bed of tea leaves

→ Steamed monkfish with Bancha, steamed cod with jasmine tea

8. Make a marinade to flavour and/or tenderise poultry, game or fish.

→ Chai marinated chicken skewer

9. Make a jelly with tea by adding gelatin or agar-agar to the infusion to bring out the flavours and create interesting textures.

→ Red fruit aspic with jasmine tea

3. Infuse the leaves in water, alone or combined with a bouquet garni, to flavour a stock.

→ Ochazuke rice with Sencha Ariake (Bruits de Palais no. 87, page 28)

10. Make an emulsion to harness the flavours of the tea.

→ Pu Erh espuma

11. Sprinkle or rub with powdered tea to enhance a dish.

→ Fleur de sel with Lapsang Souchong or sel gris with Matcha

12. Reduce to concentrate the tea’s flavours through evaporation.

→ Robust veal jus with Second-Flush Darjeeling

13. Deglaze to add character to the burnt, caramelised flavours of the juices.

→ Wok-fried squid deglazed with Sencha

14. Make a concentrate by brewing a large quantity of tea leaves in a little simmering water for 1 to 2 minutes.

→ Caramel with Grand Oolong Top Fancy

15. Push tea leaves into cuts in meat, fish or vegetables to add flavour and aroma.

→ Duck breast with smoked tea

16. Add smoked notes to food by combining it with smoked tea leaves, immersing it in a smoked tea infusion, or adding smoked tea to the dish.

→ Smoked salmon with Lapsang Souchong

MATCHA, THE PASTRY CHEF’S FAVOURITE TEA

17. Rub the leaves into fish to impart the subtle flavours of the tea.

→ Sea bass in a Bao Zhong crust

18. Sprinkle infused tea over roasted meat to add moisture.

→ Chicken sprinkled with Long Jing, roast beef with Yunnan buds, lamb with Assam Maijian

19. Infuse a tea according to whether you want a honeyed, brown or green tinge.

→ Whipped cream with Matcha

20. Flavour a cocktail with an infusion or concentrate or steep the leaves directly in alcohol.

→ Champagne with Thé du Hammam

Thanks to its elegant colour and its ease of use, Matcha has become popular with pastry chefs in recent years. Financiers, madeleines and other small cakes are now well known in their Matcha varieties. Consider using this delicate, bitter powder in savoury dishes. For example, dust a white fish fillet with Matcha before dipping it in tempura batter or create a melting Matcha filling for a savoury cake.

→ Find more details and recipes in Tea Sommelier page 76 ff.

Dark tea, waiting for time to pass

Dark tea, the most popular of which is Pu Erh, is a type of tea that remains unknown to many tea enthusiasts. Known as dark tea, aged tea or fermented tea, it improves as it ages, a characteristic it owes to its mode of production, which involves fermentation.

By Laetitia Portois

After harvesting, the leaves used to make Pu Erh are left to wither in the sun for 24 hours.

The history of dark tea dates back to the seventh century, but for many years it remained in obscurity before it became the subject of a craze and intense speculation in modern times. It is a mysterious tea which develops its aromas and flavours over the years. The first records of dark tea date back to the Tang dynasty, at the beginning of the seventh century. At the time, tea was used as a condiment, among other things, in particular to season soup.

Dark tea started with the cake

As a daily commodity, Pu Erh needed to be transported quickly throughout China. How was it possible to preserve it and transport it in sufficient quantities on mules over such long distances? This was an important issue, because at the time tea was used as a currency to exchange for horses in Tibet, where it was consumed as a vegetable as part of the Tibetans’ meatheavy diet. This is how the tea route was born. At the time, the Chinese had the ingenious idea of compressing the leaves into cakes so they could be easily stacked and stored. This method also limited the leaves’ contact with the

The loose tea is weighed then compressed into a cake, generally weighing 357 grams.

air and considerably slowed down their oxidation in transit. Fortuitously, they realised that the tea would ferment naturally on these long journeys, developing unique flavours. This marked the origin of the Pu Erh cake, a form still used today for shaping dark teas.

