CHA CHA CHA
Most of the time, Western Tea is consumed more casually. People throw a teabag into a mug and add hot water; when the tea is ready, they add sugar or milk according to their preference. But Chinese tea drinking traditions are quite different and much more complicated. For Chinese people, it is an art to serve or drink tea. During the whole process of making tea, people use a whole set of utensils to make tea; tea tasting involves smelling the fragrance and observing the color. In this article, we will explore the different types of tea and the procedure of brewing a cup of Chinese Tea.
Types of Tea
Black Tea
Black Tea is derived from fermented leaves and is a red or brown color. The leaves are oxidized before the leaves are cooked and dried. The most famous black tea isqímén chá, a medium-body rich amber tea cut into strips from Anhui.
Green Tea
Green Tea is derived from unfermented leaves and is a jade green color. Green tea is grown in Zhejiang province and the leaves are pan-fried, steamed or oven-fired after leaves are picked to retain the non-oxidized tea’s green color.
Oolong Tea
Oolong Tea is derived from semi-fermented leaves. Oolong tea can be sweet and fruity or woody or green with a light aroma. Once picked, the tea is rolled into small nuggets or long, curly leaves to seal in its essential oils which slowly oxidize and darken the leaves.
Compressed Tea
Compressed tea is made by steaming and compacting tea leaves into shapes like a disc. The most popular compressed teas are pǔ'ěr, a very dark, aromatic, smooth, full-bodied tea from Yunnan and tuóchá tea from Sichuan. Pǔ'ěr tea leaves are aged for many years to reduce the tea’s harshness and bitterness from the tannins.
Things you need for brewing a cup of tea:
Tea pot- ideally a clay one but porcelain also works
Tea strainer- if not built into the teapot
Kettle (stove top or electric)
Tea pitcher
Brewing tray
Deep plate or bowl- large enough for washing the teapots and cups and discarding used tea leaves
Teal towel
Water
Tea leaves
Tea pick- to unclog and clean the teapot
Tea leaf holder
Tongs
Scent cups- narrow snifter cups for appreciating the tea's aroma
Tea cups- handleless cups for drinking tea
Brewing Method
1. Complete the first stage of the tea ceremony which involves warming the teapot and heating the cups. To do this, first heat the water in a kettle. Then, place the teapot, snifter tea cups and regular tea cups in the bowl and pour the heated water over them to warm up the tea set. Then, remove the teapot and cups from the bowl. The tongs may be used to handle the cups if they are too hot to handle with your hands.
2. Complete the second stage of the tea ceremony in which the tea is actually made. Using the tea leaf holder, scoop the loose tea leaves from the tea canister. Then, pour the tea leaves into the teapot. The amount of tea and water will vary on the type of tea, its quality, and the size of the teapot but generally one teaspoon of tea leaves for every 6-ounces of water will do.
3. Place the teapot into the bowl, raise the kettle at shoulder height and pour the water into the teapot until it overflows. After pouring the water, scoop away bubbles and tea leaves and put the lid on the teapot. Pour hot water onto the teapot to insure the temperature inside and outside the teapot is the same.
The temperature of the water
You should use bottled or spring mountain water to brew the tea. Avoid using distilled, soft or hard water, otherwise it will affect the taste of the tea. The amount of tea and water will vary on the type of tea, its quality, and the size of the teapot but generally one teaspoon of tea leaves for every 6-ounces of water will do.
- White and green tea: 78-85C
- Black tea: 99C
- Oolong tea: 85C-100C
- Compressed tea: 100C
4. Stir and then pour all the tea into the cups to warm them. This tea is not for drinking but only for waking up tea process. Now is tea is rinsed so now add the hot boiling water once again into the teapot. Brew it for one minute and now pour the tea into the cups and it is ready to be tasted.
You did it! Remember don't brew for longer time as it can mar the taste of the tea. Now just take sips and be lost in the ultimate taste and storms of aroma.
