Tea Blog

Spring Forth into a Summer of Tea

May 14, 2013 in Tea - Iced Tea | Tags: Iced Tea, summer, tea | by William I. Lengeman III | Leave a comment

Iced Tea by Shangri La – Traditional Black Brew Bags

When it comes to tea, certain seasons are known for certain things. I’m drawing a blank when it comes to autumn and winter, though it’s safe to say those are times when the warming qualities of a nice hot cup of tea are much appreciated.

We are currently passing through spring, perhaps best known for being a time when the first tea harvests of the year take place. This gives us shincha, a Japanese term meaning “new tea,” and some of the finer of these varieties are among the most coveted of all teas.

Right now, the afternoon temperature in my part of the world stands at 92 degrees (with 5 percent humidity – truly a dry heat). So it seems very summery, even though summer officially does not commence for almost two months.

All of which means iced tea season is approaching. Never mind that for some of us, it’s always iced tea season. I’ve already written a few articles about my curious tea drinking habits and though my Esteemed Editor will surely cringe, I’ll direct you to one of them.

Rather than reinventing the wheel and writing yet another article about bold new ways to prepare iced tea and whatnot, I thought I’d direct you to a few of the fine articles already in the archives here as well as touching on some miscellaneous iced tea-related bits.

Such as iced tea consumption in the United States. I don’t doubt that Americans drink a lot of iced tea and that the majority of what we drink is of the iced variety. What I wonder about is that in the seven years I’ve been writing about tea the only number I’ve seen given for the percentage of tea we drink is 85%. Maybe this number hasn’t changed even one percent in seven years or maybe I’m just looking in the wrong place.

Then I got to thinking about the term iced tea itself and wondering when it first came to be. I found a travel book from 1845 that commented on the iced tea, coffee and chocolate in Naples. Three years earlier, a writer in the London Quarterly Review noted that the Russians cooled all of their warm weather drinks with ice, including tea. But the oldest reference I was found (in my not completely thorough search) was a passing mention of iced tea in the 1827 volume, Domestic Economy, and Cookery, for Rich and Poor.

If you’d like to brush up on various facets of iced tea knowledge you can check out the articles at this site by going here. Among some highlights, an article that takes a look at a few brewing methods, one that looks at iced tea tidbits and trivia, and an examination of the critical sweetened vs. unsweetened issue.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles here.

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Tea in the Movies — “Around the World in 80 Days”

May 13, 2013 in Tea Enjoyment | Tags: movie, tea | by A.C. Cargill | Leave a comment

Tea in the movies is a real requirement when any of the characters are British. At least, that’s how it seems. So, tea being portrayed as an essential ingredient in a civilized life comes as no surprise in a movie adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic novel Around the World in 80 Days.

Around the World in 80 Days (Photo source: screen capture from site)

My favorite version of the movie was the one from 1956 (except for Shirley MacLaine as an Indian princess – totally unbelievable, but I guess no real Indian actresses were available at that time). The cameo roles are done by a Who’s Who list of Hollywood luminaries of that day. But of course David Niven is the standout as Phileas Fogg, a very proper English gent. I have it on DVD but ended up watching it on satellite when it came up on the schedule. It’s just easier to switch channels than switch the TV to DVD view, turn on the player, take out the disc and put it in the player. Phew! I’m worn out just writing that!

Since this is about a very proper English gent (and his very not-so-proper valet Passepartout), two activities are of utmost importance, even in his race against the clock while traveling around the world. One is the card game whist. The other is — can you guess? — tea time!

As Fogg puts it, “Crisis or no, nothing should interfere with tea!” So, be it sailing along in a big basket hanging beneath a hot air balloon that suddenly starts sinking or riding an elephant through thick jungle in India or bumping along in a train through the western U.S., nothing interfered with tea.

I mention all this not just because I like the movie, especially when enjoyed with a large pot of tea, but because there are many people out there claiming that they have no time for tea. Considering the advances in travel technology since Verne penned this book, you can now get around the world in about 2 days (per this source). So, that leaves 78 days for tea. Except that Fogg had tea even while traveling. Plus you have a lot of timesaving devices that should be giving you more time for tea. From electric tea kettles that boil water seconds faster to clothes washers to lawnmowers, the mundane tasks are now done faster and better. But wait — along with the timesavers came the time fillers: TVs, radios, computers, video games, movies… uh, wait, that last one is very worthwhile, especially when part of your tea time.

