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Tea of the World

A LONG AND WINDING ROAD
~Tea occupies an important place in human history.  In fact, it has been a part of life in China for almost five thousand years.  Today, it grows commercially in Africa, South America, Australia and Indonesia, Eurasia and the Middle East, and various regions of Asia. 
~Regional appellations include China, Ceylon, Japanese, Indonesian, and African.  Other teas are named for the provinces that grow them.  For example, Darjeeling, Assam, and Nilgris come from those respective tea districts in India; Keemun comes from China; and Enshu comes from Japan.
~All teas naturally contain caffeine.  Caffeine may constitute 4% of the whole leaf.  Brewed tea averages about 60-90 mg per cup.

LEGENDS AND WANNABES
~There are three main categories of tea: green, black, and oolong.  These distinctions are created in processing. 
~Not surprisingly, green tea leaves are green.  They brew up a green liquor with some slight bitterness.
~Both the leaf and brew of black tea are reddish in colour.  Black tea has no bitterness, which could explain its greater popularity.
~Oolong tea has a dark leaf and a yellow brew, with a smoky flavour and aroma.
~White tea is made from specific shoots of the tea bush and is mostly processed like green tea.  Red tea or rooibos (pronounced roy-boss) and most herbal teas do not necessarily contain leaves from C. sinensis, and so do not appear among the tea classifications.  Instead, they earn the title of tea because they are infused like tea leaves.

	Camellia sinensis	Camellia sinensis assamica
Year Discovered	2700 BC	AD 1824
Native Homeland	China	India (in Assam) and Burma
Leaf Size	Smaller leaves	Larger leaves
Categories	Green / oolong	black

FROM LEAF TO TEA
~Processing dries the leaf to roughly three or four percent moisture (down from a fresh moisture content of 70-80%), while enhancing (or creating) the finished flavour profile. 
~Withering reduces the fresh leaf’s moisture count to 55-70% (down from 70-80%).  Traditionally, the tea leaves are spread on mats called tats and left to wither for 18-20 hours, or less for modern production methods.  Oolong is withered a short time.  Fresh green tea leaves are immediately heated in dryers or in roasting pans, in place of the withering stage.
~All leaves are then rolled and twisted to break and saturate, destroying cells and releasing enzymes for oxidation.  Traditionally, tea was rolled in the hands or on a table.  Green and oolong teas are typically hand-rolled today.
~Fermentation is a misnomer.  The process is actually designed to facilitate chemical reactions within the leaves.  The tea is spread out for 2-4 hours with traditional rolling or half for modern methods.  Oolong is fermented for half as long as black tea and the related pouchong teas ferment for half as long again.  Green tea is not fermented at all.
~Drying stops enzymatic reactions and brings the leaf down to its final moisture content.  Sugars within the leaf are caramelized, creating flavour and colour.  Traditionally, black tea was heated over flame, but mechanical dryers have been in use for the last hundred years.  Green and oolong teas may be heated in dryers or in the more traditional roasting pans.  Regardless of method, the leaves are quickly cooled to preserve quality.
~Black tea is processed longest, although processors of black tea usually employ modern machinery in their production lines.
~Green tea leaves begin the process by being heated in dryers or in roasting pans.  They are rolled by hand.  The fermentation step is skipped, and the leaves are heated and rolled again to achieve their dark green hue.  They are dried again to their final moisture content and cooled, then broken or pulverized for packaging.
~Oolong tea is withered for a short time, hand-rolled to a reddish colour, then fermented for half as long as black tea (pouchong teas ferment for half as long again).  The leaves are dried in pans, then rolled and heated to their final moisture content.

black (fermented) tea	green (unfermented) tea	oolong (semi-fermented) tea
withering	drying	withering
rolling	rolling	rolling
fermentation	repeat drying and rolling	fermentation
drying	drying	drying
		repeat rolling and drying

BROKEN ORANGES?
~Processed tea is graded by size and shape with various sieves.  Leaves that are too large are broken and those that are too small are winnowed out with dust and other small particles.  Anything that does not belong in the finished product- from fluff to charred leaves- is removed by workers.
~Larger grades come from more mature leaves and are favoured as loose teas.  These grades are flowery pekoe (FP), orange pekoe (OP), pekoe (P), pekoe souchong (PS), and souchong (S).  The word “pekoe” is pronounced peck-oh, and orange pekoe has nothing to do with the fruit.
~Smaller grades are preferred today for use in teabags.  They come from younger, smaller leaves and are known as broken orange pekoe (BOP), broken pekoe (BP), BOP fanning, fannings, and dust.
~Air-tight packaging prevents moisture intrusion and flavour loss.

GREEN TEA:
Green tea is picked and then quickly dried, either pan-fried, steamed or fired in an oven. The goodness of the leaf is sealed inside. Because the leaf is so delicate, the tea should be brewed in water that is well below boiling to prevent cooking the leaves and destroying the subtle notes of the tea. Green tea has a short life span - it doesn't stay fresh long. Given the high levels of polyphenols, it is believed to have the greatest amount of health benefits. Green tea leaves are minimally oxidized and thus have less caffeine than other types of tea. Click here to view the Green teas we have for sale.

OOLONG TEA:
Oolong tea is gently rolled after picking allowing the essential oils to react with the air and slowly oxidize. This process turns the leaf darker with time and produces distinctive fragrances. When the leaf has reached the desired oxidation the leaf is heated, in a process called 'panning', to stop the process. It's then rolled to form the tea into its final shape. The resulting tea can be anywhere between a green and a black, depending on the processing method. This tea is handcrafted, undergoing a labor intensive process. The tea maker must carefully balance many elements in the critical few hours after the leaf is picked including weather conditions, quality of the leaf, and the time the leaf oxidizes. The finest Oolongs are often prepared and enjoyed Gung Fu style to savor their complex tastes and fragrances.  Please visit our selection of Oolongs.

BLACK TEA:
Black tea, or red tea as it's known in China, is the result of a complete oxidation of the leaf before being fired. First the leaf is spread out and left to wilt, losing some moisture, stiffness and much of its weight. Then it's rolled, exposing essential oils to the air and starting the oxidization process. When this is complete the leaf is heated to stop the process, graded for quality and packed. Black teas are full bodied and are able to withstand the addition of sweeteners and milk.  We offer many varieties of Black teas.

WHITE TEA:
White tea is minimally processed - generally only air dried and slightly oxidized. The highest quality white teas are picked before the leaf buds have opened, while still covered with silky white hairs. Of all teas, whites probably have the least amount of caffeine. These teas should be steeped in water well below boiling and for at least 4-5 minutes.  Given all the news on medical research on white tea, click here to learn more.

PU-ERH TEA:
Pu-erh teas come from the Yunnan province in China and have a strong earthy flavor. Pu-erh has been praised for generations for it's flavor and health benefits. It's processed according to an ancient technique (which used to be a state secret) that involves aging the leaves. It is often formed into bricks and is one of the few teas that ages well. Some prized Pu-erh teas can be 50 years old.  We have some interesting Pu-erh teas for sale