Chinese Tea is a superexcellent drink with wonderful color, scent and taste. Besides its main function as a beverage, tea has various special uses. Some of these uses include:
1. Making tealeaf boiled egg. Brewed tealeaves or tealeaf fannings can be used for making tealeaf boiled eggs. Better use black tea, and the ordinary one is very cheap. Eggs cooked with black tealeaves have a delicious taste and a rosy color. The process of making such eggs is: first, boil the eggs; then break the eggshell gently; and then put tealeaves into the boiling water together with those eggs, enabling the taste of tea to soak into eggs.
2. Making tealeaf pillow. Brewed tealeaves can be used for making pillow after dried in the sun. Since the tealeaf is of a cold nature according to traditional Chinese medical science, so tealeaf pillow can help one to be clear-headed and fast thinking.
3. Driving out mosquito. After making brewed tealeaves dry in sun, one can burn them in summer evenings. The scent of burnt tealeaves can drive out mosquito with an effect resembling that of mosquito-repellent incense, and at the same time, it will do no harm to the users.
4. Used as flavoring. Tealeaf is rich in coloring matter and has a wide usage, especially henna black tealeaf. Tealeaf can be used in mixed drinks and food. As a kind of flavoring, black tea juice is far better than common chemical coloring matters.
5. Nourishing flowers and plants. Brewed tealeaves contain various nutrients such as inorganic salt and carbohydrate. If buried in garden or flowerpot, they can nourish the growth and breeding of flowers and plants.
6. Making candy. Tea can be made into delicious candies with a special flavor, such as the black tea milky candy.
7. Sterilizing and curing dermatophytosis. Tealeaf contains a great deal of tannin, which has a strong sterilizing effect, especially to filamentous fungus, which causes dermatophytosis. Hence, if people who suffer from dermatophytosis persist in washing their feet with concentrated tea juice every evening, they will get rid of the disease without using any medicine. But these people should persevere in doing so, because one will see no obvious effect within a short period. Better use green tea, since the fermented black tea contains less tannin.
8. Eliminating halitosis. Tea has a strong convergent effect, which could eliminate halitosis when kept in the mouth. One can gain same effect by gargling with strong tea. If one does not like drinking tea, she/he can first steep the tea in water to reduce its bitter taste before chewing it.
9. Nourishing hair. Tea can wash off dirt. One's hair will appear black and tender with a luster after washed by tea. More over, tea will do no harm to one's hair and skin since it does not contain any chemicals.
10. Washing silk clothes. Silk clothes cannot be washed with chemical detergent. Brewed tealeaves can keep the original color and luster of silk clothes and fibrous nylon clothes as well.
11. Remitting the symptoms of a cold. If one gets a sour throat and a hoarse voice, she/he must have caught a cold. After drinking several glasses of strong tea added with sugar candy, she/he will feel better. This was once a folk prescription widely adopted in rural areas.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Tea and Chinese Minority Groups
The Three-Course Tea of the Bai ethnic minority is a dramatic tea ceremony. This ceremony was originally held by the senior members of a family to express best wishes to juniors when they were going to pursue studies, learn a skill, start a business or get married. Now, to drink Three-Course Tea has become a conventional ceremony when people of the Bai ethnic minority greet guests.
In the past, the ceremony was normally conducted by the senior family members, but now juniors can also take charge of the whole procedure and offer tea to elder members. In Three-Course Tea, the brewing techniques and materials used in each course are different from each other.
The first course of tea is called bitter tea, meaning that one will suffer a lot before she/he starts his or her career.
The second course of tea is called sweet tea. After serving the first course, the host will empty the pot and repeat the procedure right from the beginning. This time, the host will add brown sugar, a special fan-shaped dairy product, and Chinese cinnamon into the handless cup, and then pour the tea into the cup with an amount of 8/10 cup.
The third course of tea is called aftertaste tea. The brewing procedure is the same as the previous ones, but materials added in the handless cup change to honey, popcorn, Bunge prickly ash, and walnut kernel with a water amount of 6/10 or 7/10 cup. When drinking this course of tea, one should shake the cup to mix up all those materials and then drink the tea up while it is hot. One will find flavor of sweet, sour, bitter, and pungent in the tea which reminds the taster of bitter comes first, sweet comes second.
Tea is regarded as something belonging to the gods. For the Tibetan, from Zanpu (King) to Lama, from the rulers to ordinary citizens, they eat more cheese and meat than vegetable and fruit, so tea becomes an indispensable beverage to them in every meal.
Major kinds of tea drunk by the Tibetans include buttered tea, tea with milk, tea with salt, and green tea. According to a survey, 73.9 percent of the respondents voted the buttered tea as the most popular kind followed by the tea with milk.
The buttered tea takes tea as its main material mixed with some other food, so one will find various tastes when drinking it. The tea not only can get one's body warmed up, but also can nourish the drinker.
There is a set of rules to follow when one visits a Tibetan family and is invited to drink the buttered tea. One cannot drink up the whole bowl of tea in one breath, but lick the mushy tea while drink it. The hospitable host often keeps the guests' bowl filled up; so don't touch the bowl if you don't want to drink the tea. If you have had enough and cannot drink anymore, you may leave the bowl there for the moment and drink up the tea when you're leaving. Only one follows these rules in line with the customs and manners of the Tibetans can she/he receive a warm welcome from them.
Dai Ethnic Minority: Bamboo Tube Tea
The Dai ethnic minority is a hospitable people good at singing and dancing.
Bamboo-tube tea is known as Laduo in Dai language. The producing procedure of bamboo-tube tea is quite special, which can be divided into three steps. 1) Put the tea into bamboo tube. Put the dried spring tea (the tea growing in the spring time) or preliminary-processed tea into the bamboo tube. The bamboo used should be just chopped down and has a growing period of about one year. 2) Bake the tea. Put the bamboo tube on the fire for 6 to 7 minutes until the tealeaves is softened. Press the tealeaves with a wooden stick, and then fill up the tube again with more tealeaves. Repeat this procedure until tealeaves in the tube are compacted. 3) Take out the tea. When tealeaves are completely baked, cut open the tube with a knife and take out the column-shaped bamboo-tube tea.
After everybody sits at the round bamboo table, we can make the bamboo-tube tea. 1) Make the tea. Break off some bamboo-tube tea with fingers and put it into teacups, then pour boiling water with an amount of 7/10 or 8/10 cup. After 3 to 5 minutes of brewing, the tea is ready. 2) Drink the tea. The bamboo-tube tea has the pure taste of tea as well as the strong flavor of bamboo. One will find everything new and fresh when drinking the delicious tea.
Dong Ethnic Minority: Oil Tea
As one favorable tea of Dong ethnic minority, oil tea is like a kind of dish which can allay one's hunger, expel the wind and humid air, stimulate the appetite and prevent one from catching cold. For a people living in mountain areas all years round, the oil tea is really a kind of beverage that helps to improve one's health.
The procedure of making the oil tea has four steps.
First, choose tea. There are two kinds of tea which can be used to make the oil tea, one is specially-baked tea dust, and the other is tender leaves and buds just picked from tea trees. Which one to choose depends on different drinkers' taste.
Second, prepare other materials, including pignut, popcorn, soybean, sesame, polished glutinous rice, and dried bamboo shoot
Third, make tea.
If the tea is made for a cerebration or a banquet, then the fourth step is required, that is to prepare the tea. One needs to fry the prepared materials and put them into bowls, then filtrate tealeaves before pouring the brewed tea into those bowls when the tea is still hot.
When the oil tea is nearly ready, the host will invite guests to take their seat around the table. Since various foods are mixed in the tea, one needs to eat the oil tea with the assistance of chopsticks. To return the host's hospitality, guests always pay a high compliment to the host by making clicks of tongue when eating the delicious tea.
Because there are many materials to prepare when making the oil tea and the brewing procedure is complicated, so many people invite oil-tea experts to help them during important occasions.
Be careful with the phrase eat the oil tea, because it has a special meaning of man proposing to woman in Dong's tradition. When a matchmaker visits a girl's family and says to her parents, someone has asked me to get a bowl of oil tea, if the parents agree to let her get one, it means that the girl's family accepts the marriage.
Mongolian Ethnic Minority: Tea with Milk
Living in Inner Mongolia and some areas adjoining to the province, the Mongolians mainly live on beef and mutton, complemented with rice and vegetables. The brick tea is an indispensable beverage to herdsmen and drinking salty tea with milk is a Mongolian tradition. The Mongolians usually have tea three times and one meal a day. To drink salty tea with milk is not only a way of quenching thirst but also the main nourishing source. Every morning, the first thing that a housewife does is to prepare a pot of salty tea with milk for the whole family. The Mongolians like drinking hot tea, so they usually drink the tea while eating fried rice in the morning and leave the pot on the fire. Every day, Mongolians go out in the early morning and graze the herd for a whole day, so they only have one meal in a day after they return home in the evening, but they keep drinking salty tea with milk three times a day.