Maybe it’s time to make better use of the timesavers, less use of the time fillers, and have more time to enjoy a leisurely tea time! (Say that three times fast!)

See more of A.C. Cargill’s articles here.

Why Teas Are “Broken”?

May 13, 2013 in Tea - Other | Tags: tea | by teawriter | 2 comments

Formosa Oolong

“Broken tea”… amazingly, while I never encountered this term before I became an active tea geek, I used to think of tea itself as “broken tea” then, small flakes of something that faintly seems to be of natural origin, but no idea whatsoever, whether this was actually leaves once, or pieces of some wood or grain or…

Once I understood that tea is actually originally coming in the form of leaves, I started wondering, why they would “break” these beautiful leaves I had come to love so much in their natural form, and fill them into what is called tea bags instead of leaving them wholly and fill them right into the teapot? There’s an easy first answer to this: the first because of the second: there’s no way to fit beautiful “non-broken” tea leaves into those unholy, highly constricted “tea bags, while the tea bag seemed to be such an imperative for the majority of consumers that the question why tea leaves are broken was actually ridiculing itself.

Now, I think/I believe/I hope/I sense there is a change to this overall perception of the tea bag being an imperative going on. Using tea without the bag seems to be a lot trendier today as it used to be. Still, I can see “broken tea” being sold from the shelves of discounter market chains and tea shops alike in large plastic packs, cans, boxes, etc. There must be more about breaking my beloved tea leaves than just the alleged necessity of putting them into the odd space-restricted tea bag.

There is… topic “tea blending”: just like whole tea leaves won’t nicely fit into tea bags, the also won’t nicely blend with other teas, due to different looks, haptic, and behavioral characteristics. Traded broken teas being blends is not the exceptional case, it is the regular one.

And then, what all broken teas seem to have in common: they are comparably cheap, this possibly pointing to a generally low quality of broken tea? While in general I won’t advocate the idea that cheap teas are bad teas and expensive tea is good tea, there is logically a certain tendency to lower quality when it comes to broken (or tea-bagged) teas. Why? Hmm… think of a tea producer producing good quality tea… why would somebody, anybody, nurture selected tea plants for years, assess their grade of maturity, the right point in time for harvest on a weekly, sometimes daily basis, then handpick them, always the 2 top leaves only, and even these only, if they have a young sprout with them, then carefully dry and flip the picked leaves over and over for different periods, in different places, and with different light and temperature conditions, process them to the right level of oxidation and into the desired form, only to then break them all into tiny little pieces, blend them with some other broken tea (leftovers/rejects/excesses/cheap mass qualities?) of different origins, only in order to finally have it sold for pocket money from food discounter market chain shelves? No, I don’t think anybody would do that.

So let’s summarize: tea leaves are broken, so they

fit in tea bags;
are easy to blend with others;
will not disclose their low quality by their obviously poor leaf grade.

Reviewing this article, I thought I should write a bit more balanced, as I usually try to, and contrast the con’s with the pro’s, but c’mon, which are the pro’s of breaking beautiful tea leaves into little pieces, only to achieve the above-mentioned 3 dubious goals? I can’t think of any. Any input? Anybody?

See more of Thomas Kasper’s articles here.

The Non-endangered Species “Teaprincessica normalis”

May 11, 2013 in Tea Enjoyment | Tags: Tea Princess, tearoom | by A.C. Cargill | 1 comment

Let’s face it — the species Teaprincessica normalis is definitely not endangered. There are plenty of us out there with special tearooms, a collection of unusual yet useful teawares, a penchant for finding great places to take tea, and so on. And based on what I see on Facebook and other sites, the tea party is alive and well in towns across the U.S.

Teas for Your Inner Tea Princess

Yes, these are all flavored teas, which I would not normally promote since, as a personal preference, I prefer to taste the tea. However, these flavors are so party-ish that my inner Tea Princess says “Go for it!”