For centuries, dark tea was carried by mules along the ancient tea and horse route (between Yunnan and Tibet and to the steppes of Russia) as a trading currency for nomadic merchants. But in 1391, the emperor told tea-producing regions to stop sending tea in the form of compressed leaves to the imperial court. He preferred to receive loose leaves, so producers began making leaves in many colours. Dark tea nonetheless continued to be traded, though in dwindling volumes. Yet extensive expertise was poured into these quality teas that became more refined with the passing years …

Dark teas, fermented teas

It is the production method and ageing process that characterise dark teas. These are the only teas that undergo fermentation. The leaves are harvested and processed at different times. This means that the same leaves will produce two different dark teas using two different methods. However, both are created through fermentation of the same tea: Mao Cha.

Raw and cooked Pu Erh

A distinction is made between raw Pu Erh, known as “Sheng”, a Mao Cha compressed into a cake and left to age, and cooked Pu Erh, known as “Shu”, for which fermentation is artificially accelerated.

The first steps in the production of Shu and Sheng are identical: the freshly picked leaves are fired in a wok (10 to 20 minutes) to partially fix the oxidases (enzymes that stop oxidation). The tea is then rolled and dried, usually in the sun. The difference lies in the ageing process, which is long and natural for Pu Erh Sheng, and accelerated for Pu Erh Shu.

To compress Pu Erh, the dry leaves are steamed for a few minutes then placed in a cotton bag and crushed between the plates of a press to form the cake. This is left to dry on a rack for 24 hours, then packed in rice paper. The cakes are sometimes bought by a merchant and “laid down” to age for years to obtain a Pu Erh Sheng. It is during this stage that the post-fermentation process takes place: microorganisms in the leaves cause them to oxidise naturally when kept in a humid, well-aired place. This reaction

PU ERH OR DARK TEA?

Pu Erh owes its name to the city of the same name. The place was once the starting point of the tea route and an important trading post for tea. Today, only dark teas produced in this region can claim the “Pu Erh” designation of origin, which has been legally defined since 2003 as a “tea produced using leaves picked from Da Ye large-leaf tea plants grown in Yunnan, dried in the sun and fermented using the natural or artificially-induced process”. 1 At Palais des Thés, we have chosen to continue to use the name Pu Erh for teas that follow the traditional process established in border countries. So, for example, you’ll find a Pu Erh Shu from Vietnam in our stores.

1. Le Guide de dégustation de l’amateur du thé, Christine Barbaste, François-Xavier Delmas, Mathias Minet, published by Hachette Pratique, 2022, p. 74.

is caused by the beneficial bacteria naturally present in the leaf, which secrete enzymes that alter the chemical properties of the leaf. As the years pass, the cake develops specific aromas. Some raw Pu Erh cakes can be consumed after a short period of ageing. As with wine, if you like the flavours of a young wine, there is no need to wait ten years before drinking it. Others are kept in cellars for many years before being sold. With Pu Erh Shu, the ageing process is artificially accelerated using a method invented in the early 1970s to meet growing demand. Mao Cha is spread out on the ground and sprayed with water, then covered with a cloth. The temperature rises quickly, reaching 60°C inside the bed of tea. Microorganisms grow and mould appears. Once the desired degree of fermentation has been achieved, the leaves are spread in a thin layer and dried naturally for two weeks. These teas are easy to store and can be consumed immediately.

A forest walk

Pu Erh teas are incredibly fragrant. They evoke wood and undergrowth, leather and damp straw. Predictably, raw and cooked Pu Erh develop quite different notes. A young raw Pu Erh (after five years of being laid down) has a subtle astringency, reminiscent of the smell of a forest after the rain, with scents of freshly cut grass, stones and earth. With repeated brewing, it reveals subtle mineral, fruity notes. Cooked Pu Erh is more direct, more woody, almost animal. Notes of leather, mushrooms, moss and waxed wood mingle harmoniously, supported by subtle vanilla and caramel scents. It is much rounder, perfect for sipping by the fire on a winter’s day. •

Hear about dark tea

To learn more about dark tea, check out our podcast, Un thé, un voyage (in French). FrançoisXavier Delmas, founder of Palais des Thés, takes us on a journey along the ancient tea route. He offers some treats for the palate with some incredible tea tastings.