The salty tea with milk uses green or black brick tea as its main material and an iron pot as the cooker. Fill the iron pot with 2-3 kilograms of water, and then put 50-80 grams of brick tea pieces into the pot once the water boils. After another 5 minutes, pour milk into the pot with a ratio of 1/5 to water and stir it, and then add certain amount of salt. When the whole pot of the mixture boils, the salty tea with milk is ready to be served.
Naxi Ethnic Minority: Fight between Dragon and Tiger Tea and Salty Tea
The Naxi people lives on the cold plateau in northwest Yunnan Province where the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain lies and three rivers are running, namely the Jinsha River, the Lancang River and the Yalong River. The fight between dragon and tiger tea, a kind of tea mixed with white spirit mainly distilled from sorghum or maize, is regarded as a good medicine to dispel cold, so it is favored by the Naxi people.
The brewing method of fight between dragon and tiger tea is also very special. First, put some tea in a galipot when the water is boiling on the fire, and then baked the tea together with the pot. To avoid that the tea is singed, one needs to keep on turning the pot to let the tea be heated evenly. When the scent of the tea is baked out, pour the boiling water in the pot and cook it for 3-5 minutes. At the same time, pour the white spirit into a cap-cup with an amount of half cup, and then add the tea into the same cup. When the two kinds of liquid mix together, they will give out crack sound, which is regarded as a good omen by the Naxi people, so louder the sound, happier the people on the spot. The tea is also believed to be a good medicine to cure cold, so better drink the tea when it is still hot. One can refresh oneself through drinking the delicious and strong tea. When making the fight between dragon and tiger tea, one must not pour the white spirit into the tea, but the other way round.
The brewing procedure of the salty tea is similar to that of the fight between dragon and tiger tea, but only replace the white spirit with salt. The Naxi people also make other kinds of tea, such as the oil tea which is made by adding cooking oil and sugar tea by adding sugar.
In the past, the ceremony was normally conducted by the senior family members, but now juniors can also take charge of the whole procedure and offer tea to elder members. In Three-Course Tea, the brewing techniques and materials used in each course are different from each other.
The first course of tea is called bitter tea, meaning that one will suffer a lot before she/he starts his or her career.
The second course of tea is called sweet tea. After serving the first course, the host will empty the pot and repeat the procedure right from the beginning. This time, the host will add brown sugar, a special fan-shaped dairy product, and Chinese cinnamon into the handless cup, and then pour the tea into the cup with an amount of 8/10 cup.
The third course of tea is called aftertaste tea. The brewing procedure is the same as the previous ones, but materials added in the handless cup change to honey, popcorn, Bunge prickly ash, and walnut kernel with a water amount of 6/10 or 7/10 cup. When drinking this course of tea, one should shake the cup to mix up all those materials and then drink the tea up while it is hot. One will find flavor of sweet, sour, bitter, and pungent in the tea which reminds the taster of bitter comes first, sweet comes second.
Tea is regarded as something belonging to the gods. For the Tibetan, from Zanpu (King) to Lama, from the rulers to ordinary citizens, they eat more cheese and meat than vegetable and fruit, so tea becomes an indispensable beverage to them in every meal.
Major kinds of tea drunk by the Tibetans include buttered tea, tea with milk, tea with salt, and green tea. According to a survey, 73.9 percent of the respondents voted the buttered tea as the most popular kind followed by the tea with milk.
The buttered tea takes tea as its main material mixed with some other food, so one will find various tastes when drinking it. The tea not only can get one's body warmed up, but also can nourish the drinker.
There is a set of rules to follow when one visits a Tibetan family and is invited to drink the buttered tea. One cannot drink up the whole bowl of tea in one breath, but lick the mushy tea while drink it. The hospitable host often keeps the guests' bowl filled up; so don't touch the bowl if you don't want to drink the tea. If you have had enough and cannot drink anymore, you may leave the bowl there for the moment and drink up the tea when you're leaving. Only one follows these rules in line with the customs and manners of the Tibetans can she/he receive a warm welcome from them.
Dai Ethnic Minority: Bamboo Tube Tea
The Dai ethnic minority is a hospitable people good at singing and dancing.
Bamboo-tube tea is known as Laduo in Dai language. The producing procedure of bamboo-tube tea is quite special, which can be divided into three steps. 1) Put the tea into bamboo tube. Put the dried spring tea (the tea growing in the spring time) or preliminary-processed tea into the bamboo tube. The bamboo used should be just chopped down and has a growing period of about one year. 2) Bake the tea. Put the bamboo tube on the fire for 6 to 7 minutes until the tealeaves is softened. Press the tealeaves with a wooden stick, and then fill up the tube again with more tealeaves. Repeat this procedure until tealeaves in the tube are compacted. 3) Take out the tea. When tealeaves are completely baked, cut open the tube with a knife and take out the column-shaped bamboo-tube tea.
After everybody sits at the round bamboo table, we can make the bamboo-tube tea. 1) Make the tea. Break off some bamboo-tube tea with fingers and put it into teacups, then pour boiling water with an amount of 7/10 or 8/10 cup. After 3 to 5 minutes of brewing, the tea is ready. 2) Drink the tea. The bamboo-tube tea has the pure taste of tea as well as the strong flavor of bamboo. One will find everything new and fresh when drinking the delicious tea.
Dong Ethnic Minority: Oil Tea
As one favorable tea of Dong ethnic minority, oil tea is like a kind of dish which can allay one's hunger, expel the wind and humid air, stimulate the appetite and prevent one from catching cold. For a people living in mountain areas all years round, the oil tea is really a kind of beverage that helps to improve one's health.
The procedure of making the oil tea has four steps.
First, choose tea. There are two kinds of tea which can be used to make the oil tea, one is specially-baked tea dust, and the other is tender leaves and buds just picked from tea trees. Which one to choose depends on different drinkers' taste.
Second, prepare other materials, including pignut, popcorn, soybean, sesame, polished glutinous rice, and dried bamboo shoot
Third, make tea.
If the tea is made for a cerebration or a banquet, then the fourth step is required, that is to prepare the tea. One needs to fry the prepared materials and put them into bowls, then filtrate tealeaves before pouring the brewed tea into those bowls when the tea is still hot.
When the oil tea is nearly ready, the host will invite guests to take their seat around the table. Since various foods are mixed in the tea, one needs to eat the oil tea with the assistance of chopsticks. To return the host's hospitality, guests always pay a high compliment to the host by making clicks of tongue when eating the delicious tea.
Because there are many materials to prepare when making the oil tea and the brewing procedure is complicated, so many people invite oil-tea experts to help them during important occasions.
Be careful with the phrase eat the oil tea, because it has a special meaning of man proposing to woman in Dong's tradition. When a matchmaker visits a girl's family and says to her parents, someone has asked me to get a bowl of oil tea, if the parents agree to let her get one, it means that the girl's family accepts the marriage.
Mongolian Ethnic Minority: Tea with Milk
Living in Inner Mongolia and some areas adjoining to the province, the Mongolians mainly live on beef and mutton, complemented with rice and vegetables. The brick tea is an indispensable beverage to herdsmen and drinking salty tea with milk is a Mongolian tradition. The Mongolians usually have tea three times and one meal a day. To drink salty tea with milk is not only a way of quenching thirst but also the main nourishing source. Every morning, the first thing that a housewife does is to prepare a pot of salty tea with milk for the whole family. The Mongolians like drinking hot tea, so they usually drink the tea while eating fried rice in the morning and leave the pot on the fire. Every day, Mongolians go out in the early morning and graze the herd for a whole day, so they only have one meal in a day after they return home in the evening, but they keep drinking salty tea with milk three times a day.
The salty tea with milk uses green or black brick tea as its main material and an iron pot as the cooker. Fill the iron pot with 2-3 kilograms of water, and then put 50-80 grams of brick tea pieces into the pot once the water boils. After another 5 minutes, pour milk into the pot with a ratio of 1/5 to water and stir it, and then add certain amount of salt. When the whole pot of the mixture boils, the salty tea with milk is ready to be served.
Naxi Ethnic Minority: Fight between Dragon and Tiger Tea and Salty Tea
The Naxi people lives on the cold plateau in northwest Yunnan Province where the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain lies and three rivers are running, namely the Jinsha River, the Lancang River and the Yalong River. The fight between dragon and tiger tea, a kind of tea mixed with white spirit mainly distilled from sorghum or maize, is regarded as a good medicine to dispel cold, so it is favored by the Naxi people.
