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Sencha Tea: Sometimes Common isn’t quite so common

October 31, 2011 By
sencha

 

If you have ever wondered what the most popular green tea is, wonder no more. It is known as Sencha. Ironically, the Japanese translation of Sencha is “common tea”. Yet, Sencha is anything but common. In fact, there are many different types of Sencha tea, which make it a very colorful, fragrant drink to experiment with.

Because Sencha is often processed in a varying amount of ways, there are all different sorts of this tea. You can purchase it in a budget grade, or you can buy it in an extremely fine grade known as Tencha. Because of the differences related to its processing, Sencha’s smell and taste will vary. No matter how good the grade is, however, all Sencha teas have a flavor that is pleasing to the taste buds and pleasant to the sense of smell.

Sencha tea can be very cloudy with a grassy scent. It can also tend to be astringent. On the other hand, it can also be clear and sweet tasting. The best way to determine the grade of a particular Sencha tea is to observe its color. For example, green Sencha tends to taste sweet and vegetal, and smells sweet as well. Silver Sencha has a very deep green color – deeper than green Sencha – and it has a much more superior flavor than green Sencha as well. Gold Sencha has a grassy aroma, as well as a rich tasting flavor.

Sencha tea can be consumed with a wide variety of foods. It is a tea that is common to drink at any time during the day – morning, afternoon, or before retiring to bed for the evening.

More than three quarters of all tea made in Japan is Sencha tea. Many regions in Japan harvest Sencha tea. Among the most popular of these regions are  Shizuoka,  Fukuoka, and  Kyushu. People admire this tea for its freshness and rich color. Years ago, Sencha used to be prepared by roasting. However, today it is treated with steam before it is processes with hot, dry air and pan-frying. Typically, Sencha tea is vacuum packaged at the location in which it is processed. This way, once it reaches the United States or another country, it has all of the freshness you could possibly expect in a tin or bag of tea.

Sencha tea is known to have a wide variety of health benefits. Containing no fat, carbohydrates, or calories, it is a pure source of healthy vitamins and nutrients that the body needs. It has been proven that tea is rich in antioxidants, and therefore helps to protect the human body’s cells and immune system. Tea is also known to promote long life and help defend the body against the aging process. It is almost like finding the fountain of youth in your tea cup! It is to your benefit, then, to promote this wonderful kind of tea. Sencha tea will surely bring a cup of happiness into you and your tea party loving friends  lives.

Filed Under: Featured, Tea The Beverage

Yunnan tea: the most noble tea in the land

October 3, 2011 By
yunnan-tea-horse-road

 

 

Are you looking for a very exquisite black tea with impeccable flavor?  Why not consider  what the Chinese deemed only good enough for their emperors and noblemen: Yunnan tea. Throughout the centuries, Yunnan tea has earned the reputation as being China’s “noble” tea. With its soft, lush leaves and subtle, yet rich, robust, and peppery taste, your customers will find Yunnan tea irresistible. One whiff of its smooth floral scent will enchant anyone in close proximity.  (this is my all time favorite tea!)

Once brewed, Yunnan tea has a red-amber color. It makes a superb breakfast drink – perfect to serve with some tarts, biscotti, pancakes, or other sweet breakfast treats. Beginners can rest assured that that this tea is foolproof. Even if you happen to over-steep Yunnan tea, it will not produce a bitter taste in your mouth. It will taste wonderful served either hot or cold. A splash of honey, milk, or sugar will also compliment it perfectly.

Yunnan tea is grown in Southwest China in the province of Yunnan, an area with jagged terrain that is dotted with high mountains and curving rivers. The climate in Yunnan is mild, with a significant amount of rainfall throughout the year. This results in very fertile land for the growth and health of tea trees. The Yunnan province is unique because it is known in China as the homeland of tea trees. Because of this, Yunnan catapulted China into being a leader in the tea industry. Over 2,100 years ago, the aboriginal tea, known as “wild tea” was made in this area. Today, there are still 3 ancient types of tea trees that grow in the Yunnan province, and they are often spoken of as the “living fossils” of Yunnan’s tea plants.

Drinking Yunnan tea has been widely known to have a great deal of health benefits. For years, the Chinese have consumed this tea after rich meals to help them digest the food. Tests done in the 1970’s have proven Yunnan tea to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Yunnan tea contains no fat, no calories, and no carbohydrates. Clinical studies have also suggested that drinking Yunnan tea may help eliminate fat, reduce weight, and help people live longer lives.