Blue Lady Flavored Black Tea — High-grown quality Ceylon tea with passion fruit, grapefruit, orange, and grenadine flavors. The name “Blue Lady” comes from its hauntingly sweet flavor (the blue lady is a recorded ghost sighting where a figure of a blue lady vanishes into the darkness — I bet she was a Tea Princess looking for a good tea!).
Island Coconut Naturally Flavored Black Tea — The tropical taste of coconut to bring memories of beaches and palm trees — great for you beach-loving Tea Princesses. A high-grown Ceylon tea from estates at more than 5,500 feet above sea level with added natural coconut flavoring.
Granny Green Apple Tea — A deliciously refreshing tea with true Granny Green Apple taste, just like the real thing! Perfect for any time of day. After all, you are a Tea Princess 24/7/365!
Peach Apricot White Tea — A paradise of fruit flavor for you more tropical-minded Tea Princesses. This delicious tea is enhanced with a blend of peach and apricot for natural sweetness.

Tearooms with a True Tea Princess Vibe

A few places I found that have a comfortable and yet not overly frilly vibe to them. If there’s one thing this Tea Princess cannot abide, it’s an overly fussy and frilly tea room. Many more are available, as a quick online search will show you.

The Ladies’ Tea Room at The Prince George — A meticulously restored turn-of-the-century Beaux Arts room with many period details that is conveniently located on 28th Street, between Fifth and Madison Avenues in New York City, New York.

The Ladies’ Tea Room at The Prince George (Photo source: screen capture from site)

Wisteria Tea Room & Café — Once a historic home, this tea room was restored by the owners, their family, and friends — rescuing original wood flooring and preserving southern Florida charm. They serve “English Tea with a Southern Flair” and will brew you the perfect cup of tea, serving it up with dishes made fresh from home-made family recipes. The perfect place for your Tea Princess Tea Party. 2512 Second Street, Fort Myers, Florida.

Wisteria Tea Room & Café (Photo source: screen capture from site)

Emma’s Tea Room — An elegant tea room that offers a charming, serene atmosphere offering over 65 teas, delicious food and desserts, and unique gifts. Owner Rebekah Klein and her friendly staff host many tea parties, including Red Hat luncheons, showers, receptions, dress-up teas, and parties for
children’s special occasions. Tea Princesses always welcome! 401 Pratt Avenue NE, Huntsville, Alabama.

Emma’s Tea Room (Photo source: screen capture from site)

Chocolate Angel Tea Room — Menu items are made fresh daily in their kitchens for Lunch, Afternoon Teas, and after-hours private parties. Eclectic vintage décor and nostalgic menu items assure that you experience true Southern hospitality. Sure to become a Tea Princess favorite. Three locations in Richardson, Texas.

Chocolate Angel Tea Room (Photo source: screen capture from site)

Bottom Line

Yes, the Teaprincessica normalis is alive and well and thriving. Sure there are tearooms that go out of business yet others are booming. Lots of things affect their level of success. Your patronage is one of them. By enjoying a nice tea at one of these fine establishments, you help spread the word and keep that Tea Princess spirit alive!

See more of A.C. Cargill’s articles here.

Do We Really Need 60 Second Tea?

May 11, 2013 in Preparing Tea and Herbals | Tags: Steeping Tea | by William I. Lengeman III | 1 comment

Black Tea (stock image)

Much has been said about the fast pace of modern life. So much, as a matter of fact, that I won’t belabor the point by saying much more. I’m not one to sit around and wail and gnash my teeth about this sort of thing because we can all choose the pace at which we live our lives, at least to some extent.

But I couldn’t help sitting up and taking notice recently when I ran across the following headline – Capresso Brews a Cup of Coffee or Tea in 60 Seconds. Well, I have to say that this seemed to be a bit much. I’m not one of those tea drinkers who gets all overcome with the meditative nature of the tea drinking experience. But on the other hand I wouldn’t say there’s anything wrong with that sort of approach.

I don’t think it would hurt any of us to slow down a bit and smell a few roses and whatnot, but my objection to this kind of speed tea is more along practical lines. I don’t know anything about preparing coffee and whether or not the process can be completed within a minute and still come up with something worth drinking. When it comes to tea I’d venture to say that the answer is no.