The brewing method of fight between dragon and tiger tea is also very special. First, put some tea in a galipot when the water is boiling on the fire, and then baked the tea together with the pot. To avoid that the tea is singed, one needs to keep on turning the pot to let the tea be heated evenly. When the scent of the tea is baked out, pour the boiling water in the pot and cook it for 3-5 minutes. At the same time, pour the white spirit into a cap-cup with an amount of half cup, and then add the tea into the same cup. When the two kinds of liquid mix together, they will give out crack sound, which is regarded as a good omen by the Naxi people, so louder the sound, happier the people on the spot. The tea is also believed to be a good medicine to cure cold, so better drink the tea when it is still hot. One can refresh oneself through drinking the delicious and strong tea. When making the fight between dragon and tiger tea, one must not pour the white spirit into the tea, but the other way round.
The brewing procedure of the salty tea is similar to that of the fight between dragon and tiger tea, but only replace the white spirit with salt. The Naxi people also make other kinds of tea, such as the oil tea which is made by adding cooking oil and sugar tea by adding sugar.
What Makes Great Teas
Aside from the variety, tea is classified into grades. Generally, appraisement of tea is based on five principles, namely, shape of the leaf, color of the liquid, aroma, taste and appearance of the infused leaf.
Speaking of the shape of the leaf, there are flat, needle-like, flower-like, and so on. The judgment is usually made according to the artistic tastes of the tea tasters.
The evenness and transparency of the leaf will decide the color of the liquid. Excellent liquid should not contain rough burnt red leaves or red stems.
Aroma is the most important factor in judging the quality of a kind of tea. Putting 3 grams leaves into 100 milliliters boiled water, people can judge the quality of the tea by the smell from the liquid.
The judgment should be completed through the taste of the liquid and the appearance of the infused leaves.
Speaking of the shape of the leaf, there are flat, needle-like, flower-like, and so on. The judgment is usually made according to the artistic tastes of the tea tasters.
The evenness and transparency of the leaf will decide the color of the liquid. Excellent liquid should not contain rough burnt red leaves or red stems.
Aroma is the most important factor in judging the quality of a kind of tea. Putting 3 grams leaves into 100 milliliters boiled water, people can judge the quality of the tea by the smell from the liquid.
The judgment should be completed through the taste of the liquid and the appearance of the infused leaves.
Brewing Chinese Oolong Tea
Brewing Chinese Oolong Tea is really quite easy. Here are some instructions for brewing a perfect cup of Oolong tea.
To brew Oolong tea, you need a Chinese teapot. Basically put Oolong tea leaves in the pot and pour some hot water. Then, cover the lid and wait for a while before serving Oolong tea into individual tea cups. When serving Oolong tea, make sure not to leave any tea in the tea pot. You may brew Oolong tea a few times from the same tea leaves.
To brew tasty Oolong tea, water temperature is important. Change the temperature depending on the kind of Oolong tea you are drinking. Cool boiling water in a tea pot or tea cups before pouring over tea leaves.
When brewing sencha Oolong tea, use 160F degree hot water and brew about one minute in a tea pot. To brew gyokuro Oolong tea, use 110F degree hot water and brew about two minutes. To brew hojicha, genmaicha, and bancha, use boiling water and brew just 15-20 seconds.
To drink macha Oolong tea, shift 1 tsp of maccha Oolong tea powder in a large tea cup and add 1/4 cup of 160F degree hot water in it, then stir quickly with a bamboo tea whisk.
Pouring hot sencha Oolong tea over some ice in a cup makes iced Oolong tea. Enjoy Oolong tea!
To brew Oolong tea, you need a Chinese teapot. Basically put Oolong tea leaves in the pot and pour some hot water. Then, cover the lid and wait for a while before serving Oolong tea into individual tea cups. When serving Oolong tea, make sure not to leave any tea in the tea pot. You may brew Oolong tea a few times from the same tea leaves.
To brew tasty Oolong tea, water temperature is important. Change the temperature depending on the kind of Oolong tea you are drinking. Cool boiling water in a tea pot or tea cups before pouring over tea leaves.
When brewing sencha Oolong tea, use 160F degree hot water and brew about one minute in a tea pot. To brew gyokuro Oolong tea, use 110F degree hot water and brew about two minutes. To brew hojicha, genmaicha, and bancha, use boiling water and brew just 15-20 seconds.
To drink macha Oolong tea, shift 1 tsp of maccha Oolong tea powder in a large tea cup and add 1/4 cup of 160F degree hot water in it, then stir quickly with a bamboo tea whisk.
Pouring hot sencha Oolong tea over some ice in a cup makes iced Oolong tea. Enjoy Oolong tea!
How to Brew a Cup of Green Tea
Producing the perfect cup of green tea is a tricky process. If not handled properly, those same polyphenols that provide health benefits can ruin the flavor, making the tea taste "gassy." It's particularly important not to overbrew. While it's best to follow the manufacturer's instructions for each variety of green tea, here are some general instructions:
Use one tea bag, or 2 - 4 grams of tea,* per cup.
Fill a kettle with cold water and bring to a boil.
After unplugging the kettle, allow it to stand for up to 3 minutes.
Pour the heated water over the tea bag or tea, and allow it to steep for up to 3 minutes. If using a tea bag, remove the bag.
Allow the tea to cool for three more minutes.
*One to two teaspoons, depending on the variety of green tea you are brewing.
Use one tea bag, or 2 - 4 grams of tea,* per cup.
Fill a kettle with cold water and bring to a boil.
After unplugging the kettle, allow it to stand for up to 3 minutes.
Pour the heated water over the tea bag or tea, and allow it to steep for up to 3 minutes. If using a tea bag, remove the bag.
Allow the tea to cool for three more minutes.
*One to two teaspoons, depending on the variety of green tea you are brewing.
Top 10 Chinese Famous Tea
The following Chinese teas are listed by ranked. It is the Top 10 Chinese Famous Tea in my mind.
Dragon Well
comes from XiHu region in Zhe Jiang province
Spring Snail
comes from TaiHu region in Jiang Su province
Iron Goddess
comes from AnXi region in Fu Jian province
Fur Peak
comes from HuangShan region in An Hui province
Silver Needle
comes from JunShan region in Hu Nan province
Qi Men Red
comes from QiMen region in An Hui province
Big Red Robe
comes from WuYi Shan region in Fu Jian province
Mellon Seed
comes from LiuAn region in An Hui province
White Fur Silver Needle
comes from FuDing region in Fu Jian province
Pu'er
comes from SiMao region in Yun Nan province
Oolong
comes from NanTou region in Taiwan province
Cloud & Fog
comes from LuShan region in Jiang Xi province
Sweet Dew
comes from MingDing region in Si Chuan province
Fur Tip
comes from DuYun region in Gui Zhou province
Jasmine
comes from SuZhou region in Jiang Su province
Jade Dew
comes from EnSi region in Hu Bei province
Pearl Tea
comes from PingShui region in Zhe Jiang province
Monkey King
comes from TaiPing region in An Hui province
Dragon Well
comes from XiHu region in Zhe Jiang province
Spring Snail
comes from TaiHu region in Jiang Su province
Iron Goddess
comes from AnXi region in Fu Jian province
Fur Peak
comes from HuangShan region in An Hui province
Silver Needle
comes from JunShan region in Hu Nan province
Qi Men Red
comes from QiMen region in An Hui province
Big Red Robe
comes from WuYi Shan region in Fu Jian province
Mellon Seed
comes from LiuAn region in An Hui province
White Fur Silver Needle
comes from FuDing region in Fu Jian province
Pu'er
comes from SiMao region in Yun Nan province
Oolong
comes from NanTou region in Taiwan province
Cloud & Fog
comes from LuShan region in Jiang Xi province
Sweet Dew
comes from MingDing region in Si Chuan province
Fur Tip
comes from DuYun region in Gui Zhou province
Jasmine
comes from SuZhou region in Jiang Su province
Jade Dew
comes from EnSi region in Hu Bei province
Pearl Tea
comes from PingShui region in Zhe Jiang province
Monkey King
comes from TaiPing region in An Hui province
Brewing Chinese Red Tea
Brewing Chinese red Tea is really quite easy. Here are some instructions for brewing a perfect cup of red tea.
To brew red tea, you need a Chinese teapot. Basically put red tea leaves in the pot and pour some hot water. Then, cover the lid and wait for a while before serving red tea into individual tea cups. When serving red tea, make sure not to leave any tea in the tea pot. You may brew red tea a few times from the same tea leaves.
