DISCOVER AND EXPLORE
We will start by understanding that when we refer to TEA, we are only talking about the infusions made from the leaves and buds of the tea plant called Camellia Sinensis.
The rest should be called “herbal or fruit infusions” or “tisanes”, rather than tea, since they are not made from this plant. Each has its own profile and properties.
This tea plant, Camellia Sinensis, has two sub species, “Camellia Sinensis Sinensis” (small leaf) and “Camelia Sinensis Assamica” (large leaf). A third one is “Camellia Sinensis Cambodiensis, but is rarely used for cultivation.
Plus, there are thousands of different varietals (naturally developed as the plant adapts to the different environments and growing conditions), and cultivars or hybrids (developed by man).
Just as with the production of wines, flavour and character of each tea are determined by the influence of many factors, but mainly the original varietal of the plant, the terroir (location, soil, eco-system, climate, etc.), the processing methods used, and finally, the proper brewing of the tea.
Teas are classified by the process used to make them.
ORIGIN OF TEA
Chinese Legend
According to Chinese legend, tea was discovered by chance by Emperor Shen-Nung (considered in China as the father of agriculture, and who dedicated many years of his life to the study of plants and their beneficial effects for the improvement of health), in the year 2737 BC.
The Emperor in his mandate had ordered that the consumption of water for human beings should be previously subjected to a cooking process until boiling. Tradition says that one afternoon of rest, under the shade of a wild tea tree, a stream of air gave off several leaves of the same that fell into a bowl with boiling water, which dyed it a golden color and produced a pleasant aroma that the ruler liked. The emperor tasted the drink and was delighted with both the perfume and the delicious taste.
Realizing at once the pleasant and stimulating effect, the expression “T´sa” escaped the emperor, which means “the divine”. Until today, Chinese is called “cha” to tea.
THE EXPANSION OF
TEA AROUND THE WORLD
The expansion of tea around the world begins when Buddhism arrives in Japan. Japanese Buddhist monks who learn in China, took seeds and tea trees (Camellia Sinensis), planting them in the gardens of the monasteries. The Japanese also gave the consumption of tea an absolute solemnity, creating for its consumption a special ceremony, elevating it to an art. Later they become the first to market it with China.
In 1638 is introduced to Russia by the Ambassador of China who appears before the Tsar with a shipment of tea and a few years later the Russians adopted it with great delight, drinking it mainly with lemon.
Later tea was brought to the European world by the Dutch in the seventeenth century, through the Dutch East India company.
In 1650 the first shipment of tea arrives to the settlers of New Amsterdam, future New York, and in 1670 it arrives in the American colonies.
It was introduced in England in the 1650´s, when the first tea samples entered, and they soon took over its trade through its powerful fleet and the British East India Company, which began to import large quantities of tea and monopolized all imports.
The Portuguese Catalina de Braganza, wife of King Charles II of England, made it fashionable among the English nobility. This made that at first the tea had a very high price, which is why it made it an exclusive product for those people who had a high purchasing level.
For England, the tea trade had interference in two great historical moments.
The first in the 18th century, when the protesting Americans sank a shipment of tea (Boston Tea Riot), and irritating the British Parliament, forced them to retaliate which lead to the Revolution. This mutiny was the most important precedent of the American War of Independence.
And years later in 1823, it would indirectly lead to face the Opium Wars with China. Event that would lead the English to develop tea crops in India (Assam), to guarantee their supply.
In 1867, the Scottish James Taylor began the tea industry in Sri Lanka, today Ceylon, but its importance develops in 1870 when a plague ends all coffee crops and the island turns to tea cultivation.
Subsequently, Thomas Lipton would buy tea directly here to stock his three hundred stores.
Iced tea is an invention of the Englishman Richard Blechynden in 1904, during a hot summer at the San Luis Fair.
And in 1908, New York importer Thomas Sulivan inadvertently invented tea bags by selling tea to customers in small silk bags.
TEA TYPES & MANUFACTURE
We will start by understanding that when we refer to TEA, we are only talking about the infusions made from the leaves and buds of the tea plant called Camellia Sinensis.
The rest should be called “herbal or fruit infusions” or “tisanes”, rather that tea, as they are not made from this plant. Each has its own profile and properties.
This tea plant, Camellia Sinensis, has two sub species, “Camellia Sinensis Sinensis” (small leaf) and “Camelia Sinensis Assamica” (large leaf). A third one is “Camellia Sinensis Cambodiensis, but is rarely used for cultivation.
Plus, there are thousands of different varietals (naturally developed as the plant adapts to the different environments and growing conditions), and cultivars or hybrids (developed by man).
Just as with the production of wines, flavor and character of each tea are determined by the influence of many factors, but mainly the original varietal of the plant, the terroir (location, soil, eco-system, climate, etc), the processing methods used, and finally, the proper brewing of the tea.
Teas are classified by the process used to make them.
You can learn more about the general manufacture process here
PICKING
WITHERING
STEAMING
ROLLING
WHITE TEA
DESCRIPTION
Considered the most nuanced and subtle of teas, they are rare and costly.
It is an early tea, picked just as the first buds appear, and therefore given high status in the Chinese tea world.
The term White derives from the tiny silver white hairs that can be found on the delicate, unopened leaf buds.
Traditionally is made just using the bud, but certain varieties also add one or two of the youngest leaves.
The infusion is very light, golden in color, has a sweet aroma, with flavors of pine, sweetcorn and burnt sugar.
HOW IS IT PRODUCED?
White tea is the least processed of all teas, though it takes a long time to produce (2-3 days).
Some white teas are made from only the new unopened leaf bud, while others are made from the new bud and adjoining one or two young open leaves.
White tea undergoes fewer steps in manufacture process than any other tea class. The freshly plucked buds and leaves are briefly withered, during which a very light oxidation naturally occurs that turns them gray-green or gray-brown.
Then, they are moved directly to the drying step, rather outdoors in warm sunlight (or shade, if the sun is too strong), or in a warm drying room. The speed at which the leaves and buds dry depends on ambient temperatures and humidity.
Finally, the leaves are sorted and packed.
HOW TO BREW IT
Quantity of Tea
3g per 250 ml of water
Water Temperature
75 - 90º C
Infusion Length
3 - 6 min
MORE ABOUT IT
ORIGIN
Originally only made in China from three varieties of the tea plant cultivars known as Da Bai Hao (“big white”), Shui Hsien (“Water Sprite”) and Shao Bai Hao (“Small White”), in Fujian Province, where the production of white tea originated.
Now white teas are produced in many tea growing countries using other tea bush varietals.
BENEFITS
Young tea buds found in white teas contain higher levels of antioxidants than most other teas. It is now not only a wonderful beverage but also a very popular ingredient in skin care products.