Of course, there is at least one notable exception I can think of and that is those who brew tea in the gaiwan style, using relatively large amounts of tea with smallish amounts of water and very short steeps. But to be slightly ungrammatical about the whole thing, this isn’t that.

This is tea prepared in the “Western” style, unless I’m missing something, and there are plenty of variables here to be sure. But for the most part 60 seconds isn’t going to cut it, especially for that old favorite of tea drinkers here in the West – black tea. I tend to steep my black tea near the lower end of the range, but even I always give it at least two minutes. Do the math.

My other concern with such a gadget is that tea seems an afterthought and it doesn’t seem that any allowance is made for the wide range of steeping times and water temperatures that are critical to prepare different types of tea effectively. Perhaps if you were going to spring for a product from this company your money would be better spent with something like this. You probably won’t get 60 second tea, but you can wait a few more minutes to make sure it’s done right.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles here.

Teas of the World: Mid-Grown Sri Lankan (Ceylon) Teas

May 10, 2013 in Tea - Ceylon | Tags: Ceylon Tea | by A.C. Cargill | Leave a comment

The number 3 or 4 player in tea growing in the world is the island nation off the south coast of India. Formerly named “Ceylon,” it is now called Sri Lanka. The teas, though, are still referred to as Ceylon teas. They are used in many blends, including brands like Barry’s and PG Tips, instead of being sold by themselves. But more and more you can find pure Ceylon teas and even some from various tea estates available.

Sylvakandy Estate is pure heaven in a cup! (Photo source: A.C. Cargill, all rights reserved)

Topography

Sri Lanka has elevations ranging from sea level to 7,000 or more feet above sea level. Their tea growing regions occupy three different elevation zones: high, mid, and low. The elevations of each zone, though, seems indeterminate, with different feet ranges posted on different sites. One site says they are: “Low Grown (sea level to 600 meters), Mid Grown (600meters to 1200 meters) and High Grown (1200 meters upward).” For our purposes here, I have gone by the designation used on the sites of some tea vendors who specialize in Ceylon teas.

In a previous article, we looked at some high elevation tea estates/factories. Time to check out some mid elevation (mid-grown) Ceylon teas.

Some Mid Elevation Tea Estates/Factories

Kenilworth (3,500 feet, Central Province) — Established at the turn of the last century and named after the famous castle in England, this estate still enjoys a reputation throughout the world for producing fine teas. Their OP holds the record for the top price bid at auction. With an annual rainfall of 4800mm, the estate is able to produce around two million pounds of black tea per year.
Shawlands (3,900 feet, Badulla region) — With the Madulsima mountain range on one side and Lunugala on the other, this estate, planted towards the end of the 19th century, is still thriving. Many of the tea bushes are original, giving the teas made from them a very unique taste.
Sanquhar (elev. not specified, Kandy District) — One of the oldest tea plantations in Sri Lanka. It sits in a valley, surrounded by blue mountains and waterfalls, and produces some of the best green teas on the island.
Geragama (1,500 feet, near Kandy) — Plenty of rainfall throughout the year yields about 6 tons of tea leaves per day during the rainy season (May to September) on only about 60 hectares. The estate is home to about 600 people dedicated to this important crop.
Sarnia Plaiderie (2,720–3,500 feet, Badulla District) — The estate is divided into five areas and, after privatization in 1992, underwent significant changes. Managed by Malwatte Valley Plantations Ltd, they have been focusing on leafy and semi-leafy teas, with their FBOP, Pekoe, OP1, FBOPF1 and BOP1 grades commanding record prices over the last few years.
Demodera (2,857 feet, Badulla District in the Uva Province) — This estate has been growing tea for over 100 years and cultivates 557,000 hectares. Most of the tea plants are vegetatively propagated from old seedling tea. The factory, built in 1912, is still producing quality tea at a rate of around 1.2 million ton of tea per year.
Sylvakandy Estate (elev. not specified, Kandy region) — One of the first region in Ceylon to grow tea and one of six tea-producing regions on this island nation. A lovely example of teas from this part of the world. (my review)

Don’t miss our next stop on this virtual world tea tour where we look at some low-grown Ceylon teas!