To brew tasty red tea, water temperature is important. Change the temperature depending on the kind of red tea you are drinking. Cool boiling water in a tea pot or tea cups before pouring over tea leaves.
When brewing sencha red tea, use 160F degree hot water and brew about one minute in a tea pot. To brew gyokuro red tea, use 110F degree hot water and brew about two minutes. To brew hojicha, genmaicha, and bancha, use boiling water and brew just 15-20 seconds.
To drink macha red tea, shift 1 tsp of maccha red tea powder in a large tea cup and add 1/4 cup of 160F degree hot water in it, then stir quickly with a bamboo tea whisk.
Pouring hot sencha red tea over some ice in a cup makes iced red tea. Enjoy red tea!
To brew red tea, you need a Chinese teapot. Basically put red tea leaves in the pot and pour some hot water. Then, cover the lid and wait for a while before serving red tea into individual tea cups. When serving red tea, make sure not to leave any tea in the tea pot. You may brew red tea a few times from the same tea leaves.
To brew tasty red tea, water temperature is important. Change the temperature depending on the kind of red tea you are drinking. Cool boiling water in a tea pot or tea cups before pouring over tea leaves.
When brewing sencha red tea, use 160F degree hot water and brew about one minute in a tea pot. To brew gyokuro red tea, use 110F degree hot water and brew about two minutes. To brew hojicha, genmaicha, and bancha, use boiling water and brew just 15-20 seconds.
To drink macha red tea, shift 1 tsp of maccha red tea powder in a large tea cup and add 1/4 cup of 160F degree hot water in it, then stir quickly with a bamboo tea whisk.
Pouring hot sencha red tea over some ice in a cup makes iced red tea. Enjoy red tea!
Chinese Red Tea
Red leaves and red tea color, it's characteristic of Red Tea's fermentation process.
There are 3 subclasses of Chinese Red Tea - "Kung Fu Red Tea", "Ted Tea Bits" and "Small Species Red Tea".
Chinese Red Tea has low aroma and medium flavor.
There are 3 subclasses of Chinese Red Tea - "Kung Fu Red Tea", "Ted Tea Bits" and "Small Species Red Tea".
Chinese Red Tea has low aroma and medium flavor.
Brewing Chinese Green Teas
Brewing Chinese Green Tea is really quite easy. Here are some instructions for brewing a perfect cup of green tea.
To brew green tea, you need a Chinese teapot. Basically put green tea leaves in the pot and pour some hot water. Then, cover the lid and wait for a while before serving green tea into individual tea cups. When serving green tea, make sure not to leave any tea in the tea pot. You may brew green tea a few times from the same tea leaves.
To brew tasty green tea, water temperature is important. Change the temperature depending on the kind of green tea you are drinking. Cool boiling water in a tea pot or tea cups before pouring over tea leaves.
When brewing sencha green tea, use 160F degree hot water and brew about one minute in a tea pot. To brew gyokuro green tea, use 110F degree hot water and brew about two minutes. To brew hojicha, genmaicha, and bancha, use boiling water and brew just 15-20 seconds.
To drink macha green tea, shift 1 tsp of maccha green tea powder in a large tea cup and add 1/4 cup of 160F degree hot water in it, then stir quickly with a bamboo tea whisk.
Pouring hot sencha green tea over some ice in a cup makes iced green tea. Enjoy green tea!
To brew green tea, you need a Chinese teapot. Basically put green tea leaves in the pot and pour some hot water. Then, cover the lid and wait for a while before serving green tea into individual tea cups. When serving green tea, make sure not to leave any tea in the tea pot. You may brew green tea a few times from the same tea leaves.
To brew tasty green tea, water temperature is important. Change the temperature depending on the kind of green tea you are drinking. Cool boiling water in a tea pot or tea cups before pouring over tea leaves.
When brewing sencha green tea, use 160F degree hot water and brew about one minute in a tea pot. To brew gyokuro green tea, use 110F degree hot water and brew about two minutes. To brew hojicha, genmaicha, and bancha, use boiling water and brew just 15-20 seconds.
To drink macha green tea, shift 1 tsp of maccha green tea powder in a large tea cup and add 1/4 cup of 160F degree hot water in it, then stir quickly with a bamboo tea whisk.
Pouring hot sencha green tea over some ice in a cup makes iced green tea. Enjoy green tea!
Before You Start Brewing Teas
Learn the Basics
Brewing tea is pretty simple, just steep the tea in hot water for a few minutes. Not much to tell. But you can still learn some important basic information beforehand. What temperature to brew at and whether you should choose loose tea or tea in bags are two very important things to know about.
Learn About Types of Tea
There are dozens (possibly hundreds) of different kinds of tea, each with its own unique taste and brewing requirements. The most common teas for everyday drinking are black and green teas. But, you can't forget oolong or even white tea. Knowing more about the available selection out there, can help you decide.
Have Your Equipment
Unlike brewing coffee, there is little equipment necessary. You just need a way to heat water, usually a kettle but even a pot on the stove will work. If you are using loose tea, you will want a handy way to strain out the tea leaves as well.
Brewing tea is pretty simple, just steep the tea in hot water for a few minutes. Not much to tell. But you can still learn some important basic information beforehand. What temperature to brew at and whether you should choose loose tea or tea in bags are two very important things to know about.
Learn About Types of Tea
There are dozens (possibly hundreds) of different kinds of tea, each with its own unique taste and brewing requirements. The most common teas for everyday drinking are black and green teas. But, you can't forget oolong or even white tea. Knowing more about the available selection out there, can help you decide.
Have Your Equipment
Unlike brewing coffee, there is little equipment necessary. You just need a way to heat water, usually a kettle but even a pot on the stove will work. If you are using loose tea, you will want a handy way to strain out the tea leaves as well.
Chinese Tea
Tea was discovered by Chinese Emperor Shennong (The Yan Emperor, The Emperor of the five grains) in 2737 BC when a leaf from a Camilla sinensis tree fell into water the emperor was boiling. Not everyone agrees on the origin, but no one disputes that tea is deeply woven into the history and culture of China. The beverage is considered one of the seven necessities of Chinese life, along with firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce and vinegar.
Chinese kung fu Tea
Chinese Green Tea
Chinese Oolong Tea
Chinese Flower/Scented Tea
Chinese Compressed Tea
Chinese Red Tea
Chinese Black Tea
Chinese Yellow Tea
Chinese White Tea
Chinese kung fu Tea
Chinese Green Tea
Chinese Oolong Tea
Chinese Flower/Scented Tea
Chinese Compressed Tea
Chinese Red Tea
Chinese Black Tea
Chinese Yellow Tea
Chinese White Tea
Kung Fu Tea
Kung Fu actually refers to hard work, labor, and dedication toward any task or any goal.Kung Fu Tea is the Chinese tea brewing process that incorporates all these meanings. Here's how to indulge in the beauty and warmth of Kung Fu tea in the comfort of your own home.
The steps of make Kung Fu Tea:
1.Appreciate the tradition. In the Chinese traditional tea culture, Kung Fu tea has a certain etiquette that goes along with it, a procedure that drinkers follow. Each different place adds various details. Study the various ways in which Kung Fu tea is served and enjoyed, and eventually you will develop your own unique way.
2.Get a tea set: This will include a tea tray (hollow tray with a container inside which can contain all the water that will be spilled during the process), teapot, fair cup (a separate tea vessel), tasting cups, and aroma cups (sniffer cups).
3.Prepare the tea leaves in advance, so that they are ready to be placed in the pot as soon as it has been warmed. A tea caddy, or “tea presentation vessel," is recommended for this purpose, as is a proper set of tea tools. Approximately one to two teaspoons of leaves is a good quantity to begin with and is easily adjusted to taste after the initial infusion. Keep in mind that due to the many variations of tea processing, some leaves are a lot more compact than others. For instance: in terms of volume of leaves, you will need less Tieguanyin than Yan Cha or Formosa Oolong.
4.Rinse all vessels with hot water. This signifies that the ritual of tea making has begun by purifying the pot, cleaning it of dust and residue and making it ready to receive the tea. It also warms the vessels since the hot water is then poured into the serving pitcher and from there into the tasting cups. This is done because at room temperature ceramic teaware is usually quite cold and unsuited to brewing fine teas whose temperature must be carefully controlled. After rinsing, the water should be discarded into the draining tray or a waste water bowl.
5.Before infusion, pour hot water over the leaves and then quickly pour it off. This removes any dust from the leaves and begins to open them up—-releasing the tea’s aroma, which should be savored prior to infusion. This set prepares the palate to appreciate the full flavor of the tea.