CAFFEINE
Caffeine levels in white tea buds are slightly higher than that of green or black tea. It is present in the tea plant as a natural insecticide that discourages insects from nibbling the new buds and damaging young shoots.
PECULIARITIES
- As white tea is made from the young tea bud, the chlorophyll is
not mature in this bud and that gives its “white” appearance.
To help the buds mature into leaves, the plant furnishes them with an extra shot of glucose, turning the buds much sweeter than mature leaves.
- There are no firm rules as to which tea should be drunk when, but as a suggestion we recommend as the best moments to drink a white tea, middle afternoon and after dinner.
As Jane Pettigrew and Bruce Richardson suggests in their book The New Tea Companion, “In the evening, ideal teas include the lighter oolongs, greens, and whites. These are very cleansing after a meal and offer an elegance and freshness that is good after dinner and before sleep. These are also teas that drink well alone and without food and create just the right mood for when life begins to slow down at the end of the day”.
- Food pairing recommendation for white teas is alone!
TYPES AND VARIETIES
-There are basically three types of white tea:-
YIN ZHEN
(Silver Needles)
It is the highest quality, made only of silvery buds covered in white fuzz.
Needle-style white teas yield a pale, champagne colored liquor that has a very light, soft, sweet, velvety flavour.
BAI MU DAN
(White Peony)
Contains silver buds as well as the next two youngest leaves.
Peony style white teas oxidize more and so produce slightly darker liquors, with a sweet, mildly grassy flavour and a slight briskness.
SHOU MEI
Made with a nonuniform mix of buds and lower-grade leaves, sometimes goes through a light rolling and oxidation phase to deepen the flavour, resulting in a floral, fruity taste.
GREEN TEA
DESCRIPTION
Of the various varieties of tea, green tea is the variety with the longest history and the most diversity in taste, aroma, and appearance.
Green teas are made from young leaves and buds. It is an unoxidized type of tea.
Most of the times are much softer and lighter than black teas but have a more intense and stronger body than white ones.
They offer great variety of fragrances and flavors that range from cooked vegetables, nuts, and almonds to citrus and other fruits.
Chinese green teas are softer, sweeter, more aromatic, and delicate than those from Japan. They are generally lightly with subtle notes of cooked vegetables and toasted nuts. But they are celebrated not only for their flavor and color but also for their beautiful shapes, some of which are reflected in the names of the teas.
Japanese teas are more intense and astringent, with predominant notes of raw vegetables, seaweed, and lemon.
HOW IS IT PRODUCED?
When processing it, is critical that the leaves remain green, which means no oxidation must occur. This fixing process is accomplished by applying heat.
Both China and Japan are famous for their green teas, but each uses a different method to prevent oxidation, and each one results in a remarkable difference in color and flavor of the final cup.
After plucking, the leaves are first treated to a short wither (not always in Japan), then immediately undergo a fixing process to stop the oxidation. In China it is traditionally carried out in pans or woks set over wood stoves or coal kilns. Teas fixed in woks or pans have sweeter notes and are more aromatic.
In Japan steam is almost always used, which soften the leaves, stops oxidation, and begins to develop their flavor. When the leaves emerge from the steaming step, they are a bright evergreen color.
Then comes the rolling, which is done by hand or machine, and gives the leaf its final shape.
This is followed by a final drying stage, carried out in panning machines, woks, or ovens, to reduce the moister of the finished tea. (Sometimes this imparts a slightly smoky flavor to the tea).
Last, the leaves are sorted for size (not in Japan), and color before sale.
HOW TO BREW IT
Quantity of Tea
3g per 250 ml of water
Water Temperature
60 - 80º C
Infusion Length
1 min japanese
3 - 4 min chinese
MORE ABOUT IT
Green teas are the most ancient of all tea varieties.
Originally from China, it was taken to Japan many centuries ago.
Now it is produced all over the world, but some of the bests are still produced in these two countries.
ORIGIN
LONG JING (China: Zhejiang Province)
BI LUO CHUN (China: Jiangsu Province)
HUANGSHAN MAOFENG (China: Anhui Province)
ANJI BAI CHA (China: Zhejiang Province)
GYOKURO (Japan)
ZHU YE QING (China: Sichuan Province)
SENCHA(Japan)
MATCHA (Japan)
BENEFITS
Green tea is full of antioxidants, as it does not go under any oxidization process.
Recent clinical studies confirm green tea’s abilities to fight fatigue, reduce hypertension, stimulate blood flow, help eliminate toxins, reduce bad cholesterol, boost the immune system, promote good digestion, and a wide range of other health benefits.
Catechins and flavonoids are the primary polyphenols in tea.
Research is showing that these polyphenols in green tea, under daily constant consumption, have a desirable impact in preventing cardiovascular disease and due to its antioxidant properties, to reduce the risk of certain forms of cancer.
CAFFEINE
It is very difficult to determine the quantity of caffeine in a cup of tea as so many factors can affect such as age of leaves, variety of tea, sinensis var, heat of water, steeping time, etc.
Though we know that the freshest, youngest green teas often have higher caffeine content.
But it is known that a cup of green tea contains about one-third as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, 40-60 mg per cup.
PECULIARITIES
- Japanese tea producers do not sort their teas by size of the
leaves, rather are blended so that varying leaf sizes are mixed together. This results in a rich, thick and brothy tea.
They also are firm believers in not letting any part of the plucked leaves go to waste and use the twigs and stems in specific teas.
- There are no firm rules as to which tea should be drunk when, but as a suggestion we recommend as the best moments to drink a green tea, middle morning, with lunch, midafternoon and after dinner.
As Jane Pettigrew and Bruce Richardson suggests in their book The New Tea Companion, “In the evening, ideal teas include the lighter oolongs, greens, and whites. These are very cleansing after a meal and offer an elegance and freshness that is good after dinner and before sleep. These are also teas that drink well alone and without food and create just the right mood for when life begins to slow down at the end of the day”.
- Food pairing recommendations for Japanese Green teas are with fish, fried food and cloying sweetmeals.
And with Chinese green teas, noodles, steamed and broiled vegetables, fish, softy creamy desserts, soft sweetmeals and fresh fruit.
If lunch consists of Asian food, choose a green Sencha, or Gunpowder.
TYPES AND VARIETIES
CHINA
The most prized green teas in China are referred to as Pre-Qing Ming (“before the Spring Festival”). It comes in different shapes (flat, needle-like, curled like a snail, rolled into balls, like eyebrows, or in fine twists).
-The most famous Chinese green teas are:-
LONGJING (DRAGON WELL)
Flat leaves, with a smooth, fresh floral flavor and a slightly sweet, toasty aftertaste.