See more of A.C. Cargill’s articles here.

Tea and a Good Book

May 10, 2013 in Tea Enjoyment | Tags: book, read, tea | by elisenuding | Leave a comment

Teacup and Books (stock image)

Few things are as satisfying as sitting down with a good cup of tea and a good book. I sense many of you readers nodding along in agreement, but I wonder exactly why this is the case. Having recently (and unusually) had some time to get deeply stuck into a good book, I have been pondering this question. And, needless to say, if I am at home, I put the kettle on as I settle down to read. Here are a few musings on books and tea that have come out of this recent experience:

For me, there is a sense of ritual in both tea drinking and book reading. I have my places that I like to sit and read and times of the day that I prefer to read at. Likewise, there are specific ways I like to make my tea, and the act of putting the kettle on, brewing the tea, and then settling down to sip it are all part of my daily routines. This sense of ritual I have for both reading and tea drinking complement and reinforce one another.
Reading and drinking tea are both activities that are about having time to myself. Whilst it is true that I often drink tea in the company of others, and that sometimes tea is a rushed cuppa squeezed into my schedule, for the most part having a cup of tea means taking some time for myself. Likewise, serious reading only occurs when I have the time to really invest in it.
Unless I am reading a fast paced page-turner, I like to take breaks during reading to contemplate and ponder the things I am reading about. What better moment to sip some tea? But more than that, I think that the act of sipping tea, or pouring another cup, means that I actually do contemplate things, rather than just staring off into space.
My last thought (for now) on this subject is that drinking tea and reading are activities that complement each other year round. In the winter, there are few things more enjoyable than snuggling up with a book and a hot cup of tea on the couch. However, an equally appealing prospect is to stretch out in the summer sun with a good book and a glass of chilled iced tea within arm’s reach. In other words, they are something that can always go together.

I often drink tea without reading, and there are many occasions when I open my book for a bit without a cup of tea by my side. But when I am able to combine these two things, it seems to me that each complements the other and by doing so increases my enjoyment of both. So here’s to many more hours of reading whilst drinking tea!

See more of Elise Nuding’s articles here.

Green Tea and Your Tummy

May 9, 2013 in Tea - Green | Tags: Green Tea | by A.C. Cargill | Leave a comment

Green tea, as healthy as it is claimed to be, can engage in some very unfriendly activity with your tummy. While I am not one who drinks tea for health reasons and indeed tend to ignore or pooh-pooh some of the health claims that abound, I can give you plenty of personal anecdotal evidence that there is definitely a problem here.

Steamed Darjeeling is soothing to my tummy. (Photo source: A.C. Cargill, all rights reserved)

First, let me point out that there are legions of green teas out there. They are all processed without allowing oxidation of the leaves. Some examples:

Steamed Darjeeling — For a rundown on this tea, see my article “The Good and Bad of Steamed Darjeeling Green Tea”
ChunMee (“precious eyebrows”) — A golden green liquid with a sweet, mellow, and musty flavor that can be extremely bitter if steeped too long or with too hot water. Pairs well with camembert and gorgonzola cheeses. (More info)
Green Ceylon — Made from the tea plants growing on Sri Lanka. The tea crop replaced the coffee crop when it succumbed to leaf rust. The green version of Ceylon tea is just as full-bodied as their black version.

The big culprit in green tea seems to be caffeine. Green tea contains about 9 to 50 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce cup. Too much caffeine has been shown to increase the release of gastric acid, causing nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, not to mention the jitters. Also at issue are the higher amounts of polyphenols than in other types of teas. One of these is tannin, which are astringent tasting and even quite bitter.

If you, too, tend to have tummy trouble when drinking too much green tea, you have a couple of options. Brew the tea half-strength. Reduce how much you drink. Consider trying a yellow tea.

While more rare and a bit pricier, yellow tea is a slightly processed green tea that tends to be less grassy tasting than many green teas. This is achieved by harvesting early in the year and letting the teas oxidize slowly, imparting to the liquid a sweet, mellow flavor and a bright yellow color. The leaves will usually be small and unbroken, and the liquid is high in antioxidants, low in caffeine.