6.Use pure or mineral water to brew the tea. Tap water should be avoided, since its chemical treatment imparts undesirable flavors and odors which interfere with the delicate aromatics of tea. (Home filters and other water purification systems can minimize and, in some cases, eliminate these problems.) The best water for tea brewing is spring water with a natural mineral content that’s neither too hard nor too soft. Since T.D.S., “total dissolved solids", or mineral content measured in parts per million, varies greatly from water to water, you may want to do your own taste-test of waters available in your area to determine which one has the best flavor, body and compatibility with the tea you drink.
7.Fill the pot to the top with hot water and cover. Pour water over the top of the pot, drawing the stream over the air hole until a little water comes out the spout. When this occurs, you know the pot is full and Pour water over the tea pot heated to the right temperature.
8.Pour the water into the fair cup to heat it. A fair cup allows the tea to be poured from the teapot into a holding vessel. Sometimes these fair cups use a filter to trap unwanted tea particles that may have passed on from the teapot.
9.Add tea leaves and let steep.
Oolong Tea: For light oolongs, such as Bao Zhong & Imperial Green, use 70°-80°C (158°-176°F) water and an infusion time of 3 to 5 minutes. For darker styles, including Tieguanyin & Yan Cha—between 80° and 90°C (176-194°F) again steeping 3 to 5 minutes.
Black Tea: You will probably find that water between 85° and 95°C (185°-203°F) and a three minute infusion works best for black tea. You may want to experiment with lower temperatures and longer steeping times.
Puerh Tea: Use water that’s just come to a boil and infuse 3-5 minutes.
10.When the leaves have infused their essence, pour the tea out into the pitcher (fair cup). This intermediate step between the teapot and the individual cups allows the tea to be mixed while pouring (the first tea coming out of the teapot will be less strong than the one on the bottom of the teapot). Moreover, it allows to precisely adjust the brewing time in the teapot (all the tea comes out quickly, instead of being slowly poured in the individual cups).
11.From the fair cup, distribute the tea in the aroma cups, keeping the pitcher close to the cups and pouring slowly. This reduces the movement of the tea, maintaining its temperature.
12.After the aroma cups are filled, position one tasting cup, upside down, over each aroma cup. After tasting cups are positioned, take each cup pair and quickly flip it: this is a very delicate step since the cups are becoming hot on the outside. Notice that the tea will not spill out because no air can enter the aroma cups. After this is done, each guest will simply lift the aroma cup from the tasting one.
Another option to this step is to give each guest the aroma cup and separately the tasting cup. The guests will then simply pour the tea from aroma to tasting cups and proceed by smelling in the same manner.
13.At this point, the aroma cup can be brought near the nose to receive the fragrance of the tea by inhaling the steam.
14.After smelling, drink the tea from the tasting cups. Drink by taking small sips that allow to fully enjoy the taste, aromas and qualities of the tea.
15.A good green tea will allow up to four or five brews. Add water to the teapot and start again from point 10 to your will.
The steps of make Kung Fu Tea:
1.Appreciate the tradition. In the Chinese traditional tea culture, Kung Fu tea has a certain etiquette that goes along with it, a procedure that drinkers follow. Each different place adds various details. Study the various ways in which Kung Fu tea is served and enjoyed, and eventually you will develop your own unique way.
2.Get a tea set: This will include a tea tray (hollow tray with a container inside which can contain all the water that will be spilled during the process), teapot, fair cup (a separate tea vessel), tasting cups, and aroma cups (sniffer cups).
3.Prepare the tea leaves in advance, so that they are ready to be placed in the pot as soon as it has been warmed. A tea caddy, or “tea presentation vessel," is recommended for this purpose, as is a proper set of tea tools. Approximately one to two teaspoons of leaves is a good quantity to begin with and is easily adjusted to taste after the initial infusion. Keep in mind that due to the many variations of tea processing, some leaves are a lot more compact than others. For instance: in terms of volume of leaves, you will need less Tieguanyin than Yan Cha or Formosa Oolong.
4.Rinse all vessels with hot water. This signifies that the ritual of tea making has begun by purifying the pot, cleaning it of dust and residue and making it ready to receive the tea. It also warms the vessels since the hot water is then poured into the serving pitcher and from there into the tasting cups. This is done because at room temperature ceramic teaware is usually quite cold and unsuited to brewing fine teas whose temperature must be carefully controlled. After rinsing, the water should be discarded into the draining tray or a waste water bowl.
5.Before infusion, pour hot water over the leaves and then quickly pour it off. This removes any dust from the leaves and begins to open them up—-releasing the tea’s aroma, which should be savored prior to infusion. This set prepares the palate to appreciate the full flavor of the tea.
6.Use pure or mineral water to brew the tea. Tap water should be avoided, since its chemical treatment imparts undesirable flavors and odors which interfere with the delicate aromatics of tea. (Home filters and other water purification systems can minimize and, in some cases, eliminate these problems.) The best water for tea brewing is spring water with a natural mineral content that’s neither too hard nor too soft. Since T.D.S., “total dissolved solids", or mineral content measured in parts per million, varies greatly from water to water, you may want to do your own taste-test of waters available in your area to determine which one has the best flavor, body and compatibility with the tea you drink.
7.Fill the pot to the top with hot water and cover. Pour water over the top of the pot, drawing the stream over the air hole until a little water comes out the spout. When this occurs, you know the pot is full and Pour water over the tea pot heated to the right temperature.
8.Pour the water into the fair cup to heat it. A fair cup allows the tea to be poured from the teapot into a holding vessel. Sometimes these fair cups use a filter to trap unwanted tea particles that may have passed on from the teapot.
9.Add tea leaves and let steep.
Oolong Tea: For light oolongs, such as Bao Zhong & Imperial Green, use 70°-80°C (158°-176°F) water and an infusion time of 3 to 5 minutes. For darker styles, including Tieguanyin & Yan Cha—between 80° and 90°C (176-194°F) again steeping 3 to 5 minutes.
Black Tea: You will probably find that water between 85° and 95°C (185°-203°F) and a three minute infusion works best for black tea. You may want to experiment with lower temperatures and longer steeping times.
Puerh Tea: Use water that’s just come to a boil and infuse 3-5 minutes.
10.When the leaves have infused their essence, pour the tea out into the pitcher (fair cup). This intermediate step between the teapot and the individual cups allows the tea to be mixed while pouring (the first tea coming out of the teapot will be less strong than the one on the bottom of the teapot). Moreover, it allows to precisely adjust the brewing time in the teapot (all the tea comes out quickly, instead of being slowly poured in the individual cups).
11.From the fair cup, distribute the tea in the aroma cups, keeping the pitcher close to the cups and pouring slowly. This reduces the movement of the tea, maintaining its temperature.
12.After the aroma cups are filled, position one tasting cup, upside down, over each aroma cup. After tasting cups are positioned, take each cup pair and quickly flip it: this is a very delicate step since the cups are becoming hot on the outside. Notice that the tea will not spill out because no air can enter the aroma cups. After this is done, each guest will simply lift the aroma cup from the tasting one.
Another option to this step is to give each guest the aroma cup and separately the tasting cup. The guests will then simply pour the tea from aroma to tasting cups and proceed by smelling in the same manner.
13.At this point, the aroma cup can be brought near the nose to receive the fragrance of the tea by inhaling the steam.
14.After smelling, drink the tea from the tasting cups. Drink by taking small sips that allow to fully enjoy the taste, aromas and qualities of the tea.
15.A good green tea will allow up to four or five brews. Add water to the teapot and start again from point 10 to your will.
Chinese Green Tea
Chinese Green Tea is the variety which keeps the original colour of the tea leaves. The processing of China green tea inclucdes "fixation", "rolling" and "drying". Because of without fermentation during processing, the chlorophyll still remain in tea leaves, that make the green tea in green color.
The natural health substances in fresh tea leaves are much remained in green tea.Since ancient times, the Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea, using it as medicine to treat
everything from headaches to depression. The scientific research indicate that green tea is reputed to be helpful:
cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection
impaired immune function
The history of China green tea began from 3000 years ago. The ancient Chinese plucked fresh tea leaves from wild tea plants and dry them by sunlight for storage. That's taken as the primordial processing of green tea. In the 8th century, the evaporation processing method was created. Following that, the saute processing method was created in the 12 century. The traditional processing methods still remain today. They are endlessly developed by tea technicians generation by generation.
According to the different types of fixation and drying processes, green tea can be detailedly classed into five types:
1>Stir-fry green tea: Fresh tea leaves sauted in pan for drying. Such as gunpowder tea, Young Hyson, Chunmee,etc which mainly for export business. The super pan-fired green teas are made from tender fresh tea leasves. Many historically famous Chinese green teas are processed by pan drying method. for example, Jade fire, Dragon well green tea, Mountain Gorge, Pi Luo Chun, Lu'An Melon Slice, Xinyang Maojian. The character for stir-fry green tea is "high fragrance and strong taste".