PU ERH, AN OBJECT OF SPECULATION

In 2007, A Pu Erh craze took off in China. In the space of just a few weeks, the tea became subject to intense speculation. In 2013, some cakes sold for more than €1,000 at the Canton tea fair. Pu Erh Shengs are very popular: collectors and tea enthusiasts invest in relatively young cakes they hope will gain in value with age. Others buy these teas solely for speculative purposes, as is the practice in the world of wine.

For millennia, Chinese medicine has valued Pu Erh for its digestive and purifying benefits. We like to enjoy the tea with foods of character such as parmesan, aged Cantal cheese and game. Your guests will be intrigued when you serve tea with a meal instead of wine!

Tasting Mao Cha from Cao Bo

It is a type of tea, Mao Cha, rather than one tea in particular, that I’d like to taste with you. Most Mao Chas come from Southeast Asia, a region I love. When I drink them I feel I’m the closest I can get to the original legendary, much dreamed-of teas. They offer a sensory connection between past, present and future.

By Paul Roudez

Paul Roudez joined Palais des Thés in 2002. He was a store manager for ten years, and now enjoys creating connections between tea and the people he trains. Paul is a Master Tea Sommelier and acquired his anthropological approach to tea from his history studies. Dark teas, especially Mao Cha, are among his favourites.

Let’s go on a journey with Mao Cha 2022 from Cao Bo, produced in the far north of Vietnam, not far from the Chinese border. This is a landscape of remote valleys and jungle, typical of this small country which is still little known as a tea producer and is so close to my heart.

People

Although relatively new in our teapots, Mao Cha is an everyday tea for the people who produce it. In this mosaic of ethnic diversity, tea, with its spiritual and cultural value, is part of everyday life. If we can understand tea better by seeing it as a reflection of the people who make it, then Mao Cha teas are the best ambassadors. There is not one Mao Cha, but many!

Expertise

Producing Mao Cha consists of a series of simple steps: fixing, rolling and drying. Well, they may look simple, but looks are deceiving! The leaf must be fixed, but not fully, so it retains its oxidising potential. It must be rolled gently, so as not to break it too much. It must be dried, usually in the sun, outdoors, to let the enzymes

transform the leaf. Our Mao Cha from Cao Bo perfectly illustrates this expertise with its beautiful long, elegant and evenly sized leaves with oxidised green highlights.[1] They have a powerful vegetal aroma characterised by the humidity of the region.

Venerable tea trees

In this part of northern Vietnam, tea trees are mostly left in their natural state, deep in the forest. To harvest the finest buds, pickers sometimes climb up to four or five metres off the ground. The tea trees have an essential, fundamental presence. These are the original tea trees, closer to Assamica than Sinensis: the result of hybridisation, either natural or at the hands of man.

1. Evenly sized leaves, a sign of expertise.

They are the famous Shan Tuyet (“mountain snow”, a reference to their fluffy white buds) tea trees, most of which are ancient (between 150 and 300 years old) and are perfectly adapted to this environment. Considered a precious gift from the heavens by local people, the trees are highly respected, and some are classified as a national heritage. These ancient trees are the true treasures of these remote forests because they are unique! I sense this uniqueness when steeping the tea: I will need to enter into a dialogue with this out-of-the-ordinary tea in order to understand it fully. The infusion gives off a powerful bouquet of plants, animals and overripe fruit. The leaves are fully open [2] as are my senses, ready to receive. In the cup, the slightly golden infusion [3] takes my mind on a dreamy journey, with the vegetal freshness of a green tea and the heavy notes of a dark tea. The fruity aspects are pronounced and sweet, but the infusion also has an elegant astringency. Astonishing.