Yellow tea belongs to fermented tea. As a great deal of Digestive enzyme occurred during its smothering process, a slow oxidation process, yellow tea is much beneficial for the spleen and stomach. It is good at correcting indigestion, stimulating appetite and helping losing weight.

Worth a try!

Disclaimer: This is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your physician for your particular needs.

See more of A.C. Cargill’s articles here.

Tea as a Weapon

May 9, 2013 in Preparing Tea and Herbals | Tags: tea, weapon | by William I. Lengeman III | Leave a comment

No weapons here. (ETS image)

I can’t really presume to speak for the good people who bring you this blog, but in this instance I’m going to make an assumption. I’m going to assume that they, like yours truly, do not condone the use of their fine teas as a weapon. But if the truth be told, from time to time you do run across reports of tea used in such a manner.

Sometimes, I’m sad to say, said stories recount how tea was used as an offensive weapon. On the other hand and perhaps more in the category of good news, are those instances in which a cup of hot tea is used to repel some sort of evildoer. One of the most recent such incidents that made it into the press took place in the parking lot of a convenience store in Pennsylvania. In this case the potential victim of a robbery held off the bad guy with a well-aimed cup of hot tea to the face.

Over the course of the years, in the not quite so real world, we find that tea has been used a weapon in the annals of mystery fiction. Although to say that tea itself is the weapon might not be completely accurate, given that in many of these stories it’s actually the delivery vehicle for a variety of poisons. Tea used in this manner turns up in a number of books by the famed mystery writer Agatha Christie and surely in works by numerous other authors that I’m not aware of.

The dark side of this sort of thing is that tea is occasionally used as such a delivery vehicle for poisons in the not so fictional world. One of the more notable instances of this was the case of Alexander Litvinenko, a Russian spy who, in 2006, was apparently done in by a radioactive substance introduced into his tea. For a more mundane but just as unsettling example of this sort of thing, refer to this article about a recent case of poisoning by tea that had a better outcome.

Finally, it’s not really an example of tea used as a weapon, but here’s an article about how the damages allegedly caused by a cup of hot tea led to a lawsuit of nearly a million dollars brought against Southwest Airlines.

[Editor's note: No we do not condone the use of tea as a weapon. Life is tricky enough.]

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles here.

The Wonderful Variety That Is Tea!

May 8, 2013 in Tea Enjoyment | Tags: tea | by A.C. Cargill | Leave a comment

I’m a person who knows what I like and who doesn’t hesitate to say so. I’m also a person who knows that other people have their own preferences.

Variety is the spice of the tea life! (Photo source: The English Tea Store)

Sometimes, being so vocal about what I like is taken by them as more of a dictate, dissing their choices. Purely unintentional. One person stating an opinion is not a put down of others. We all have our own tastes and, thanks to the wonderful variety that is tea, we can all find something that satisfies.

Tree of Tea Varieties (not necessarily complete)