ZHU CHA (GUNPOWDER)
Ball-shaped leaves, that yield a smooth, medium body tea with a touch of smoky sweetness.
HUANGSHAN MAOFENG
One leaf and one silvery bud, with an intricate peachy aroma and a sweet and a fruity, slightly nutty flavor.
BI LUO CHUN
(GREEN SPRING SNAIL)
Semi curled leaves, with sweet slightly floral and grassy flavors, sometimes with toasty notes.
JAPAN
Green tea is almost the only tea processed in Japan. The Japanese have long devoted great thought and care to its production. Most of the harvest is done mechanically rather than by hand, and some bushes are shaded for several weeks before harvest (this alters the chemical makeup of the leaves and also changes the flavor of the tea to a more desirable one according to some consumers).
-Some of the most famous sun-grown Japanese green teas are:-
SENCHA
Sencha is the most commonly consumed tea in Japan. Made from the first harvest of the leaves in the spring, it is known to have a high Vitamin C content.
Bright, deep green needle-shaped tea, with a sweet, slightly grassy umami profile.
BANCHA
Similar to Sencha but made from a later harvest, summer and autumn (lower grade leaves).
It is less fine and delicate in taste, but it has a high fluoride content and is therefore considered to be beneficial for dental benefits.
The aroma of the infusion and flavor of the infusion is stronger, more astringent and less fragrant.
KUKICHA
Made from the stems and stalks that are removed from the leaves used in the production of green teas like Sencha. The higher quality of these stems and stalks, the finer the flavor of the Kukicha tea.
The infusion is pale yellow-green and has a clean, sweet almost nutty flavor.
HOUJICHA
Houjicha is made by roasting over charcoal or pan-frying Sencha or Bancha.
This roasting process reduces the caffeine content and develops a flavor less astringent than that of the green teas.
GENMAICHA (“RICE TEA”)
Made by mixing Bancha or medium-grade Sencha (with Matcha sometimes added for color), and hulled rice kernels & popped corn that gives the tea a distinctive savory taste.
-Two famous shade-grown Japanese green teas are:-
GYOKURO
It is Japan´s most expensive, highest quality, hand-picked tea.
Pricey and prized, with a rich, sweet taste without any bitterness and little astringency. The bushes are kept under 90 percent shade for about twenty days before harvest, and the reduced light forces the plant to produce a higher concentration of chlorophyll.
MATCHA
Very fine, green powdered tea, made by grinding Tencha (a finely chopped tea made using the same shade method as Gyokuro).
Matcha is the tea used for The Japanese Tea Ceremony.
YELLOW TEA
DESCRIPTION
Yellow or “golden” tea (Huang Cha) is the rarest of all six, due to its complex process and the difficulty to source; the harvest is too short and, until recently, China was the only manufacturer. It is produced in extremely small quantities in few regions of China, such as the Jun Mountain (in the Hunan Province), and the Huang -Yellow- Mountain (in the Anhui Province).
For some experts, yellow tea should not exist as a category itself, being no more than a very high-quality green tea. But, without consensus, others think that it is so pure in production, taste, and aroma that it is fit for a king. Its flavor -of sweet honey and apple notes, sweetgrass, chestnut, cacao, slightly roasted nuts-, and the yellowish green leaves make this tea unique and deserving a class status.
This tea is comforting, warming, and refreshing altogether.
HOW IS IT PRODUCED?
The processing of yellow tea is complicated, long and demands experience from the tea master.
Finest yellow teas are made from single, perfect, undamaged buds plucked in the early spring. The buds are processed like Chinese green teas, first treated to a short wither then immediately undergo a fixing process to stop the oxidation. This panning in woks is done at a low temperature at the beginning and the heat is gradually increased and then reduced again.
The tea is then dried over strong heat (to reduce the water content to around 50%), cooled slightly, and then wrapped in paper or heaped in baskets. This may be repeated once more or several times. This stage is called Men-huang, or “sealing yellow”. This wrapping while the tea is still warm and moist, provokes a slight microbial fermentation, during which the warmth and humidity inside the layers of tea smoothens and mellows its flavor, reducing the grassy astringency taste of green teas. (This wrapping or heaping stage is what makes the tea a yellow tea and without which the tea is quite simply a green tea!).
Finally, the leaves continue to the drying step to finish the tea.
HOW TO BREW IT
Quantity of Tea
3g per 250 ml of water
Water Temperature
75 - 80º C
Infusion Length
3 - 4 min
MORE ABOUT IT
ORIGIN
Yellow tea originated in the Anhui and Hupei Provinces, in China. There are written records showing that yellow tea may have been produced as early as the Tang dynasty (618-906).
Until recently, China was the only country producer, now other countries have begun producing it, but many think that yellow tea will never taste the same as the Chinese one because the terroir is different. Today this tea is an essential part of China’s long-lived tea tradition and is frequently featured among “China’s Ten Famous Teas” list.
BENEFITS
According to the teaching of Traditional Chinese Medicine, green tea possesses a cooling effect, which may be suitable for enjoying in the hot summer months. Still, it may not be as optimal for people already having excess of it in their bodies, so the yellow tea might be a better choice for them as the cooling and heating effects are more balanced in it.
Many believe it is also gentler to the stomach than green tea.
CAFFEINE
As yellow tea is produced mainly from buds, it is relatively high in both caffeine and L-theanine compared to other tea types. Yellow tea or Huang Cha is an energizing tea, which will give you smooth and creative energy.
PECULIARITIES
- Regarding manufacture, yellow teas fall between white teas (produced mainly from buds) and green teas (first stage in the process), but also yellow teas fall between green teas and dark teas as concerns the microbial fermentation that happens in the tea while being smothered in warm, humid conditions.
And regarding flavor, Michal Harney (American tea expert and writer) says that “Yellow tea reflects the best of all the six types of tea: the sweetness of White Tea, the soft vegetal flavor of Green Tea, the intense and variable fragrance of the Oolong and the delicate spicy aftertaste of Chinese Black Tea”. - Food pairing recommendation for yellow teas is alone!
- Yellow tea is seldom seen in the West -or even outside of China- and because of its appearance, it is often confused with Green Tea, and indeed unscrupulously labeled and sold as yellow, being green.
TYPES AND VARIETIES
-Famous Chinese yellow teas are:-
JUN SHAN YIN ZHEN (JUN MOUNTAIN SILVER NEEDLE)
This yellow tea is China´s rarest tea and considered a “Chinese Famous Tea”. It grows in the Mountain Hun in the Hunan Province. Its tea bushes came from wild tea trees whose leaves are famous for their medicinal properties.