Work cited
"How to Brew Chinese Tea". Canton Tea Co. Web. 13.Feb.2016 <http://www.cantonteaco.com/how-to-brew-chinese-tea>
"Culture tea traditions".ITOEN.Web. 13.Feb.2016
<http://www.itoen.com/cultural-tea-traditions>
"6 types of Chinese tea".Web. 13.Feb.2016 <http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Arts/7thingsabouttea/en/ch3_1_0.htm>
"Guide to brew Keemun Black Tea". Teavivre. Web. 13.Feb.2016 <http://www.teavivre.com/info/how-to-brew-keemun-black-tea/>
Compressed tea is made by steaming and compacting tea leaves into shapes like a disc. The most popular compressed teas are pǔ'ěr, a very dark, aromatic, smooth, full-bodied tea from Yunnan and tuóchá tea from Sichuan. Pǔ'ěr tea leaves are aged for many years to reduce the tea’s harshness and bitterness from the tannins.
Things you need for brewing a cup of tea:
Tea pot- ideally a clay one but porcelain also works
Tea strainer- if not built into the teapot
Kettle (stove top or electric)
Tea pitcher
Brewing tray
Deep plate or bowl- large enough for washing the teapots and cups and discarding used tea leaves
Teal towel
Water
Tea leaves
Tea pick- to unclog and clean the teapot
Tea leaf holder
Tongs
Scent cups- narrow snifter cups for appreciating the tea's aroma
Tea cups- handleless cups for drinking tea
Brewing Method
1. Complete the first stage of the tea ceremony which involves warming the teapot and heating the cups. To do this, first heat the water in a kettle. Then, place the teapot, snifter tea cups and regular tea cups in the bowl and pour the heated water over them to warm up the tea set. Then, remove the teapot and cups from the bowl. The tongs may be used to handle the cups if they are too hot to handle with your hands.
2. Complete the second stage of the tea ceremony in which the tea is actually made. Using the tea leaf holder, scoop the loose tea leaves from the tea canister. Then, pour the tea leaves into the teapot. The amount of tea and water will vary on the type of tea, its quality, and the size of the teapot but generally one teaspoon of tea leaves for every 6-ounces of water will do.
3. Place the teapot into the bowl, raise the kettle at shoulder height and pour the water into the teapot until it overflows. After pouring the water, scoop away bubbles and tea leaves and put the lid on the teapot. Pour hot water onto the teapot to insure the temperature inside and outside the teapot is the same.
The temperature of the water
You should use bottled or spring mountain water to brew the tea. Avoid using distilled, soft or hard water, otherwise it will affect the taste of the tea. The amount of tea and water will vary on the type of tea, its quality, and the size of the teapot but generally one teaspoon of tea leaves for every 6-ounces of water will do.
- White and green tea: 78-85C
- Black tea: 99C
- Oolong tea: 85C-100C
- Compressed tea: 100C
4. Stir and then pour all the tea into the cups to warm them. This tea is not for drinking but only for waking up tea process. Now is tea is rinsed so now add the hot boiling water once again into the teapot. Brew it for one minute and now pour the tea into the cups and it is ready to be tasted.
You did it! Remember don't brew for longer time as it can mar the taste of the tea. Now just take sips and be lost in the ultimate taste and storms of aroma.
Work cited
"How to Brew Chinese Tea". Canton Tea Co. Web. 13.Feb.2016 <http://www.cantonteaco.com/how-to-brew-chinese-tea>
"Culture tea traditions".ITOEN.Web. 13.Feb.2016
<http://www.itoen.com/cultural-tea-traditions>
<http://www.itoen.com/cultural-tea-traditions>
"6 types of Chinese tea".Web. 13.Feb.2016 <http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Arts/7thingsabouttea/en/ch3_1_0.htm>
I'd recommend making sure that you find some places to fit sources into your article. Additionally, your list just seems somewhat poorly formatted. I'd recommend putting in bullet points, and making sure that each item on the list follows the same format as each other, either just being the item or (preferably) the item with some explanation.
ReplyDeleteFrom my opinion, i am assume you are still working on the paper. i think too many word or content about types of the tea, which i think you intention is to how to brew a tea. if you can add little bit about the team culture, that might be interesting
ReplyDeleteI think the title should be something different. you didn't really teach us how to brew each tea except in the first paragraph, you just described each one. I feel like the title should be something else and maybe add some more information about each tea.
ReplyDelete