Singularity

Mao Chas are used to make dark teas as we know them. They can also end up as Sheng or Shu cakes (see pp. 20-25), depending on the producers’ traditions and requirements. No other types of tea have such a destiny! This tea is therefore both a yes and a maybe, a present and a future. The producers say of these teas that they unite the Spirit of Heaven and the Spirit of Earth.

To drink a Mao Cha is to accept all this and find yourself at a crossroads: wondering which the path to follow, knowing that there are no better or worse paths, and accepting that we will always be taken by surprise. Repeated infusions in the gaiwan reflect this impression: the tea evolves in subtle shifts at the risk of losing us and takes us on twists and turns in our memory and in time. It gives us a better understanding of the long evolution of tea that has made it the drink we know today. It all started in this remote region on the borders of Xishuangbanna,

and it continues to develop in these parts. This is the great promise of Mao Cha from Cao Bo over repeated infusions. Every infusion becomes structured and dense around fruity notes combined with mineral freshness and subtle animal hints. It settles into a clean, direct balance. A bond is created between the tea and me. It’s almost a pact. •

Mao Cha from Cao Bo

CULTIVAR Shan Tuyet

ORIGIN Cao Bo (Vietnam)

HARVEST Spring 2022

PREPARATION

→ GonG Fu Cha (gaiwan)

FOOD PAIRING

An Ambert cheese

→ Ref. 3364 – € 22 per 100g

2. Once steeped, the elegant leaves unfurl.

3. Golden glints of the infusion.

Madeleines with Le Temps Retrouvé tea

To mark the launch of our new tea, Le Temps Retrouvé, pastry chef Claire Heitzler created this delicious recipe that reveals the subtle balance between the sweet madeleine and the delicate honeyed, roasted aromas of the tea.

Makes 20 madeleines

Prepare the day before For the tea-infused milk

45g semi-skimmed milk

4g Le Temps Retrouvé tea For the madeleines

22g rhododendron honey

45g tea-infused milk

150g flour + flour to dust the madeleine mould

7g baking powder

3g Le Temps Retrouvé tea

150g unsalted butter + butter to grease the madeleine mould

115g eggs (3 small eggs)

100g caster sugar

For the tea-infused milk

1. Bring the milk to the boil.

2. Add the tea. Leave to steep for 30 minutes.

3. Strain to remove the tea leaves.

4. Weigh the strained milk and top up with more milk to make 45g. Set aside.

For the madeleines

1. Add the honey to the lukewarm flavoured milk. Set aside.

2. Sift the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

3. Crush the tea leaves.

4. Melt the butter to about 80°C.

5. Whisk the eggs together with the caster sugar.

6. When the mixture is properly blended, add the honeyand tea-flavoured milk along with the flour and baking powder, crushed tea leaves and then the melted butter. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 24 hours.

7. Grease the madeleine mould and dust with flour.

8. Mix the madeleine batter until it is smooth.

9. Fill the mould. Bake at 180°C (gas mark 4) for 6-8 minutes.

Ref. 7080 − € 12 per 100g

Robert Fortune, the tea spy

In 1848, the East India Company entrusted Robert Fortune, a Scottish botanist, with a special mission: to discover the secrets of tea-making in China and to collect tea seeds and gain knowledge of traditional techniques in order to make India the new “tea field” of the British Empire. This tale of industrial espionage disrupted the geography and structure of the tea world.

Tea was introduced into Britain in the 17th century and within a few decades had become a popular beverage. In the early 1840s, the country was hit by a famine that decimated the working class. Milk and sugar were added to tea to help workers get through the long working day until it was time for the (meagre) evening meal. At the time, Britain sourced its tea exclusively from China, which had held the secret of the drink’s production for more than 5,000 years. In 1839, the two nations fought in the first Opium War. Humiliated by its defeat, China imposed 70% taxes on tea imports into the British territory. The market value of the plant rocketed. Fearing a national revolt, the powerful East India Company decided to break the Chinese monopoly by producing its own tea in India.