This tea consists of only the very young, silvery buds that are harvested in early spring. They stand upright during brewing! The infusion is pale yellow and has a buttery texture and a mild aroma.
It is known as an ancient tribute tea, and usually goes directly to the government and is reserved to treat visiting diplomats. It is said to be the favorite of Mao Zedong.
HUO SHAN HUANG YA (HUO MOUNTAIN YELLOW BUDS)
Huang Ya means yellow bud and refers to the yellow hue of both the fresh and the finished tea leaves. It is a silvery buds rare and very elegant tea from the region of Anhui Province. Very famous during the Tang Dynasty.
It has a soft, rounded, complex taste that is refreshing and sweet, with notes of toasted nuts and sweetcorn, perfect for pairing with cookouts and backyard dinner parties.
MENG DING HUANG CHA
An ancient yellow bud tea from Mountain Meng in Sichuan Province.
MOUNT JUN YELLOW TIP
Chinese yellow tea added in 2010, as a more affordable one. Its low cost is because the harvest occurs well into spring and the tea contains two leaves and a bud instead of just buds.
OOLONG TEA
DESCRIPTION
Oolong tea, sometimes referred to as Blue Tea, is also known as partially or semi-oxidized tea.
They are traditionally manufactured in China and Taiwan but are produced in many other countries today.
Oolong means “black dragon”, named for the brown-black, twisted leaves of dark oolongs that often have the appearance of snarling dragons or twisting serpents.
HOW IS IT PRODUCED?
Whereas green teas undergo no oxidation and black teas undergo a long oxidation, the oolong teas ranges from 10 percent to almost 80 percent, being referred as partially oxidized teas.
DARK OOLONGS
These oolongs are the most traditional ones, and have twisted, open, very dark brown leaves, 40-60 percent oxidized.
They are made from more mature shoots of three or four open leaves.
They are made by withering the leaf outdoors in the sun, where the leaves are turned every two hours, and then indoors in bamboo baskets. This allows some of the water in the leaf to evaporate and start the oxidation process.
They are taken then to rotating bamboo drums, where the leaves are bruised and the cells broken, provoking faster oxidation (the leaves must oxidize to between 40 to 60 percent, sometimes more). Color changes from bright green to darker brown-green, and a flowery or fruity aroma begins to develop.
The teas masters decides when the process is ready (relying primarily on the aroma of the leaves).
The leaves are then taken for a panning machine that halts any further oxidation. The tea is then gently rolled to intensify the flavor and gives the leaves the twisted shape. The tea is then dried (in a hot oven, panning machine, or sun).
In China, stalks and stems are removed by hand.
These darker oolongs can be infused several times, have a rich amber liquid, and have a complex flavor of toasty, burnt sugar notes with fruity hints of peach and apricot.
Most dark oolongs in China and Taiwan are also given a final roasting in baskets set over glowing smokeless charcoal. This adds interesting notes of charcoal, chocolate, and roasted nuts.
The tea is finally sorted for packing.
JADE OR BALLED OOLONGS
The leaves go through the same first stages as described above for dark oolongs, sun and indoor withering, and tumbling of the leaves, but the tea is only 20 to 30 percent oxidized and so remains very green. Then they are put through the hot panning machine (to stop any further oxidation), then lightly rolled to develop the flavor, and dried briefly.
In the next stage, the tea is wrapped inside large cloths to form balls (of 9kg approx.). Each ball is tightened on a machine that rotates it while the corners are held tightly at the top.
This begins to squeeze the tea shoots into smaller pellets. The bag is then rolled on a machine that presses down, squeezing the juices in the tea and intensifying the flavor and aroma. The bag is then opened, the tea turned briefly and panned again.
This process of wrapping in the cloth-tightening-rolling-panning, is repeated up to 30-40 times sometimes, until each shoot turns into a rolled nugget of tea.
It is then dried in large ovens and sorted for packing.
These greener oolongs can also be infused several times, creating very pale, amber-green liquors that usually have sweet notes of spring flowers.
BAKED OR AMBER OOLONGS
In some cases, jade oolongs are put though a secondary baking or roasting process, either over charcoal or in special baking ovens. This can take place at the tea factory under the supervision of the tea master, or it is carried out by retail merchants in their own special ovens at their stores.
These oolongs are known and sold as Baked or Amber oolongs.
This secondary baking gives the tea a dark brown color and the longer the baking, the darker the little pellets of tea become.
This roasting intensifies the tea’s floral and fruity notes and develops a rich, deep flavor, adding extra notes of nutty, toasty complexity. Baking also reduces the amount of caffeine in the tea.
Sometimes the teas are stored after baking and are repeatedly baked and stored over several years. Known as aged oolongs, these teas are among the exceptions to the rule that tea is best consumed within a year or so of processing!
HOW TO BREW IT
Quantity of Tea
3g per 250 ml of water
Water Temperature
85 - 95º C
Infusion Length
3 min
MORE ABOUT IT
ORIGIN
CHINA
Legend says that oolong tea originated in Fujian province, China, 400 years ago. In order to please the emperor, the Chinese began to modify the manufacturing processes of green tea, allowing partial oxidation to take place (not fixing the green leaf), before rolling and drying the tea. This came to be called oolong semi-oxidized tea.
Some people say the first oolong was made in the Wuyi mountains. Others claim that Anxi was the place of origin.
TAIWAN
The cultivation of tea bushes on Formosa (now Taiwan), began some two hundred years ago when Chinese migrants from Fujian Province settled there and brought with them their tea making skills.
The soil, climate and hilly landscape were perfect for the tea plant, and in 1869, Englishman John Dodd exported the first Taiwanese tea to New York. By1880, Formosa was famous for its teas.
BENEFITS
It combines the qualities of dark and green teas, giving it several health benefits.
Oolong teas have also been associated with possible increased metabolism and aid in weight loss and reduce stress.
CAFFEINE
The baking process through which many oolongs are put through, reduces the amount of caffeine in the tea. In tea factories, deposits of white caffeine powder can be seen around the door of the baking oven.
PECULIARITIES
- The baking process though which some oolongs are put through, was originally developed because the roasted flavors and lower levels of caffeine made the teas popular amongst older people, but today, many younger tea drinkers enjoy the teas’ toasty character and appreciate all healthy properties found in teas.
- Different levels of roasting develop different flavors in the tea. A low fire brings out the tea’s floral notes; a medium fire develops more fruity notes; and a high fire develops toasty caramel and burnt sugar notes.
- There are no firm rules as to which tea should be drunk when, but as a suggestion we recommend as the best moments to drink an Oolong, middle afternoon or evening.