2> Roast green tea: Fresh tea leaves dried in roast basket or roast chest .The common finished products of roast green teas are usually used as material for flower-scented teas. The well-known famous roast green tea include: Huangshan Maofeng; Taiping Monkey King, etc.The character for roast green tea is "intact original shape and covered with white fluff".
3>Semi-roast & Semi-fry green tea: Combine the stir-fry method and roast method for drying. Benefited from the special drying method, the finished teas not only achieve high fragrance and strong taste, but also keep its original shape and its body covered with pretty whtie fluff. Jianzhai Emerald Eyebrow, Anji Baicha, Wuzhi Xinhao etc.
4> Solar drying green tea: Fresh tea leaves dried by sunlight. Solar drying green teas are mostly used as materials for compressed teas.
5> Steamed green tea: Fresh tea leaves steamed by high temperature for drying.The representative steamed green teas are Sencha green tea, Enshi Jade Dew. Sencha green tea is mainly for export to Japan.
Green tea is as varied and unique as wines. Their uniqueness depends upon the growing region, the season's weather, time of harvesting and type of processing.
Famous green tea: Dragon Well Green Tea , gunpowder green tea, Huangshan Maofeng
Jinzhai Emerald Eyebrow, Green Peony,Yongxi Jade Fire, Lotus Nut Tea, Lu'An Melon Slice
Mountain Gorge, TaiPing Monkey King, Huoshan Yellow Bud Pi Lo Chun , Cloud&Mist tea
The natural health substances in fresh tea leaves are much remained in green tea.Since ancient times, the Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea, using it as medicine to treat
everything from headaches to depression. The scientific research indicate that green tea is reputed to be helpful:
cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection
impaired immune function
The history of China green tea began from 3000 years ago. The ancient Chinese plucked fresh tea leaves from wild tea plants and dry them by sunlight for storage. That's taken as the primordial processing of green tea. In the 8th century, the evaporation processing method was created. Following that, the saute processing method was created in the 12 century. The traditional processing methods still remain today. They are endlessly developed by tea technicians generation by generation.
According to the different types of fixation and drying processes, green tea can be detailedly classed into five types:
1>Stir-fry green tea: Fresh tea leaves sauted in pan for drying. Such as gunpowder tea, Young Hyson, Chunmee,etc which mainly for export business. The super pan-fired green teas are made from tender fresh tea leasves. Many historically famous Chinese green teas are processed by pan drying method. for example, Jade fire, Dragon well green tea, Mountain Gorge, Pi Luo Chun, Lu'An Melon Slice, Xinyang Maojian. The character for stir-fry green tea is "high fragrance and strong taste".
2> Roast green tea: Fresh tea leaves dried in roast basket or roast chest .The common finished products of roast green teas are usually used as material for flower-scented teas. The well-known famous roast green tea include: Huangshan Maofeng; Taiping Monkey King, etc.The character for roast green tea is "intact original shape and covered with white fluff".
3>Semi-roast & Semi-fry green tea: Combine the stir-fry method and roast method for drying. Benefited from the special drying method, the finished teas not only achieve high fragrance and strong taste, but also keep its original shape and its body covered with pretty whtie fluff. Jianzhai Emerald Eyebrow, Anji Baicha, Wuzhi Xinhao etc.
4> Solar drying green tea: Fresh tea leaves dried by sunlight. Solar drying green teas are mostly used as materials for compressed teas.
5> Steamed green tea: Fresh tea leaves steamed by high temperature for drying.The representative steamed green teas are Sencha green tea, Enshi Jade Dew. Sencha green tea is mainly for export to Japan.
Green tea is as varied and unique as wines. Their uniqueness depends upon the growing region, the season's weather, time of harvesting and type of processing.
Famous green tea: Dragon Well Green Tea , gunpowder green tea, Huangshan Maofeng
Jinzhai Emerald Eyebrow, Green Peony,Yongxi Jade Fire, Lotus Nut Tea, Lu'An Melon Slice
Mountain Gorge, TaiPing Monkey King, Huoshan Yellow Bud Pi Lo Chun , Cloud&Mist tea
Chinese Oolong Tea
Chinese Oolong Tea is combining the best qualities of green tea and black tea. Oolong tea is not only as clear and fragrant as green tea, but also as refreshing and strong as black tea.If you drink Oolong tea, the natural aroma may linger in your mouth and make your throat much comfortable.
The processing of Chinese Oolong tea include six procedures: sunshine withering, tedding fresh leaves, rocking green, stir-fry gree, rolling, drying.
According to different producing areas, Chinese Oolong tea is sorted by four types: North Fujian Oolong tea, South Fujian Oolong tea, Guangdong Oolong tea and Formosa Oolong tea.
It's hard to confirm the specific time when Oolong tea was created. All historical records indicate that Fujian is the origin location of Oolong tea.
The name of "Oolong" is also a enigma to Chinese tea history. Is it named after a placename or any variety of tea plant? The pinyin for "Oolong" is "Wu Long", which means "black dragon". Does the tea name of "Oolong" have any relation with "Dragon" which traditionally taken as the Chinese lucky indication?
Oolong Tea is helpful in antiaging, bringing high blood pressure down, improving immunocompetence,anti-heart-disease etc.Oolong Tea can help you digest food,refresh yourself and sober up.It is also helpful in prolonging your lifespan.To sum up,it is a world-famous natural health drink
Popular Chinese Oolong tea: Anxi Oolong tea, Yellow Gold Oolong, Ti Kuan Yin,
Wuyi Cliff tea, Da Hong Pao, Phoenix Oolong, Phoenix Single Bush
The processing of Chinese Oolong tea include six procedures: sunshine withering, tedding fresh leaves, rocking green, stir-fry gree, rolling, drying.
According to different producing areas, Chinese Oolong tea is sorted by four types: North Fujian Oolong tea, South Fujian Oolong tea, Guangdong Oolong tea and Formosa Oolong tea.
It's hard to confirm the specific time when Oolong tea was created. All historical records indicate that Fujian is the origin location of Oolong tea.
The name of "Oolong" is also a enigma to Chinese tea history. Is it named after a placename or any variety of tea plant? The pinyin for "Oolong" is "Wu Long", which means "black dragon". Does the tea name of "Oolong" have any relation with "Dragon" which traditionally taken as the Chinese lucky indication?
Oolong Tea is helpful in antiaging, bringing high blood pressure down, improving immunocompetence,anti-heart-disease etc.Oolong Tea can help you digest food,refresh yourself and sober up.It is also helpful in prolonging your lifespan.To sum up,it is a world-famous natural health drink
Popular Chinese Oolong tea: Anxi Oolong tea, Yellow Gold Oolong, Ti Kuan Yin,
Wuyi Cliff tea, Da Hong Pao, Phoenix Oolong, Phoenix Single Bush
Chinese Black Tea
Chinese Black tea is a completely fermented tea. The production for Chinese black tea mainly four procedures: Withering, Rolling, Fermenting, and Drying. Chinese black tea is mainly for export business. In 1980s' , black tea as traditional Chinese commodity played the main part in world tea markets. Today, Chinese black tea is still the popular tea in the world. According to different processing methods, Chinese black tea can be detailedly sorted into three types: Souchong black tea, congou black tea and broken black tea.
Souchong black tea: The unique black tea from Wuyi mountain city, Fujian province. The pine-smoking fragrance of Souchong black tea is much different from any other black teas of the world. According to different producing area, Souchong black tea can be farther classified into the three types:Tongmuguan Souchong, produced in Tongmugaun county; Lapsang Souchong, produced in Chong'An, Jianyang, Guangzhe; XingChun Souchong, produced in other areas which around Xingcun town of Chong'An county; Smoking Souchong, which not from Wuyi mountain city, but other tea producing area. Among them, Lapsang Souchong is the best which offering longan flavor. Smoking souchong is made from low grade congou black tea, processed by imitational method as other Souchong black tea. The smoking fragrance is exactly coming from the burning brushwood of pine plant.
Congou black tea:Congou black tea is evolved from Souchong black tea. The famous Chinese congou black teas include:Qihong of Anhui (Keemun black), Dianhong of Yunnan, Suhong of Jiangsu, Chuanhong of Sichuan and Huhong of Hunan.
Broken black tea: Broken black tea is also called "graded black tea" since there is international uniform grading standard for broken black tea. Accoding to the different shapes, broken black tea is classified into four types: whole Leaf black, with short strip shape; broken leaf black, with small grain shape; Fannings black, with small slice shape; Dust black, with powdered shape.