Fortune’s mission

Two Scottish brothers, the Bruces, identified a subspecies of wild tea tree in Assam. As the climate was conducive to tea cultivation, the Honourable Company commissioned botanist Robert Fortune to produce tea profitably. His mission was to collect plants and seeds from

the best tea plants, transport them to the Himalayas, and hire “experienced tea growers and good manufacturers without whom we will not be able to develop our plantations in the Himalayas”.1 And so the venture began…

A forbidden trip to China

Robert Fortune’s arrival in China marked the beginning of the era of colonial tea production. The Scotsman was a plant hunter who had already travelled to the country and was seen by his peers as a cultivated adventurer prepared to risk his life to discover new species. After the Opium War, no Westerner was allowed to travel to China under penalty of death. To get around this threat and travel unnoticed, Fortune adopted traditional dress and wore his hair in a long plait. He claimed to have travelled from a distant region beyond the Great Wall to justify his Western features and accent. It was an effective disguise, despite a few situations where he was almost discovered. The easiest plants to buy were in the south of the country, but connoisseurs knew that the best-quality black teas were produced in the north, in

the Yellow Mountains region, where no European had yet set foot. So Fortune embarked on the journey of a lifetime, heading into a wild and unexplored landscape. Over the months, he discovered China’s turbulent rivers and took advantage of the journey to the tea regions to search the riverbanks for new flowers and fruits. After many days he arrived in the territory of Hwuy-chow in the Huang Mountains, where he found the first plantations. He spent time observing them, noting that the locals did not touch the weakest tea plants, instead waiting for them to become more vigorous before picking the leaves. He marvelled at the pickers’ dexterity and managed to steal the seeds of the Camellia sinensis plants, which he was still convinced were used only to produce green tea. His journey continued to Anhui in the Yellow Mountains, where once again he managed to get his hands on tea plants and seeds that were used to produce black tea. Through close observation he learnt that black tea and green tea come from the same plant, and that only the way the leaves are processed after picking is responsible for the tea’s colour. The mystery was solved at last.

The arrival of tea in India

Transporting tea to India was not without its difficulties. Camellia sinensis plants wilt when they are taken out of the ground, and keeping them watered in constrictive pots causes them to develop mould. The first dispatch of plants was a failure. Then he used Wardian cases (wood and glass boxes in the form of miniature greenhouses), which prevented these problems. This proved to be a reliable system. The plants arrived healthy and the mission was a success. And

so tea farming spread through India and the foothills of the Himalayas before being introduced to the island of Sri Lanka. Robert Fortune thus helped improve tea growing and production in a rapidly expanding British empire. In 1856, the first tea plantation was established in Darjeeling. By 1874, the region was home to 112 gardens.

From his fruitful excursions to China, Fortune also brought back hundreds of varieties of flowers and fruits including kumquat, jasmine and azaleas, forever changing the face of the English garden. Above all,

he helped perpetuate the British tradition of taking a little time for oneself in the afternoon over a cup of tea! •

1. Mission order received by Robert Fortune from the Marquess of Dalhousie, Governor General of India from 1848 to 1856.

Robert Fortune (1812–1880)

Himalayan Flower, the slender leaves of First-Flush Darjeeling

Himalayan Flower has a delicate fresh floral fragrance that heralds the first notes of spring. This richly aromatic black tea comes from the spring harvest and is prized by many tea lovers around the world. Rightly so: to taste it is to be transported to India and the timeless landscapes of Darjeeling.

In the Himalayan foothills , around a hundred gardens share the privilege of growing one of the most popular teas in the world: Darjeeling. Shrouded in mystery, this appellation (the only protected designation of origin in the tea-growing world) offers rare teas with great depth that are frequently imitated but never equalled.

At the crossroads of cultures and traditions

Many tea enthusiasts have fallen for the aptly named “land of the thunderbolt” (the word Darjeeling is derived from the Tibetan Dorje ling). At the crossroads between Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, the region is a hub of cultures and traditions in which tea plays a crucial role. The plant has even influenced the history of this land of confluences. In 1780 the territory was controlled by the Buddhist kings of Sikkim. It was then invaded by Nepal, before the British took control of it in 1835 for the British East India Company. With ideal latitudes for tea cultivation, Darjeeling has survived different eras and political upheavals and today offers us its inimitable and protected black tea.