- As Jane Pettigrew and Bruce Richardson suggests in their book The New Tea Companion, “In the evening, ideal teas include the lighter oolongs, greens, and whites. These are very cleansing after a meal and offer an elegance and freshness that is good after dinner and before sleep. These are also teas that drink well alone and without food and create just the right mood for when life begins to slow down at the end of the day”.
- Food pairing recommendations for Oolongs are alone or with basic pastry, with plain chocolate, honey, and nuts.
TYPES AND VARIETIES
There are many varieties of oolong, and they are very different. It will not only depend on the manufacturing process, but also on the location, the terroir, the harvest, and the degree of oxidation.
CHINESE OOLONGS
PHOENIX SUPREME OOLONG
This dark oolong tea is handpicked from bushes that grow on the Wudong Peak of the Phoenix Mountain in Guangdong Province.
The leaves are gathered twice a year when they are half-open.
They are processed by the special Phoenix method, made in small batches by experienced tea masters.
The leaves are tightly twisted into fine strips. The liquor is clear, lightly golden and has a fragrant, fruity aroma and a smooth, very refreshing flavor.
DA HONG PAO (BIG RED ROBE)
From the Wuyi Mountains, Fujian Province. Since 1999, the Wuyi Mountains have been designated a World Heritage Site.
Da Hong Pao is a “rock tea” grown on the Wuyi rocks.
This tea is one of the earliest dark oolongs produced in China’s Fujian Province and now is one of the most widely drunk oolongs in the world. The original mother bushes stand high on a rock with access only by a few designated master pickers and processors.
The tea is made from small, tender leaves, has a level of oxidation near 80%, and at the end is baked over charcoal to give a floral fragrance and an amazingly complex, aromatic liquor that hints at dark chocolate, ripe plums, and peaches, and has lingering richly satisfying toasty notes. The dark twisted leaves also carry notes of minerals from the rocky terrain where the plant grows.
Da Hong Pao made from the original ancient tea trees is worth more than gold… In 1998, 20 gr from one of the mother plants was sold for ¥156.800.
You can learn more about the Legend of The Big Red Rob Tea here
RO GUI (CHINESE CINNAMON)
One of Fujian Province’s famous rock oolongs.
Its long leaves are dark, green-brown, lightly curled, and have a sweet and spicy aroma of cassia, a cinnamon like cortex.
The liquor is clear golden amber, with a honey and orchid aroma and a full, rich, slightly smoky flavor.
You can learn more about Cliff or Wuyi Mountain Tea here
TIE KUAN YIN (TEA OF THE IRON GODDESS OF MERCY)
Probably the best known of the Chinese oolongs.
This ball-style, aromatic and elegant tea comes from the Fujian Province. Its liquor, color of honey, has a sweet, floral aroma, and an orchid-like, smooth, delicate flavor.
It is sometimes finished with baking (the classic style), which imparts a mix of sweet-dried apricot and toasty notes, with an intense, roasted fragrance.
You can learn about The Legend of The Tea of The Iron Goddess of Mercy here
OSMANTHUS FLAVORED OOLONG
A delicate tea, produced from green balled Ti Kuan Yin (30% oxidized) tea, blended with dried golden trumpets of osmanthus blossoms.
It’s liquor has a strong flower aroma and fills the mouth with a silky sweetness of ripe peaches.
TAIWANESE OOLONGS
BAI HAO (ORIENTAL BEAUTY)
This balled oolong is also known as “Champagne Oolong”, as well as White or Silver Tip Oolong, Dong Fang Mei Ren, White Monkey Oolong, and Pekoe Oolong.
Its special nature is due to an infestation of the plants each summer by insects which bite the leaves while they are still growing on the bush. The leaves begin to oxidize in the summer sun, which helps to develop a fruity sweetness in the tea.
The plant, defending itself, produces enzymes that give the tea its unique sour-sweet flavor.
The liquor has a clear amber appearance and a complex, sweet, fruity character.
TUNG TING (DONG-DING)
One of Taiwan’s finest oolongs. It is made with young leaves from bushes that grow on a hilly highland (region of Sungpoling), that is sheltered by areca palm and giant bamboo.
This Jade ball-style, green-leaved tea, has a sweet, silky, floral flavor.
If the additional final baking step has been done, it would be called an Amber Tung Ting, which would yield a highly complex cup with honey notes and rich, dark, slightly toasty flavors.
ALI SHAN
One of Taiwan’s finest teas grown at the high-altitude and misty slopes of Alishan Mountain. Its leaves are formed into beautiful dense pellets.
Its liquor has a pale yellow-green color, and the aroma is intensely sweet and slightly toasted. Its flavor is full, creamy with special green tea notes.
BAO ZHONG (POUCHONG)
Pouchong are one type of open-leafed oolong teas from northern Taiwan. It is twisted rather than ball-shaped. They are processed the same way as Dark Oolongs, but the oxidation process is very short (only 12 to 18 percent), and the leaf is only lightly rolled to develop the flavor.
Its amber-green liquor has a delicate and sweet aroma with fresh flavor and notes of lilac.
MILKY OOLONG
This special balled oolong tea has an unusual silky, buttered aroma and flavor, with subtle notes of orchid.
It is made from the Jin Xuan tea plant cultivar developed in the 1970’s.
BLACK TEA
DESCRIPTION
Black tea is the most well-known tea in the western world. It is fully oxidized in its manufacture process.
It is in China known as red tea because of the coppery-red color of the liquor that it yields. When the Chinese speak of black tea, they mean dark teas such as Pu-erh.
Black teas range from mellow teas from China to full-bodied teas from Assam (India). This heftier varieties can be complemented with milk and/or sugar, but it is better to taste a delicate tea (such as Darjeeling First Flush), in its natural state, before deciding to add anything.
Traditionally, most premium black tea is produced in India or Sri Lanka, but owing to its growing popularity among the Chinese, black tea production is set to increase in that region.
HOW IS IT PRODUCED?
Black teas are grown and processed all over the world, and however methods of manufacture and the varieties produced vary enormously from country to country and from region to region, the process always involves four basic steps: Withering, rolling oxidation and drying or firing.
And the two major processing methods are known as orthodox and CTC (Cut, Tear and Curl).
The traditional orthodox method is still used in China, Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. It is more time and labor consuming, but results in higher quality tea.
After plucking, the leaves are spread out in warm air and allowed to wither for up to 18 hours to reduce their water content. The leaves are then soft and pliable, ready for the bruising phase.
They are then placed into a special rolling machine that presses and twists the leaves, breaking the cells inside them and releasing the natural juices needed to start the oxidation process. They are spread out on trays, racks or concrete slabs and allowed to rest in cool humid air for 20-30 minutes or longer. As they oxidize, the leaves turn a dark brown.
