Tea Escapade

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2008-04-08T05:30:00.000-07:00

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Indian Spice - Assam Black Tea

2008-04-06T16:54:00.000-07:00

Of course after researching black teas, I was curious as to the origin of the Indian Spice (flavored black tea) I had the pleasure of drinking and reviewing yesterday. A cursory review of the Harney and Sons website revealed that my favorite tea is an Indian Assam tea.

Assam, is tea grown at sea level and is known for its body, briskness, malty flavor, and strong, bright color. Assam teas, or blends containing Assam, are often sold as "breakfast" teas. English Breakfast tea, Irish Breakfast tea, and Scottish Breakfast Tea are common generic names. Assam may not be a common word in your vocabulary, however English Breakfast tea and Irish Breakfast tea part my lips often. A point of reference when learning something new is always nice.

Historically, Assam is the second commercial tea production region after southern China. Southern China and Assam are the only two regions in the world with native tea plants. Assam tea revolutionized tea drinking habits in the 19th century since the tea, produced from a different variety of the tea plant, yielded a different kind of tea. My love for strong tea certainly makes me an Assam tea fan. I cannot wait until my next cup!

Happy tea drinking!

Black Tea?

2008-04-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

I figured I cannot consider myself a tea aficionado without taking the time to learn about and understand what I drink. After I enjoyed my delicious cup of Indian Spice I took some time to do additional research on black tea as it is tea found in Indian Spice.

For those of you who did not know as well as those who want to refresh their memories, black tea is a variety of tea that is more oxidized than the green, oolong and white varieties. Amazingly, all four varieties are made from the same plant - or should I say leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Black tea is known for its stronger flavor and contains more caffeine than the less oxidized teas - green, oolong, or white.

Generally, unblended black teas are named after the region in which they are produced. Often, different regions are known for producing teas with characteristic flavors. The first region of teas listed below are Chinese black teas.

Lapsang Souchong (正山小种 or 烟小种): originally from Mount Wuyi, Fujian Province, China. It is a black tea which is dried over burning pine, thereby developing a strong smoky flavour.
Keemun (祁門) : from Qimen, Anhui Province, China, a Chinese Famous Tea.
Dian Hong (滇紅): from Yunnan Province, China. Well known for dark malty teas and golden bud teas.
Ying De Hong (英徳紅): from Guangdong Province, China.
Ju Qiu Mei Hong: from Hu Fou district, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China.

I have not purchased black teas in a while, therefore the next time I do, I will refer back to this list to determine which I am drinking. The next region of teas listed come from India and Sri Lanka:

Assam: from Assam, India. Full bodied, strong and distinctively malty.
Darjeeling: from West Bengal, India.
Kangra: from Himachal Pradesh, India.
Nilgiri: from Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu, India.
Ceylon: from Sri Lanka.

Rest assured, I plan to research my Indian Spice tea to determine which category it falls into. As always, I will keep you posted as soon as I find out. To finalize my list of teas from around the world, I discovered that several other regions offer distinctive, well known black teas.

Kenyan: from Africa, similar to Assam.
Vietnamese: from Vietnam, similar to some cheaper Yunnan teas, with a pleasant and sweet aroma but a more bodied and darker brew; unlike teas from Nepal or Darjeeling.
Nepalese: from uplands of Nepal. Somewhat similar to lower grades of Darjeeling.
Rize Tea (Çay): from Rize Province on the eastern Black Sea coast of Turkey, that is crystal clear and mahogany in colour. Prepared in a samovar or a caydanlik, it can be served strong ("koyu" dark) or weak ("açik" light), in small glasses with cubed sugar.
Thai tea: from Thailand
Azerbaijani tea: from Caucasus in Azerbaijan
Georgian tea: from Caucasus in Georgia
Krasnodar tea: from Caucasus in Russia
Java tea: from Indonesia, has got nutty aroma, very different from both Chinese and Indian teas.
Sumatra tea: from Indonesia, similar to Java tea.

The next time you prepare to brew a soothing cup of black tea, check the label to determine from where the leaves originated and the category of black tea to which it belongs. Then return and share your experience. Happy tea drinking!

Reference: Black tea. (2008, April 1). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:33, April 5, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Black_tea&oldid=202475951

Indian Spice

2008-04-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

This morning I am drinking Indian Spice, a flavored black tea. When I need a strong drink I reach for Indian Spice - it is both striking and soothing.

Composition: Indian (pellet tea) blended with cardamom seeds, cinnamon and cardamom flavor

Visual: Dark brown with hints of red pellets. Dry mix resembles coffee grounds.
Dry Aroma: Very pungent robust scent - this tea has a spicy yet soapy (cardamom) smell
Flavor: Full bodied and slightly bitter - probably attributed to the cardamon. I prefer to drink with honey and milk or cream. However, depending on my mood, I may drink without milk/cream.
Liquor: Dark brown
Brewing Time: 5 minutes - I love a strong cup of tea.
Manufacturer: Harney & Sons Fine Teas
Caffeine: Yes

Special Note: When brewed with milk this delicious tea is known as the popular Chai Tea.