Tea bushes as far as the eye can see

Surrounding the city of Darjeeling in West Bengal lies a dreamy landscape: the sacred Himalayan mountains form a 250 km range of vertiginous jagged peaks. On their slopes, fields of green shrubs extend as far as the eye can see. Here, there are no Assam tea plants like elsewhere in the country. It was the botanist Robert Fortune (see pp. 30-31) who, in the 19th century, planted tea bushes he brought from China to India. The expatriated Camellia sinensis flourished in Bengal to the extent that the plantations spread until they almost covered the steep mountain slopes.

An exceptional spring harvest

Today, these tea gardens occupy 17,500 hectares and employ half the local population! Some produce exquisite leaves and delicate green buds that are hand-picked in spring. The first harvests of the year are eagerly awaited and are celebrated for the undisputed excellence of the teas. And for good reason: the bushes, which are carefully left dormant for

several months, concentrate in their fresh shoots all the essential oils that slowly accumulate over the winter. This means that only the first spring pluckings contain such a large quantity of buds (golden tips) and first leaves loaded with aromatic oils. This is what comprises the first flush (literally, the first harvest) that is so exceptional it is in demand all over the world.

A rare, mysterious tea

Hallowed fragrances emanate from this mythical tea, which traces the entire history of the beverage in one cup. Grown between Buddhist and Hindu temples, the leaves and buds of Himalayan Flower acquire coppery shades that infuse into a golden liquid with an elegant astringency coupled with a hint of bitterness. The resulting tea has great finesse that develops and lingers through the lengthy finish, sustained by a unique tannic structure!

The floral, vegetal and almond notes go perfectly with a buttered croissant fresh from the oven, to reveal the wonders of this timeless region at the start of the day. •

WHAT ARE TEA GRADES?

The names of black teas are often accompanied by an enigmatic series of letters. This indicates the grade of the tea, including the type of picking and the size of the leaf. For example, F.T.G.F.O.P. stands for Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, which means that the tea comes from the finest plucking consisting of the first two leaves and the terminal bud, which is golden due to oxidation. A particularly remarkable harvest!

In the Himalayan regions, the weather changes very quickly. The sun might be shining, but in the space of a few minutes the plantations can become shrouded in mist and drenched by rain.

HIm ALAyAN FLO w ER → Ref. 1500 − € 15 per 100g

Palais news

The leaves unfurl in the gaiwan, an object that allows them to release all their aromas.

Aspiring agricultural engineers in Nepal

One of the commitments we have made as part of our business project is to help tea producers convert their farms to organic and obtain certification.

We are working with two students, Félix and Jean, who are studying agricultural engineering at AgroParisTech and the Ecole Supérieure des Agricultures (Angers). After taking a training course on tea at Palais des Thés and exploring production methods with a farmer in the Pyrenees, the two apprentice engineers have travelled to

Nepal. For four months, they will offer their expertise to our long-time friend Prakash Raya, and will help facilitate the transition of his Kalapani farm to organic. We have been working with this producer recently, who produces delicious green teas. We will bring you more news of the students’ adventures out in the field!

MASTER TEA SOMMELIERS

A new cohort of Master Tea Sommeliers

On 28 June, more than thirty of our employees sat the Master Tea Sommelier exam. Established in 2016 by Palais des Thés, this diploma recognises a high level of knowledge of tea and the ability to offer personalised advice. It is also a way of distinguishing the best experts in our stores and within the company, while testifying to the company’s desire to create the largest community of tea specialists. Ten of them graduated after lengthy training. Feel free to come and talk to them in our stores, and put your questions to them!

A new year of tea

Hong Yu Lu

→ Ref. 2254 – € 24 per 100g

This Chinese black tea, whose name means “black jade dew”, is produced in the Hubei region. Its sweet flavour reveals complex aromas with cocoa, honey and woody notes.

Kesane Oolong

→ Ref. 2717 – € 24  PER 100g

This Oolong epitomises Georgian expertise. It is made from several cultivars including one specific to Chinese Keemun (qimen). Round and sweet, it reveals subtle burnt notes as well as woody, fruity fragrances.