The leaves are then fired to end the oxidation and evenly dried in hot air.
Finally, the leaves are sorted into grades before being packaged.
In the CTC method, the leaf is withered in the same way as for orthodox teas, but instead of being rolled, it is macerated by the blades inside a CTC machine, which rotates very fast and chop the leaf, or even under other processors, it is teared and broken into tiny particles.
The remaining oxidation and drying stages of the process are the same as for orthodox method. In modern factories, CTC oxidation usually takes place on a conveyor belt that slowly moves the oxidizing tea towards the oven.
This CTC method of manufacture was developed in Assam in 1931, when the teabag was rising in popularity. Now is widely used in major tea-producing countries to create a small-leafed tea suitable for the production of teabags blends.
HOW TO BREW IT
Quantity of Tea
3g per 250 ml of water
Water Temperature
95 - 98º C
Infusion Length
2 - 3 min small leaves4 - 5 min large leaves
MORE ABOUT IT
ORIGIN
CHINA
Black tea was most likely developed by the Chinese during the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), for export to Western markets because it was known to stand up to a long journey.
INDIA
In the middle of the 18th century, in search of a way to produce its own tea due to the huge amount of tea consumed by the British and the wholly dependent for their supplies on China -the only large producer at that time- the tea plant was discovered growing as a native in Assam, and climate and altitude conditions were found suitable for its cultivation. (The large imports of expensive Chinese tea only had exchange with the opium grown in Assam by the East Indian Company, trade dispute that eventually led to the Opium Wars between the two).
Some attempts with Camellia Sinensis from China were made but failed. It was then decided that the local Camellia Sinensis Assamica should be used instead.
In 1838 the first Assam tea was sold successfully in the London Tea Auctions. The industry then spread to Darjeeling, Bengal and Nilgiri. Production increased rapidly, and today India is one of the world´s largest black tea producers.
SRI LANKA
In 1815, the island of Ceylon came under the control of the British who decided to cultivate coffee here. But in 1869 a coffee rust fungus destroyed the coffee bushes and caused the collapse of the island’s coffee industry. Planters were forced to diversify to avoid total ruin.
In 1866 James Taylor, with some basic knowledge he had acquired in India, began manufacturing black tea. After a success of these first teas, a fully equipped factory was set up, and in 1872 the first Ceylon teas were shipped to England.
BENEFITS
There are many benefits that the daily consumption of a cup of black tea brings, in addition to all the benefits that the tea plant in general brings to our body. We can find benefits on a psychological level, such as help in concentration problems, thanks to the fact that it strengthens the processing of information and therefore the learning processes.
CAFFEINE
The leaves of the Camellia sinensis var. assamica are thought to contain more caffeine; however, black tea contains less caffeine than a cup of coffee and runs in the middle of the caffeine in various types of tea.
PECULIARITIES
- There are no firm rules as to which tea should be drunk when, but as a suggestion we recommend as the best moments to drink a Black tea, before breakfast, with breakfast, middle morning, lunch, and with afternoon tea. Choose a strong black tea to start your day, as it gives a gentle dose of caffeine that allows the mind and the body to invigorate and get ready for the day. Example, English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Assam, Kenya or Yunnan.
- Food pairing recommendations for black teas are with cheese, meats (ham, beef, etc), cold food, pasta, sweets, jams and marmalades, pastry and spicy food. As for the afternoon tea, many black teas pair well with the food offered, such as cheese sandwiches, savories, and lemon tarts (Earl Grey), cucumber and salad ingredients sandwiches (strong Ceylon), creamy products, sconds & clotted cream (Darjeeling), and chocolate cakes or sweets (English Breakfast).
TYPES AND VARIETIES
SPECIALTY TEAS
-The most common Specialty black teas on the market are:-
ASSAM
Assam is the largest tea-growing region in the world, and accounts for approximately 55% of India’s total tea production. It is a vast and beautiful region of dense forests and open plains where the Brahmaputra River runs.
Assam teas are grown at low elevation in north-eastern India and famous for its malty flavor.
SECOND FLUSH ASSAM: The plucking of tea to make this flush is mainly May and June. A high level of tippy leaves demonstrates a carefully made, good quality Assam tea. The infusion is clear amber, and the flavor is rich, sweet, malty and smooth.
You can learn more about Camelia Sinensis Var. Assamica here.
DARJEELING
Many of Darjeeling teas bushes are descendant from, or in some cases, still are the tea plants bought from China in the 19th century by the British. Others are the Assamicas acquired by early planters. But many factors play a part in shaping the unique taste and aroma of Darjeeling tea; the cool weather and high altitude slow the plant’s grow and concentrate flavor, fresh fruity notes.
The teas made in the spring are known as First Flush teas and they are among the first new teas produced each year in the world’s seasonal tea regions
Grown in the Indian region of the same name, the flavor profile of a Darjeeling varies with the time of harvest, with the FIRST FLUSH revealing peachy, honey, muscatel notes and high astringency. The second flush displaying medium body, less astringency, and citrusy, crisp, apricot notes; and the autumnal flush delivering full body and hints of ripe fruit and briskness. These teas are sometimes referred to as the Champagne of the tea world.
CEYLON
Grown in low, middle, and high elevations in Sri Lanka. Low-grown Ceylons are bold and have good strength; mid-grown teas are rich, with little less boldness in the cup; and high-grown teas are the most delicate and smooth and carry floral notes.
KEEMUN
Smooth, semisweet Chinese tea with hints of subtle smoky flavor; sometimes described as the Burgundy wine of the tea world.
YUNAN
Rich-bodied, slightly spicy Chinese tea with notes of chocolate and sweet raisin.
LAPSANG SOUCHONG (SMOKED TEA)
Lapsang Souchong teas are a specialty of Fujian Province.
It is a type of Tea Bush that grows in the Wuji Mountains.
The leaves are withered over pine or cypress wood fires and then pan-fried and rolled. They are next pressed into wooden barrels, covered with cloth and left to oxidize. Then fried again and rolled into tight strips. Finally, hung in baskets over smoking pine wood fires to dry.
The intensely black leaves give a dark red liquor that has a distinctive smoky aroma and flavor.
ENGLISH BREAKFAST
In Britain, English Breakfast is traditionally made up of a blend of teas from Assam (gives the warm, malty smoothness), Ceylon (adds the brisk golden quality), and Kenya (for its strength and depth of flavor and color). Some American companies use China Keemun teas as the base of this blend.
In fact, despite its name, the first English Breakfast tea was created in New York in the nineteenth century.