What is cardamom?

Cardamom is the dried, unripened fruit of the perennial Elettaria cardamomum. Enclosed in the fruit pods are tiny, brown, aromatic seeds which are slightly pungent to taste. Cardamom pods are generally green but are also available in bleached white pod form. It is available both in the whole pod and as decorticated seeds with the outer hull removed.

The next time you are looking for a new tea try Indian Spice, then return to Tea Escapade and comment about your experience. Until then...Happy Tea Drinking!

Reference: McCormick Spice Encyclopedia located at http://www.mccormick.com/content.cfm?id=8214

Teaposy

2008-04-04T19:48:00.000-07:00

To appropriately enjoy my new art teas, I purchased a clear glass teapot. Initially, I found clear glass teapots available for purchase on both the Bed Bath and Beyond and Harney and Sons websites. While each company sold these teapots in a variety of sizes, I opted for the smaller 24 ounce teapot. Typically, I drink tea alone and anticipate doing so in the future.

At the time of purchase, Harney and Sons were out of the small sized clear glass teapots they normally carry. This is what prompted me to check Bed Bath and Beyond. FYI, if ordering from Bed Bath and Beyond the teaposy can only be purchased online. The brand carried there is "teaposy" designed specifically for their blooming tea carrying the same namesake. Blooming tea is synonymous with art tea. A special feature of the teaposy is the strainer that fits perfectly within the spout. I found this to be beneficial as the bulb lost several petals when water was added to the teapot to activate steeping.

Other retailers that carry clear glass teapots:

TeaGschwendner
Stash Tea
Amazon.com
Williams-Sonoma
Adagio Teas
Target

There are a numerous sizes, shapes, and styles to choose from. Search the Internet and brick and mortar buildings for the teapot that is perfect for you.

Happy Tea Drinking!

Seven Sons Congratulating

2008-04-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

Recently, my family and I drank Seven Sons Congratulating for the first time. This tea is one of the four "Art Teas" sold by Harney and Son Fine Teas. Of course, I had to purchase a special clear glass tea pot for the occasion. Not being able to watch the tea "bloom" would have spoiled the fun. The tasting would not have been complete without a review.

Composition: Green and White Tea buds
Dry Visual: Looks like a flower bulb planted in one's flower bed
Dry Aroma: Very little smell
Flavor: I was pleasantly surprised by how flavorful this tea was. My first love leans towards a stronger tea so I typically do not drink green tea. Seven Sons Congratulating has changed my mind.

Liquor: Yellow with a slightly pink hue

Brewing Time: Typically 3 to 5 minutes. However, to obtain the full effect of the Art Tea, the bulb remains in the clear glass teapot thus causing the tea to increase in strength.
Manufacturer: Harney & Sons Fine Teas
Caffeine: Yes

Special Note:

The green and white tea buds are pressed into a bulb with a red flower. When placed into hot water, the bulb blossoms revealing the red flower surrounded by a white crown. One bulb brews two to three cups of tea.

If there are any other Seven Sons Congratulating drinkers out there I'd love to hear from you. Until then...happy tea drinking!

Reference: Harney and Sons website - http://harney.com

Mutan White Tea?

2008-04-03T21:26:00.000-07:00

After checking out the packaging on my Winter White Earl Grey, I discovered that my tea of choice is a Mutan White Tea. What is Mutan White Tea? I don't know, so I started conducted a little research.

So far, I have not found a lot of information on Mutan White Tea. However, I was able to find out a significant am out of information on White Tea. My findings are as follows:

Chinese white teas:

Bai Hao Yinzhen (Silver needle): The highest grade of the Bai Hao Yinzhen should be fleshy, bright colored and covered with tiny white hairs. Fujian Province, China.

Bai Mu Dan (White Peony): A grade down from Bai Hao Yinzhen tea, incorporating the bud and two leaves which should be covered with a fine, silvery-white down. From Fujian Province, China. (Sometimes spelled Pai Mu Tan.)

Gong Mei (Tribute Eyebrow): The third grade of white tea, the production uses leaves from the Xiao Bai or "small white" tea trees.

Shou Mei (Noble, Long Life Eyebrow): A fruity, furry white tea that is a chaotic mix of tips and upper leaf, it has a stronger flavor than other white teas, similar to Oolong. It is the fourth grade of white tea and is plucked later than Bai Mu Dan hence the tea may be darker in color. From Fujian Province and Guangxi Province in China

Other white teas:

Ceylon White: A highly prized tea grown in Sri Lanka. The tea has a very light liquoring with notes of pine and honey and a golden coppery infusion.