Type	Country of Origin / Region	Tea
Black	China	Keemun
		Lapsang Souchong
		Czar Nicolas Russian Caravan
		Yunnan Gold
		Nine Bend Black Dragon
		Lychee Congou
	India — Darjeeling	various estates
		Flushes — first, second, monsoon, autumn
	India — Assam	Orthodox and CTC versions
		various estates
		blends
	India — Nilgiri	CTC and orthodox (Orange Pekoe) versions
		blends
	Japan	some black teas being produced but not too common
	Ceylon	Estate teas (Sylvakandy, Lovers Leap, etc.)
		Blends
	Taiwan	Black Jade Taiwan Tea TTES #18
	Kenya	Kambaa Estate Tea
		Blends
	Malawi
	Mauritius	CTC blends
	Mozambique
	Rwanda	McLeod Russel
		Yorkshire Gold
	South Africa	Kwazulu Tea
	Tanzania	CTC blends
	Uganda
	Zimbabwe	Blends
	Nepal and vicinity	Orthodox and CTC versions
		Flushes — first, second, monsoon, autumn
Green	China — Zhejiang Province	Dragon Well (Longjing)
		Huiming
		Long Ding
		Hua Ding
		Qing Ding
		Gunpowder
	China — Jiangsu Province	Bi Luo Chun
		Rain Flower
		Que She (Tongue of golden altar sparrow)
		White Cloud
	China — Fujian Province	Jasmine tea
		Dragon Tears — plain and Jasmine
		Mao Feng tea
		Cui Jian
	China — Hubei Province	Yu Lu
	China — Henan Province	Xin Yang Mao Jian
	China — Jiangxi Province	Chun Mee
		Gou Gu Nao
		Yun Wu
	China — Anhui Province	Da Fang
		Huangshan Maofeng
		Liuan Leaf
		Hou Kui
		Tun Lu
		Huo Qing
		Wuliqing
		Hyson
	China — Sichuan Province	Zhu Ye Qing
		Meng Ding Gan Lu
	Japan	Aracha
		Asamushicha
		Awabancha
		Bancha (“common tea”)
		Dancha (“brick tea”)
		Funsaicha
		Gabarancha (GamaAminoButyricAcid increased tea)
		Genmaicha
		Goishicha
		Gyokuro (Jade Dew)
		Hachijuhachiyacha (“88th-night”)
		Hojicha or Houjicha
		Hukamushi (Fukumushi) (“deep-steamed tea” or “misty green tea”)
		Kabusecha (“covered tea”)
		Kamairi-cha (“pan-fired tea” or “Chinese green tea”)
		Kancha (“cold-season tea”)
		Kenkoocha (“healthy tea”)
		Konbucha
		Kokeicha
		Kukicha (“stalk tea” or “stick tea”)
		Kuradashi-Sincha
		Maccha or Matcha
		Mecha (“bud tea”)
		Mizudashicha
		Mugicha (“roasted barley tea”)
		Sencha (“roasted tea”)
		Tamaryokucha (“curly tea” or “guricha”)
		Tencha
		Tokumushicha
		Ujicha
	Ceylon	Assamese tea stock
	Taiwan	Dragon Well (Longjing)
		Green Spiral (Bi luo chun)
	Nepal and vicinity
Oolong	China	Ti Kuan Yin (“Iron Goddess”)
	Taiwan	Formosa Oolong
		Dong ding
		Pouchong
		Oriental Beauty
		Ti Kuan Yin (“Iron Goddess”)
		High Mountain tea
		Osmanthus Oolong
White	China — Fujian Province	Silver Needle
		Pai Mu Tan (Bai Mu Dan, White Peony)
		Shou Mei
	China — Chongqing Province	Peony White Needle
	China	100 Monkeys
		Snow Dragon
	India — Darjeeling	Darjeeling white tips
	Ceylon	Adam’s Peak
		Virgin White Tea
Yellow	China — Hunan Province	Junshan Yinzhen (Silver Needle – also classified as a white tea)
	China — Anhui Province	Huoshan Huangya
	China — Sichuan Province	Mengding Yellow Buds
	China — Guangdong Province	Da Ye Quing
	China — Zhejiang Province	Huang Tang
Pu-erh*	China — Yunnan Province	Ripe (cooked)
		Raw (uncooked)
	China — Guangdong Province	Pre-2008 only (see above)

* As of 2008, pu-erh tea was declared a “product with geographical indications” by the Chinese government. This restricts the naming of tea as “pu-erh” to those produced within specific regions of Yunnan Province, currently being disputed by producers from Guangdong, since they often produce cakes from tea leaves grown in Yunnan.

I would not even care to pretend that the above list is complete. The complexity and variety of teas that I have learned about in the past few years is still astounding. And hubby and I are still working our way through trying most, if not all, of them. How about you?

See more of A.C. Cargill’s articles here.

Tea Blog

Spring Forth into a Summer of Tea

Tea in the Movies — “Around the World in 80 Days”

Why Teas Are “Broken”?

The Non-endangered Species “Teaprincessica normalis”

Do We Really Need 60 Second Tea?

Teas of the World: Mid-Grown Sri Lankan (Ceylon) Teas

Tea and a Good Book

Green Tea and Your Tummy

Tea as a Weapon

The Wonderful Variety That Is Tea!

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