This famous blend isn’t just for breakfast! It is a versatile tea which can be drunk on its own or with food. The warm, malty notes lend themselves well to afternoon tea, where it will work perfectly with each course.
FLAVORED AND SCENTED BLACK TEAS
-Two famous scented or flavored black teas are:-
ROSE CONGOU (ROSE PETAL BLACK)
All Congou teas consist of carefully made, neat, unbroken black leaf. Rose Congou is blended with dried pink rose petals to give a powerfully fragrant aroma and a warm, coppery infusion that is smooth, mellow, and gently flavored with sweet roses.
EARL GREY
Earl Grey is the most popular and well-known flavored blend in the world. Traditionally it is a combination of China black tea with the essential oil of bergamot. This citrus fruit (original from the region of Calabria, Italy), gives the tea a refreshing, aromatic orange-lemon flavor.
Earl Grey really is a tea for all occasions. A great accompaniment to afternoon tea, perfect for a mid-morning break or even to wake you up with breakfast. Can be taken with or without milk.
Several stories, all of which relate to Earl Grey (the British Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834), have emerged over the years to explain the origin of this famous tea, but it is impossible to know if any of them are true.
You can learn more about Specialty Teas, and Flavored & Scented Teas here
DARK TEA
DESCRIPTION
Dark Teas (known by the Chinese as “black teas”), are aged, post-fermented teas. They are teas that begin as green teas before going under slow, secondary, post-manufacture microbial fermentation.
The best-known of these “aged” teas is PUERH TEA from China’s Yunnan Province. Another famous dark tea is HEI CHA, from the Chinese Hunan Province.
In 2009, puerhs teas were awarded “protected geographic identity” which means that to call a tea a puerh tea, it must be made in one of the 639 villages of Yunnan Province, must be made from assamica variety of the Camellia Sinensis (large-leafed variety), and must be processed by a specific methodology.
HOW IS PUERH TEA PRODUCED
All puerh tea starts as a raw, unrefined green tea called MAO CHA. In the past, puerh would ferment on the long journey from China to several destinies, via the “Tea Horse Road”. Today, undergo a much faster ripening process.
During this process, microbes in the tea are activated by humidity, temperature, and oxygen. The tea becomes alive, and the color of the leaf and character of the tea change very slowly over time. The fermentation processes changed the strong, astringent bitterness of a green tea to a sweeter, honeyed mellowness (the longer the tea aged, the sweeter, mellower, smoother the character became).
Puerh teas are classified into two types: Raw Puerh and Cooked Puerh.
RAW PUERH (SHENG) (Uncooked or green type)
The finest and most expensive raw puerhs are made with leaf plucked from wild ancient trees (100 to 2000 years old).
The leaves are withered for a short time on a shady place, then panned to stop oxidation. After that, the leaves are hand-rolled on bamboo baskets and dried in the sun. During this natural drying, the leaf oxidizes a little and darkens to brown.
Then the leaves are steamed and compressed into round cakes, flat rectangular slabs or left loose. It is then store in temperature-and humidity-controlled conditions and allowed to mature for several years. The microbial fermentation takes place slowly day by day. The leaf turns from green-brown to reddish-brown, and flavor from astringent to honeyed.
They can age even hundred years. The longer time, the less astringent and bitter and the sweeter and smoother the flavor becomes. The best ones sell for thousands of dollars.
COOKED PUERH (SHOU) (Ripened, cooked, or black type)
The manufacture of cooked puerh was developed in the 1970s to allow producers make puerh teas more quickly. These teas are often earthly and elemental in character.
The leaves (some picked from ancient trees but more often from young, cultivated bushes), are withered, rolled and dried in the same way as raw puerhs. Then moistered with water carefully measured, and a bacterial process begins. The tea is piled and covered for up to forty days in a hot, humid room.
The covers are sometimes removed, and the mixture is turned to distribute the bacteria, heat, and moisture evenly. Bacteriological activity causes the leaf to ferment more quickly than in raw puerh cakes. Once ready, tea is dried and then compressed the same way as raw or left loose. It is then stored for aging a much shorter time, in temperature-and humidity-controlled conditions.
Cooked puerh often yields thick liquors that are dark copper or inky-black in color, with a smell and taste that is quite earthly and musty.
When they are ready to sell, they are individually wrapped in tissue paper that provides details of when and where the tea was made. They are finally placed in boxes or stacked in sevens and wrapped in bamboo leaves or grasses to protect the quality.
HOW TO BREW IT
Quantity of Tea
3g per 250 ml of water
Water Temperature
95 - 98º C
Infusion Length
2 - 3 min
MORE ABOUT IT
ORIGIN
Dark teas were, originally made more than 1000 years ago, once green teas compressed for transportation to Tibet and other remote regions of China (where tea could not be grown at the highest elevations of the country). The journey from southern Yunnan Province to Lhasa was very long and slow, and the teas absorbed humidity from the air of became wet in rainy conditions. This activated natural bacteria and microbes in the tea leaves, causing slow, natural fermentation to take place.
Another famous dark tea is HEI CHA, from the Chinese Hunan Province.
Like puerhs, it was originally made for transportation to the minority groups of people living in far regions of China in Tibet and Mongolia and was also called “Border Sale Tea”. Today it is made in Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, Guangxi and Diangui.
Like puerhs, it starts as a green tea, but there are several differences in the conditions and manufacturing processes.
BENEFITS
Puerhs are best known for reducing cholesterol and aiding weight loss.
But it is also known for several other positive health benefits as helps regulate intestinal flora, and is therefore recommended in cases of diarrhea, intestinal infections and to prevent and fight against intestinal cancer.
This tea also accelerates the metabolism of the liver which can help protect against liver damage.
Puerh tea is a tremendous energizing tea and a great alternative to coffee, due to the high level of L-theanine present in sheng or raw puerh. According to various studies, L-theanine aids with mental focus, increases cognitive performance, improves mood. It also helps to combat stress and anxiety and reduces blood pressure.
In summary, drinking puerh in the morning will help you gain some focus and energy for the upcoming day and get your digestion going, as it’s an excellent tea for this specific area, as we mentioned before.
CAFFEINE
When the tea leaves are going through fermentation, their caffeine content starts slowly breaking down. In short, the longer we age the tea, the less caffeine it will have.
Raw puerh aged for a few years has a higher caffeine content than one aged for 10+ years.
On the other hand, ripe puerh tea, thanks to the wet-piling process, which quickens aging, naturally has more caffeine.
Usually, hei cha contains less caffeine than both raw and cooked puerh.
PECULIARITIES
- Regarding the dark tea Hei cha, a legend says that at first such “damaged” teas were rejected, but when some of the remote villages were struck by an outbreak of dysentery, the local people were desperate and drank the spoiled tea and were cured of their sickness. After that, this type of tea became very popular, and today these properties are highly recognized.