There are many tea gardens in the Yunnan province of China. The “yun” in has the meaning of “cloud”. This is because most tea estates and gardens are at elevations of 3,000 to 7,000 feet above sea level. Recently, resorts have opened up in the Yunnan province, bringing tourism to this great tea area of the world. In May 2006, the Banyan Tree Lijiang Resort opened, and was immediately named one of the top ten luxury resorts for tea lovers.  At a resort such as this, visitors can enjoy Yunnan tea directly from the source.  

Any person craving the royal treatment – a relaxing morning with newspaper in hand and feet resting on a lounge chair – will enjoy a cup of Yunnan tea to accent the ambiance.

 

(note! If you want to learn about an AMAZING Yunnan travel experience check this out. http://www.wildchina.com/china-immersion-experiences/overview/tea-horse-road-with-jeff-fuchs-yunnan  )

 

Tea Party Girl asks:  Have you tried Yunnan tea?

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Darjeeling Tea – Enjoying the Exquisite

September 19, 2011 By
Darjeeling-Tea

 

If you are looking for the champagne of all teas, then you will most certainly savor the light, sophisticated flavor and muscatel character of Darjeeling tea.

For centuries, Darjeeling tea has been known as a black tea that has a near-perfect taste. It is not only known as the most exotic of all teas, but it is also known as one the most expensive and brilliantly flavored teas in the world.

“Why is Darjeeling tea so exquisite?” you may ask. Well, the climate in which it is grown pushes it to its absolute limit of tolerance to the weather – and yet the plants still survive. Not only do they live, but the chemical compounds that create the luscious aroma in the leaves are increased. Thus, Darjeeling tea is exceedingly fragrant to the sense of smell. First and second flush Darjeeling teas are worth a great deal of money, and the money from this alone can actually support the entire region’s tea industry for an entire year.

The region that Darjeeling tea is grown in is the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains in India, at a very high altitude. The climate in this region is sub-tropical. This region has eighty-seven tea gardens, which if you are not entirely familiar with tea – is a very great number! An amazing sight to see, each garden has its very own character and landscape.

Approximately 52,000 Nepalese people are workers on these tea gardens. They strive to produce about ten million kilograms of tea annually. The tea gardens literally support the well-being of many families, and some gardens are centuries-old. According to the Tea Board of India, Darjeeling tea is “tea which has been cultivated, grown, produced, manufactured and processed in tea gardens in the hilly areas of the Sadar Sub-Division, only hilly areas of Kalimpong Sub-Division comprising of Samabeong Tea Estate, Ambiok Tea Estate, Mission Hill Tea Estate, Kumai Tea Estate, and Kurseong Sub-Division.”

The interesting thing to note about Darjeeling tea is that it has different tastes depending up the time of the year that it was harvested. Darjeeling tea leaves harvested in the springtime months (from late February to the middle of April) tend to have a more intense taste. However, Darjeeling tea leaves collected in the summer months are more developed, and therefore have a fuller flavor. Autumn-harvested Darjeeling tea leaves are not very common due to the fact that the weather is not always agreeable for growth.

When the weather is good, however, Darjeeling tea harvested in the fall has a very round taste, and often compliments breakfast food, such as pancakes, waffles, toast, breakfast meats, and biscuits very well. As an afternoon tea, Darjeeling can be quite delicious with treats such as scones and raspberry conserve.

You will notice that authentic Darjeeling tea is marked with a Darjeeling tea logo from the Tea Board of India. This logo has been around since 1983, and it verifies that the tea is 100% pure Darjeeling tea.

 The Advantages of a Daily Tea Ritual

PG Tips – Vintage Tea Videos

Tea Party Girl Asks?  Do you drink Darjeeling?  If so, when? 

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Assam Tea- Bold, Rich, and Wonderful

July 25, 2011 By
assam chai tea

Growing along India’s Brahmaputra River amid tigers, jungles, and one-horned rhinos, you will find it. You will immediately notice its body, its briskness, its bold color, and its malt flavor.

It is Assam tea.

Assam tea is a black tea that is grown in the Assam region of northeast India. Unlike India’s Darjeeling tea, which is grown at high altitudes, Assam tea is grown in the lowlands of the country. These lowlands make up the world’s largest tea growing region.