Darjeeling White: It has a delicate aroma and brews to a pale golden cup with a mellow taste and a hint of sweetness. A tea from Darjeeling, India.

Assam White: White tea production in the Assam region is rare. A white Assam yields a refined infusion that is naturally sweet with a distinct malty character.

White Puerh Tea: Harvested from plantations found high on remote mountain peaks of Yunnan Province, China. Incredibly labor intensive with each step processed by hand, these luxury whites are wonderfully rich in fragrance, and possess an alluring, sweet nectar-like quality.

Thus far, I am unable to determine what category Mutan White falls into. If you know, please share - I would love to be enlightened further.

Reference:White tea. (2008, February 28). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 11:46, April 2, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_tea&oldid=194705669

What Is White Tea?

2008-04-02T04:51:00.000-07:00

To satisfy my lust for knowledge, I decided to conduct a little research to learn more about white tea. Considering it is my favorite tea, I should be somewhat knowledgeable about my drink of choice.

My Internet research, led me to Wikipedia a site that is becoming the premier place to garner information. It was exciting to discover that white tea is tea manufactured by a process that uses relatively low heat and no rolling. The formative stage is an extended period of withering, during which enzymatic reactions progress under the right temperature, humidity and airflow. The key is to get the fresh leaves to mature properly with minimal oxidation. White tea usually contains buds and young tea leaves, which have been found to contain lower levels of caffeine than older leaves. I found this particular information quiet useful as it is important to me to maintain low levels of caffeine ingestion.

White tea is a specialty of the Chinese province Fujian. The leaves come from a number of varieties of tea cultivars. The most popular are Da Bai (Large White), Xiao Bai (Small White), Narcissus and Chaicha bushes. According to the different standards of picking and selection, white teas can be classified into a number of grades. Over the next few days, I will continue my research to determine what those grades actually are and under what category my yummy Winter White Earl Grey falls.

Until then...happy tea drinking!

Reference:
White tea. (2008, February 28). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 11:46, April 2, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_tea&oldid=194705669

Tea Classifications

2008-04-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

Until three years ago, I never paid much attention to tea. I always enjoyed drinking tea - especially "herbal" tea; however my tastes were not discriminating. I had no qualms about grabbing the first box of tea on the grocery store shelf that sounded good.

The term loose tea was not in my vocabulary - neither were the words white tea, Ceylon or oolong nor did I have a need for tea accessories. My "life-changing" event occurred the day I went to a facial happy hour at Origins in my local mall with a group of friends. It was there that I sipped on white tea while "enduring" a facial with beauty products infused with white tea. My curiosity was peaked and thus began my slow, yet fateful journey into tea.

Today, I drink white tea regularly and have since learned:

Tea is traditionally classified into four main groups, based on the degree of fermentation undergone:

White tea - young leaves that have undergone no oxidation

Green tea - minimal oxidation. Kukicha or Winter Tea - Twigs and old leaves, pruned from the tea plant during its dormant season and dry-roasted over a fire। Popular as a health food in Japan and in the macrobiotic diet

Oolong - whose oxidation is stopped somewhere in-between

Black tea - substantial oxidation. Pu-erh - A subclass of Black tea, Pu-erh is a very unusual product. While most teas are consumed within a year of production, Pu-erh can be over 50 years old. Over this time they acquire an earthy flavour due to the layer of mold that develops on the leaves (or tea brick if they are compressed). The tea is often steeped for long periods of time (Tibetans are known to boil it overnight). Pu-erh is considered a medicinal tea in China.

I now realize that my journey has just begun. Come join me!

Reference: http://encyclozine.com/Recreation/Indoor/Cuisine/Tea/

Winter White Earl Grey

2008-03-31T08:09:00.000-07:00

Today I am drinking... Winter White Earl Grey, which for the past two years has been my favorite hot tea beverage.

Composition: Mutan white tea with bergamot

Visual: A mixture of light and dark green leaves this loose tea comes packaged in silk triangular shaped sachets.

Dry Aroma: Very Pungent - currently undescribable

Flavor: Full bodied and slightly bitter - probably attributed to the bergamot as I am reminded of a lemon/orange rind. I prefer to drink with sweetener - sugar, sugar in the raw or honey

Liquor: Dark yellow to light brown

Brewing Time: 3-8 minutes - I opt for 8 minutes because I love a strong cup of tea.

Manufacturer: Harney & Sons Fine Teas

Caffeine: Yes

Special Note: One tea bag brews two cups of tea

What is Bergamot? (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Main Entry: ber·ga·mot
Function: noun
Etymology: French bergamote, from Italian bergamotta, modification of Turkish bey armudu, literally, the bey's pear
Date: 1650
a pear-shaped orange of a Mediterranean tree (Citrus aurantium bergamia) having a rind that yields an essential oil used especially in perfumery