The origin of Chinese black tea is Chong'An, Fujian( the city of Wuyi mountain today). In the last of 18th century, the souchong black tea was firstly created in Wuyi mountain. Following that, the congou black tea was ceated there. The manufacturing techinique of blakc tea was then spreaded to jiangsi province, then to Keemun.
Popular Chinese black tea: Keemun Black tea , Yunnan Black tea, Lapsang Souchong tea
Souchong black tea: The unique black tea from Wuyi mountain city, Fujian province. The pine-smoking fragrance of Souchong black tea is much different from any other black teas of the world. According to different producing area, Souchong black tea can be farther classified into the three types:Tongmuguan Souchong, produced in Tongmugaun county; Lapsang Souchong, produced in Chong'An, Jianyang, Guangzhe; XingChun Souchong, produced in other areas which around Xingcun town of Chong'An county; Smoking Souchong, which not from Wuyi mountain city, but other tea producing area. Among them, Lapsang Souchong is the best which offering longan flavor. Smoking souchong is made from low grade congou black tea, processed by imitational method as other Souchong black tea. The smoking fragrance is exactly coming from the burning brushwood of pine plant.
Congou black tea:Congou black tea is evolved from Souchong black tea. The famous Chinese congou black teas include:Qihong of Anhui (Keemun black), Dianhong of Yunnan, Suhong of Jiangsu, Chuanhong of Sichuan and Huhong of Hunan.
Broken black tea: Broken black tea is also called "graded black tea" since there is international uniform grading standard for broken black tea. Accoding to the different shapes, broken black tea is classified into four types: whole Leaf black, with short strip shape; broken leaf black, with small grain shape; Fannings black, with small slice shape; Dust black, with powdered shape.
The origin of Chinese black tea is Chong'An, Fujian( the city of Wuyi mountain today). In the last of 18th century, the souchong black tea was firstly created in Wuyi mountain. Following that, the congou black tea was ceated there. The manufacturing techinique of blakc tea was then spreaded to jiangsi province, then to Keemun.
Popular Chinese black tea: Keemun Black tea , Yunnan Black tea, Lapsang Souchong tea
Chinese Flavored Tea
Chinese Flavored Tea is a kind of reprocessed refine tea, blending tea leaves with other materials for scenting to achieve a special flavor. Of course, flaovored tea is not a simply blending of tea leaves with other materials. The processing of flavored tea utilizes the ability of absorting the environmental gassy substance to get the special flaovor. Today, the most popular flaovered teas are flower scented tea and fruity flavored tea.
Scented tea is made by mixing fragrant flowers with the tea leaves in
the course of processing. Complemented with flowers of subtle scents,scented tea yields a kind of refined flavor. The flowers commonly used for this purpose are jasmine and magnolia etc.
jasmine green tea: Jasmine green tea is a well-known favourite with the northerners of China and with a growing number of foreigners. Having savored the Chines jasmine tea, a foreign poet wrote a verse,saying:"I feel the flavor of spring, when I sip the tea of jasmine."
rose green tea,
rose black tea,
Fruit flavored tea:The fruit juice is processed with tea leaves to get a mixed flavor of tea with fruit. Most fruit flavored tea selects black tea as material for reprocess, wich named falovored black tea.
Flavored black tea:
strawberry flavored tea
pineapple flavored tea
apple flavored tea
lemon flavored tea
coconut flavored tea
Litchi black tea / lychee black tea
Flavored white tea:
lemon white tea
Mint white tea
vanilla white tea
peach white tea
Popular flaovered tea: Jasmine Pearl tea , Jasmine Silver Needle
Scented tea is made by mixing fragrant flowers with the tea leaves in
the course of processing. Complemented with flowers of subtle scents,scented tea yields a kind of refined flavor. The flowers commonly used for this purpose are jasmine and magnolia etc.
jasmine green tea: Jasmine green tea is a well-known favourite with the northerners of China and with a growing number of foreigners. Having savored the Chines jasmine tea, a foreign poet wrote a verse,saying:"I feel the flavor of spring, when I sip the tea of jasmine."
rose green tea,
rose black tea,
Fruit flavored tea:The fruit juice is processed with tea leaves to get a mixed flavor of tea with fruit. Most fruit flavored tea selects black tea as material for reprocess, wich named falovored black tea.
Flavored black tea:
strawberry flavored tea
pineapple flavored tea
apple flavored tea
lemon flavored tea
coconut flavored tea
Litchi black tea / lychee black tea
Flavored white tea:
lemon white tea
Mint white tea
vanilla white tea
peach white tea
Popular flaovered tea: Jasmine Pearl tea , Jasmine Silver Needle
Chinese Blooming Tea
Chinese Blooming Tea will bloom into floral bouquest. This amazing handmade artistic tea is a well balance of the health benefit of tea & Chinese herbal flowers.
Ingredients of blooming tea:
1. tea leave(Camellia sinensis)
2. Dried flowers. Following flowers are used:
Carnation--Dianthus carryophyllus
Easter lily--lilium longiflorum Thumb
Jasmin--jasminum sambac
Florists Chrysanthemum--Dendranthemamorifolium
Globeamaranth Flower --Gomphrena globosa
Sweet Osmanthus--OSmanthus fragrans
Rose Species--Rosae Rugosae
Pot Marigold --Calendula officinalis
Roselle----Hibiscus sabdariffa
Chinese globeflower--Trollius Chinenses
Ingredients of blooming tea:
1. tea leave(Camellia sinensis)
2. Dried flowers. Following flowers are used:
Carnation--Dianthus carryophyllus
Easter lily--lilium longiflorum Thumb
Jasmin--jasminum sambac
Florists Chrysanthemum--Dendranthemamorifolium
Globeamaranth Flower --Gomphrena globosa
Sweet Osmanthus--OSmanthus fragrans
Rose Species--Rosae Rugosae
Pot Marigold --Calendula officinalis
Roselle----Hibiscus sabdariffa
Chinese globeflower--Trollius Chinenses
Chinese White Tea
Chinese White tea with its body covered with fluffy white hair. The general processing for Chinese white tea only includes two steps: withering and drying. White tea brews to a pale yellow/light red color, and has a slightly sweet flavor with no "grassy" undertones which sometimes associated with green tea.
Recent health research results have pointed to Chinese white tea as potentially having the largest amount of health benefits of any of the Chinese teas made from Camellia sinensis. The most popular Chinese white teas: silver tip white tea and white peony tea.
The varieties of tea plant for white tea: Fuding Big White Tea; Zhenghe Big White Tea; Narcissus; Vegetable Tea
History of white tea
According to different variety of tea plant and plucking standard,Chinese white tea were ever divide into three types:
(1) Big white: the white tea made from fresh tea leaves plucked from "Big White Tea" variety.
(2)Narcissus White: white tea made from fresh tea leaves plucked from "narcissus white" variety.
(3)vegetable white:white tea made from fresh tea leaves plucked from "vegetable white" variety.
Silver tip white tea (or silver needle pekoe) made from single buds plucked from "Big White Tea" variety. White peony tea made from one bud with two/three leaves plucked from "Big White Tea" variety or Narcissus White.
The history of white tea manufacturing is shorter than other tea types. As recorded, white tea was firstly created in Fuding county in 1796. In that time, the farmers plucked the fresh tea leaves from "vegetable white" variety to make silver tip white tea. And, the "Big White Tea" variety was found in Fuding about in 1857. Since 1885, the farmers began to pluck fresh tea leaves from "Big White Tea" variety to make silver tip white tea, which called Big white in that time. And, the silver tip white tea from "vegetable white" variety then so called "unrefined neelde" or "small white".
The "Big white" variety was also found in Zhenghe in 1880. The tea farmes began to produce silver tip white tea in 1889. Till 1922, white peony tea was then produced there. White peony tea was firstly created in Shuijie( Jianyang county nowadays). While, it's not sured when white peony tea was created.
The white tea production began from Fuding, then spread to ShuiJie, then Zhenghe. As to white tea products, silver tip white tea was firstly creasted, then white poeny tea, then longevity eyebrow.
The export business for silver tip white tea began from 1891. Since 1910, Chinese white tea tend to be popular in Europe and America like Chinese congou black tea.
Recent health research results have pointed to Chinese white tea as potentially having the largest amount of health benefits of any of the Chinese teas made from Camellia sinensis. The most popular Chinese white teas: silver tip white tea and white peony tea.
The varieties of tea plant for white tea: Fuding Big White Tea; Zhenghe Big White Tea; Narcissus; Vegetable Tea
History of white tea
According to different variety of tea plant and plucking standard,Chinese white tea were ever divide into three types:
(1) Big white: the white tea made from fresh tea leaves plucked from "Big White Tea" variety.