In fact, the area alone produces over 1,500,000 pounds of tea every year on more than 800 tea estates. Assam tea accounts for 51% of the tea produced in India, and 1/6th of the tea produced in the world. Although much of the tea is commercial in quality, not all of it is. Some very expensive, high-quality tea is also grown here. It is interesting to note that China and Assam are the only two areas in the whole world with native tea plants.

assam chai tea

Assam makes a good base for Chai Tea

A British trader named Robert Bruce discovered the wild tea plant in India in 1823. Bruce had been on a trip to India when he came across the plant in the hills of Rangpur. Although Bruce died soon after his discovery, his brother, C.A. Bruce, made the tea known to the British government.

The British were more than happy to have the opportunity to attain tea from India, for at the time most British drank from China. It was very costly to have tea imported to Britain from China, and so India was considered a very good alternative. Not only was it more cost effective for the British to get their tea from India, but the Assam tea they found there was beyond enjoyable to their sense of taste!

Assam tea has a first and second flush, just as Darjeeling does. The first flush is immediately noticeable by a rich, fresh aroma, while the second flush is “tippy”. This flush is one of the most well known of the “tippy teas”, whereas it is a black tea with golden tips on it. Only certain tea estates have the abilities to produce these tippy teas.

The golden tips on tea leaves often make the tea astringent. This contributes to a smooth, sweet – not to mention malty – flavor that is often enjoyed by most avid tea drinkers.

Assam tea is primarily sold as a breakfast tea. It is also recognizable by the names English Breakfast Tea, Irish Breakfast Tea, and Scottish Breakfast Tea. It is a perfect compliment to biscuits, pancakes, waffles, toast, and other scrumptious breakfast treats.

However, Assam tea will refresh the mouth and body at any time of the day. It can be especially invigorating when it is served hot with milk and sugar. It is also very delicious when served with a slice of lemon or when it is used to make iced tea. You simply can’t go wrong with a tasty cup of Assam tea. It will soothe the senses, as well as the soul.

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Tea Party Girl asks: Do you drink Assam?  If so, with or without milk and sugar?

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Gyokuro: the Freshness of Springtime in a Glass

July 18, 2011 By
Tea_wall

 

When you think of the springtime, you may think of the freshness of new life encompassing all of nature’s divine beauty. What would make a more perfect green tea drink, then, than a tea made only with the earliest tea leaf buds of the spring harvest?

The answer is: nothing. This is why those who love new beginnings, brightness, and serene happiness will be captivated by Gyokuro tea, which is made of these very pure spring buds.

 

For centuries, Gyokuro tea has been a staple of the Japanese tea drinking society. It is in Japan where the tea is grown, and it is sometimes referred to as the finest green tea in the world. What customer would not want to enrich their tea drinking experiences with trying this elegantly fragrant and delicate tea?


Translated into the English language, Gyokuro has the meaning “Jade Dew”. This reference could not be more concise, as the tea itself has a gemstone-like color about it and a dewy, sweet taste.


Gyokuro tea is a very special type of tea, not only because of its aroma and the sensation your taste buds feel after you drink it, but also because it must go through a very extravagant cultivation and processing to make it the beautiful tea that you find in your cup each day. Let’s take a closer look at how this tea is harvested and cultivated.

First, the tea is grown under the shade of reed or straw screens. This shading takes place for twenty days before the harvest. Shading the tea is highly important, as less sunlight hitting the plant results in a milder, sweet flavoring. It also results in less astringency.

If the tea plant is exposed to too much sunlight, sugars, amino acids, flavanols, and caffeine composition may be thrown off, resulting in a less than desirable drink.

After the tea is grown, those working on the processing must use their skills to carefully handle the leaves. This is because the Gyokuro tea leaves are softer and more moist than most types of green tea leaves. The leaves must be lightly steamed to prevent oxidation, and then rolled and air-dried to help them attain shape and flavor.

Afterwards, a raw tea, also known as aracha, is left over. This type of tea has a high content of water in it. It is later separated into different grades of leaves, and this is known as sencha. The best sencha are selected to make Gyokuro teas.

Gyokuro tea must be brewed very carefully, so as to bring out its best flavor possible. Cool water and a large amount of tea leaves are often recommended for the perfect glass. A very high quality Gyokuro tea will yield up to three infusions.

The Japanese tea gardens that make the highest quality Gyokuro tea are located in three regions of the country: Hoshinomura in Yame (Kyushu), Joyoshi in Kyoto and Okabe in Shizuoka ( Honshu ). These gardens produce the best Gyokuro teas that one could wish for!

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