LOUVRE INFUSIONS

1. Garden of Venus oRGanIC

→ Ref. DV9540Z – € 18 for a 160g metal canister

2. Egyptian Night oRGanIC

→ Ref. DV9550Z – € 15 for an 85g metal canister

SINGLE-ESTATE TEAS

9. Yunnan Da Ye

→ Ref. 2950 – € 12.90 per 100g. Available from the end of February 2023.

10. Mao Cha Imperial

→ Ref. 2260 – € 18 per 100g

PARIS FOR YOU

Paris By Day

3. → Ref. D7730N –€12 for a box of 20 muslin tea bags

4. → Ref. DV7730Z –€16 for a 100g metal canister

5. → Ref. 7730 – €12.50 per 100 g

Paris By Night

6. → Ref. DV7720Z –€16 for a 100g metal canister

7. → Ref. D7720N –€12 for a box of 20 muslin tea bags

8. → Ref. 7720 – €12.50 per 100g

Metal canisters will gradually become available in stores from January 2023. So will muslin tea bags and bulk pouches, starting in February.

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THEOPHILE OFFER Discover the secrets of making Earl Grey!

With these three Earl Greys at a special price, why not enjoy the full sensory experience by listening to the podcast

Un thé, un voyage (in French), dedicated to this popular flavoured tea. It is an opportunity to enjoy a journey to somewhere very different, while relaxing by the fire…

In episode 1 of season 3 of his podcast, François-Xavier Delmas, founder of Palais des Thés, takes us to Reggio Calabria in southern Italy, not far from Sicily. Here, we find this citrus fruit with a zest that gives off a powerful floral fragrance prized by perfumers: bergamot. It is also the key ingredient in Earl Grey, the wonderfully fragrant tea that is so popular in Britain and has been a success since it was created in the 19th century. As a tribute to the British tradition, Palais des Thés has created several flavoured

blends with both powerful and delicate scents: Blue of London, a black tea from Yunnan with fresh bergamot; Green of London, a finely balanced blend of green tea and zesty fragrances; and Thé des Lords, a black tea that showcases the intensity of this incredible citrus fruit. Amidst the fruit trees, lulled by the lapping waves of the Ionian Sea, immerse yourself in the history of the iconic Earl Grey as you sip this “perfume in a drink”. You will be transported to distant shores and the pleasures of the dolce vita…

To listen to the podcast, scan this QR code. To take advantage of the offer, visit our stores or our website.

Find us at palaisdesthes

Bruits de Palais

A publication from Palais des Thés

Editor-in-chief

Bénédicte Bortoli, Chloé Douzal, Mathias Minet

Art direction and layout

Laurent Pinon and Aurore Jannin at Prototype

Recipe and new product styling

Sarah Vasseghi

Illustrations

Stéphane Humbert-Basset, except p. 31 : Amélie Cordier

English translation

Marta Scott

Proofreading

Nicole Foster

Imaging & retouching services

Key Graphic Palais des Thés

All translation, adaptation and reproduction rights in any form are reserved for all countries.

Photo credits:

Palais des Thés photo collection – François-Xavier Delmas: p. 2, 4, 13 (left), 20-21, 22, 25, 33, 39 •

Léo Perrin: p. 6, 10-11, 12, 13 (right) • Guillaume Czerw: cover, p. 26, 27, 29, 34, 36, 37 • Kenyon Manchego: p. 28, 33 (bottom) • Jean Rosas and Félix Caillau: p. 35

Customer service

+33 (0)1 43 56 90 90

Cost of a local call (from France)

Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm

Corporate gifts

+33 (0)1 73 72 51 47

Cost of a local call (from France)

Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm

Bergamot grows in southern Italy. This citrus variety is prized by perfumers around the world.

palaisdesthes.com

“ When I drink tea, it’s just me and the tea. Drink your tea slowly and reverently, without rushing towards the future.”

Thich Nha T h a N h Vietnamese Buddhist monk