- The bacteria present on the puerh is called Asper Nigellus, and the bacteria present in hei cha is called Eurotium Cristatum.
- There are no firm rules as to which tea should be drunk when, but as a suggestion we recommend as the best moments to drink a Puerh, before breakfast to lose weight, after meals as digestive, and with fatty meals. These teas taste much differently than they smell, so important to explore and taste before. But they are an especially good choice after a heavy meal.
- Food pairing recommendations for Puerh teas are with very spicy food, very oily and fatty food, mushrooms.
TYPES AND VARIETIES
RAW PUERH (SHENG)
2000 WILD RAW PUERH TEA CAKE
Discs like 2000 Yi Wu Mountain puerh from South Yunnan (Xisuanbanna), are of excellent value, as many of the larger compressed cakes of puerh are too expensive for most people to buy. One disc can yield approximately 700 infusions.
This puerh tea has a golden-green liquor with a clean, elegant, and nutty aroma and flavor.
MINI TUO CHA RAW PUERH (Xianguan Factory)
From Yunnan Province, these cakes of puerh are little, neat, compressed, and ball-shaped.
This raw puerh gives a vibrantly rich but subtle liquor with hints of smokiness and a gentle sweety finish of apricots and peaches.
TUO CHA RAW TIPPY PUERH
Woody amber-gold and oaky brown leaves. The liquor is amber with pink hues and has a mellow earthiness and hints of sweet, damp woodland air.
COOKED PUERH (SHOU)
MINI TUO CHA COOKED PUERH (MENGHAI FACTORY)
These puerh mini cakes give a dark red liquor with an intensely earthy aroma and woody taste.
COOKED GOLD TIP PUERH
This puerh comes from the snowy mountains of northwest Yunnan. The leaves are fine, twisty, hazel-brown. The liquor has an earthy aroma, and a silky sweet flavor with undertones of caramelized figs and a sweet licorice aftertaste.
INFUSIONS
DESCRIPTION
As we have learned, not all herbal beverages can be categorized as tea. Only those coming from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant.
The rest are simply infusions, many times also known as tisanes.
HOW IS IT PRODUCED
Infusions or Tisanes are made from various other plants, and use all parts of them such as bark, stems, roots, flowers, seeds, fruits, and leaves.
HOW TO BREW IT
Tisanes should be infused with freshly boiled water. Unlike tea, tisanes do not require different timings per type.
As herbs are neither oxidized nor processed in any way apart from drying, they do not require delicate treatment.
Quantity of Tea
3g per 250 ml of water
Water Temperature
95 - 100º C
Infusion Length
3 - 5 min
MORE ABOUT IT
ORIGIN
For centuries, healing infusions have been used in traditional Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine, to treat the symptoms of various health problems.
Now it is widely available in the West and all the world around, to find wellness blends and mixtures.
BENEFITS
Infusions can not only be recomforting, delicious hot beverages, but also be of incredible benefit to the body due to their medicinal properties. They can help it to detox, calm and relax, induce sleep, or treat cold and flu symptoms.
- Detox infusions can help to cleanse the system. (Those containing for example, ginger, liquorice roots, dandelion)
- Cold-busting infusions are full of antioxidants and vitamin C, to help relieve the symptoms of the common cold. (Those containing for example, cinnamon, ginger, liquorice, lemon verbena. Chamomile is an immune boosting.)
- Infusions that have a calming effect are primarily aromatic, as fragrances play a key part in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and insomnia. (Those containing for example, chamomile, lemon verbena and basil. Lavender can aid a restful sleep).
- Infusions blended to help with digestion have a soothing effect and are best as an after-dinner beverage. (Those containing for example, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel, liquorice root).
- Infusions with anti-inflammatory properties are helpful in treating arthritis and other joint problems. (Those containing for example, ginger and turmeric roots, cranberries and blueberries).
- Infusions known as beauty blends contribute to improve blood circulation and skin elasticity. (Example, Rose petals have an invigorating effect on the skin. Bamboo leaf is believed to improve skin, hair and nail health. Lemon verbena improves the condition of the skin).
*Plants and herbs have a complicated chemistry and may not mix well with conventional medicines or may aggravate allergies. It is important to always check before making any a part of a constant healing plan.
CAFFEINE
Except for yerba mate, tisanes do not contain caffeine.
PECULIARITIES
- Dried ingredients have concentrated oils that release their goodness in hot water.
- Fruits are best used fresh, while plants are mostly potent in taste and aroma when dried.
- It is advised to use only stainless steel or glass pots to boil herbs (never use aluminum, iron, or copper cookware, as the chemical composition will affect the essence and integrity of the ingredients).
TYPES AND VARIETIES
They can be generally divided into two main categories – “herb infusions”, made from bark, roots, flowers, leaves, and seeds (simple such as chamomile, peppermint, and more complex when spices added)- and “fruit infusions” (mainly with dried fruits, from sweet to more tangy), which also work great as iced teas.
ROOTS
Roasted dried roots can be used as caffeine-free tea substitutes.
- liquorice
- ginger
- chicory
BARK
Barks are great cold busters, as they are soothing, pain relieving, and have anti-oxidant properties.
- cinnamon
- wild cherry
- willow bark
FRUITS & SEEDS
Full of vitamins and minerals with potent health-boosting properties, also improving the taste of the infusion.
- berries
- citrus peel
- cardamom
- fennel
FLOWERS (and petals)
Fresh and dried they are used to add color and flavor.
Many have anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties.
- rose buds
- chamomile
- hibiscus
- elderflower
- lavender
- HONEYBUSH: Another South African wonderful bush like Rooibos, but slightly sweeter in taste than it. Its name comes from its scented yellow flowers with distinctly honey scent. Contains no caffeine, and is packed with vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
LEAVES
Herbal leaves contain a combination of sugars, proteins, and enzymes, all beneficial to health. They also release wonderful flavors and aromas.
- lemon verbena
- mint
- lemon balm
- basil
- ROOIBOS: Infusion made from the leaves of the Rooibos plant, which only grows in the Cederberg region in South Africa. The name rooibos means “red bush”, as it is also known, but the red color of this infusion comes from the fermentation process (the rooibos bush is actually green). It is a sweet soothing drink, nutty in taste, naturally caffeine-free. Wonderful to ease headaches, nervous tension and insomnia.
- YERBA MATE: Small evergreen tree, native to the subtropical highlands of northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brasil. It means “cup of herbs”. It is thought to boost immunity, cleanse, and detoxify the blood, combat fatigue and stress, eliminate insomnia and reduce weight.