(2)Narcissus White: white tea made from fresh tea leaves plucked from "narcissus white" variety.
(3)vegetable white:white tea made from fresh tea leaves plucked from "vegetable white" variety.
Silver tip white tea (or silver needle pekoe) made from single buds plucked from "Big White Tea" variety. White peony tea made from one bud with two/three leaves plucked from "Big White Tea" variety or Narcissus White.
The history of white tea manufacturing is shorter than other tea types. As recorded, white tea was firstly created in Fuding county in 1796. In that time, the farmers plucked the fresh tea leaves from "vegetable white" variety to make silver tip white tea. And, the "Big White Tea" variety was found in Fuding about in 1857. Since 1885, the farmers began to pluck fresh tea leaves from "Big White Tea" variety to make silver tip white tea, which called Big white in that time. And, the silver tip white tea from "vegetable white" variety then so called "unrefined neelde" or "small white".
The "Big white" variety was also found in Zhenghe in 1880. The tea farmes began to produce silver tip white tea in 1889. Till 1922, white peony tea was then produced there. White peony tea was firstly created in Shuijie( Jianyang county nowadays). While, it's not sured when white peony tea was created.
The white tea production began from Fuding, then spread to ShuiJie, then Zhenghe. As to white tea products, silver tip white tea was firstly creasted, then white poeny tea, then longevity eyebrow.
The export business for silver tip white tea began from 1891. Since 1910, Chinese white tea tend to be popular in Europe and America like Chinese congou black tea.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Steps to Make Tea
The Step of make tea
1. Heat the pot: Heat the teapot with boiled water to eliminate peculiar smell. Heated pot can help to release the tea scent.
2. Place the tea: The mouth of the teapot is usually small, so one should first put the tea in a special half-ball vessel and hand it to guests for them to appraise the shape of the tea leaf. Then, put the tea into the pot with a teaspoon. The amount of the tea is about 1/3 of the teapot.
3. Warm the cup: Warm the cups with boiled water that heats the pot.
4. High pour: One needs to lift up the kettle high to make a good tea. The tealeaves turn over and scatter in the pot after water pouring in from a high level. This is known as high pour, a better way to get out the aroma of the tealeaves.
5. Low pour: After the tea is ready, one can pour it into a handless cup. This time, one should keep the pot’s mouth as low as possible and close to the cup to minimize escaping of the aroma. This is known as low pour. Normally, pour the first-round brewing and the second-round brewing into one cup, one will have a better taste tea. Repeat this when one makes the third and fourth brewing, and the following rounds as well.
6. Distribute the tea: Tea is distributed into cups from the handless cup, with an amount of about 7/10 of the cup.
7. Offer the tea: Offer the tea to guests in teacups together with cup pad.
8. Smell the tea: Before tasting the tea, one should first look at its color and smell its aroma.
9. Taste the tea: The Chinese character(taste) is three(mouth) that are put together, which means one should taste one cup of tea in three sips. Before sipping and tasting the tea, one should smile at the tea brewer for one or two seconds to express appreciation.
1. Heat the pot: Heat the teapot with boiled water to eliminate peculiar smell. Heated pot can help to release the tea scent.
2. Place the tea: The mouth of the teapot is usually small, so one should first put the tea in a special half-ball vessel and hand it to guests for them to appraise the shape of the tea leaf. Then, put the tea into the pot with a teaspoon. The amount of the tea is about 1/3 of the teapot.
3. Warm the cup: Warm the cups with boiled water that heats the pot.
4. High pour: One needs to lift up the kettle high to make a good tea. The tealeaves turn over and scatter in the pot after water pouring in from a high level. This is known as high pour, a better way to get out the aroma of the tealeaves.
5. Low pour: After the tea is ready, one can pour it into a handless cup. This time, one should keep the pot’s mouth as low as possible and close to the cup to minimize escaping of the aroma. This is known as low pour. Normally, pour the first-round brewing and the second-round brewing into one cup, one will have a better taste tea. Repeat this when one makes the third and fourth brewing, and the following rounds as well.
6. Distribute the tea: Tea is distributed into cups from the handless cup, with an amount of about 7/10 of the cup.
7. Offer the tea: Offer the tea to guests in teacups together with cup pad.
8. Smell the tea: Before tasting the tea, one should first look at its color and smell its aroma.
9. Taste the tea: The Chinese character(taste) is three(mouth) that are put together, which means one should taste one cup of tea in three sips. Before sipping and tasting the tea, one should smile at the tea brewer for one or two seconds to express appreciation.
Tea
Tea, the most popular beverage for the Chinese, is one of China’s specialties and traditional exports. According to historical data, China began to grow tea about two thousand years ago during the period of the Warring States (475-221BC).
In the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) Dynasties a popular custom was tea appraising. Over the long history of drinking tea, a special and simple Chinese tea culture came into being. Drinking tea was not only for quenching thirst or for enjoyment, but also for the promotion of friendship and mutual understanding. Folk customs of drinking tea reflected the ancient Chinese people’s great interest in tea culture.
People often used tea as a betrothal gift; for it could not be “transplanted.” After accepting tea as a betrothal gift, a girl could not capriciously change her decision to marry her fiancé.
Entertainment of guests to tea is the most fundamental social behavior in the Chinese people’s contacts with each other. When a guest comes, the Chinese will offer him or her a cup of tea to express friendship.
China is the home country of tea. Before the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Chinese tea was exported by land and sea, first to Japan and Korea, then to India and Central Asia and, in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties, to the Arabian Peninsula. In the early period of the 17th century, Chinese tea was exported to Europe, where the upper class adopted the fashion of drinking tea. Chinese tea, like Chinese silk and china, is an outstanding contribution to the world’s material and spiritual civilization.
China is the homeland of tea. It is believed that China has tea-shrubs as early as five to six thousand years ago, and human cultivation of tea plants dates back two thousand years. Tea from China, along with her silk and porcelain, began to be known over the world more than a thousand years ago and has since always been an important Chinese export. At present more than forty countries in the world grow tea, with Asian countries producing 90% of the world’s total output. All tea trees in other countries have their origin directly or indirectly in China. The word for tealeaves or tea as a drink in many countries is derivatives from the Chinese character “cha.” The Russians call it “cha’i”, which sounds like “chaye” (tea leaves) as it is pronounced in northern China, and the English word “tea” sounds similar to the pronunciation of its counterpart in Xiamen (Amoy). The Japanese character for tea is written exactly the same as it is in Chinese, though pronounced with a slight difference. The habit of tea drinking spread to Japan in the 6th century, but it was not introduced to Europe and America till the 17th and 18th centuries. Now the number of tea drinkers in the world is legion and is still on the increase.
In the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) Dynasties a popular custom was tea appraising. Over the long history of drinking tea, a special and simple Chinese tea culture came into being. Drinking tea was not only for quenching thirst or for enjoyment, but also for the promotion of friendship and mutual understanding. Folk customs of drinking tea reflected the ancient Chinese people’s great interest in tea culture.
People often used tea as a betrothal gift; for it could not be “transplanted.” After accepting tea as a betrothal gift, a girl could not capriciously change her decision to marry her fiancé.
Entertainment of guests to tea is the most fundamental social behavior in the Chinese people’s contacts with each other. When a guest comes, the Chinese will offer him or her a cup of tea to express friendship.
China is the home country of tea. Before the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Chinese tea was exported by land and sea, first to Japan and Korea, then to India and Central Asia and, in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties, to the Arabian Peninsula. In the early period of the 17th century, Chinese tea was exported to Europe, where the upper class adopted the fashion of drinking tea. Chinese tea, like Chinese silk and china, is an outstanding contribution to the world’s material and spiritual civilization.
China is the homeland of tea. It is believed that China has tea-shrubs as early as five to six thousand years ago, and human cultivation of tea plants dates back two thousand years. Tea from China, along with her silk and porcelain, began to be known over the world more than a thousand years ago and has since always been an important Chinese export. At present more than forty countries in the world grow tea, with Asian countries producing 90% of the world’s total output. All tea trees in other countries have their origin directly or indirectly in China. The word for tealeaves or tea as a drink in many countries is derivatives from the Chinese character “cha.” The Russians call it “cha’i”, which sounds like “chaye” (tea leaves) as it is pronounced in northern China, and the English word “tea” sounds similar to the pronunciation of its counterpart in Xiamen (Amoy). The Japanese character for tea is written exactly the same as it is in Chinese, though pronounced with a slight difference. The habit of tea drinking spread to Japan in the 6th century, but it was not introduced to Europe and America till the 17th and 18th centuries. Now the number of tea drinkers in the world is legion and is still on the increase.
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