Tea (27 page)

Darjeeling
, first flush (India). Sweet Muscat, crisp [
w or wo milk
]

Dian hong
(Yunnan, China). Rich, spicy, smooth [
wo milk
]

Keemun
(China). Deep, rich, hint of smoke [
wo milk
]

Kenilworth
(Ceylon). Brisk, strong [
w milk
]

Lapsang souchong.
Smoky, full-bodied [
w or wo milk
]

Nilgiri
(India). Smooth, full-bodied, hint of sweet, blends [
wo milk
]

Sikkim
(north of Darjeeling). Fruity, sweet [
wo milk
]

GREEN TEAS

Bancha
(Japan). Good “everyday” tea, light golden color, slightly sweet, grassy

Dragonwell
, or Longjing (China, Japan). Very fine, bright, brisk, sweet

Gunpowder
(China, Japan, Ceylon). Named for its pellet shape; strong body, sweet, grassy

Genmaicha
(Japan). Blended with roasted brown rice; popcorn taste

Gyokuro
(Japan). Very fine, light green brew; sweet, taste of the sea

Hojicha
(Japan). From toasted leaves, amber brew, nutty taste, full-bodied

Hyson
(China). Earthy, medium body

Matcha
(Japan). A ceremonial tea, ground into powder; light, sweet

Sencha
(Japan). Nice “everyday” tea, slightly astringent, slightly sweet

OOLONG TEAS

Formosa
(Taiwan). Smooth, medium body, fruity

Imperial
(Taiwan). Very fine, slight honey taste, amber, mild

Ti Kuan-yin
, Iron Goddess of Mercy (Taiwan, China). Mild, good for digestion

Tung ting jade
(Taiwan). Smooth, flowery

WHITE TEAS

Silver Needles
,
yin zhen
(Fujian, China). Light, slightly vegetal, exotic and expensive

White Peony
(China). Light, clear brew, slightly grassy

BLENDS

The majority of teas available on the market today are blends of different kinds of teas from different growing regions. For example, “English breakfast” tea is made up of a blend of black teas from Nilgiri and Ceylon. Irish breakfast tea, which is a little stronger with a bolder flavor, is composed of black teas from Nilgiri, China, and Assam.

Teas are also blended with any number of flavorings from fruits andflowers. Earl Grey is a black China tea flavored with oil of bergamot. Favorite flavorings come from jasmine, peach, orange, lemon, hibiscus, bergamot, cinnamon, vanilla, and almond.

LESS WELL KNOWN TYPES OF TEA

Pu-erh

One of the most unusual of all teas is the ancient Pu-erh of Yunnan, China. Some experts date the production of
Pu-erh back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (
25
–
220 CE
). Unlike other kinds of tea, Pu-erh is traditionally made from large, older leaves that measure longer and wider than a human hand. Yunnan, one of the earliest tea-producing regions of China, is one of the few places—if not the only place—where older trees exist that can produce such leaves. These leaves are covered with fine hair and have a different chemical composition than the younger leaves.

Pu-erh is a “living” tea that, like yogurt, includes many microbes and continues to change and evolve as it ages. These microbes are thought to have tremendous health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and aiding digestion.

There are two basic types or categories of Pu-erh tea: green and cooked. Green Pu-erh tea is allowed to age naturally. The leaves are pressed into cakes or bricks, wrapped in paper or bamboo, and left to age for several years. Enough moisture is left in the leaves for the tea to continue to ferment slowly over a very long time. The bricks are then stored underground for several years to age to perfection. The entire process can take as long as thirty years. The second type of Pu-erh tea is cooked to speed the aging time. Most cooked Pu-erh teas peak at about fifteen years.

Pu-erh is the only tea that actually improves with age. In the West, most Pu-erh is served in restaurants, and the quality is often inferior. A good Pu-erh tea has a clean and flowery taste.

Chai

Chai
is the Indian word for tea, but today the term indicates a sweet concoction made from black tea, milk, sugar, and spices. Chai spices include cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, clove, Indian bay leaf, and nutmeg.

Bubble Tea

The latest tea fad began in Taiwan during the
1980
s, when tea vendors outside a school began adding black tapioca “pearls” and various sweet flavorings to cold, infused tea. This concoction is shaken, and the pearls settle to the bottom of the glass and look like bubbles. Other names for bubble tea include pearl tea drink, boba drink, and several other variations of these names. Tapioca pearls are made from the root of cassava mixed with brown sugar or caramel. They are about the size of a small marble and have the consistency of a gummy worm or other gummy or soft candy.

Bubble tea is enormously popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other places in Southeast Asia, and continues to gain popularity in the United States.

Sherpa

This is a blend of oolong and Darjeeling teas that tastes delicious even with lower water temperatures. This makes it great for brewing at high elevations—such as the Himalayan home of the Sherpa people—where it is difficult to get water to boil.

All tea is made from
Camellia sinensis
, but there are many, many other infusions that are called “teas,” although they are made from other plants and are more correctly termed “tisanes.” Two of the most popular of these are
rooibos
from South Africa and
yerba maté
from South America, but numerous herbal teas are made from plants throughout the world. They have widely varying health benefits, from none at all to substantial.

Please note that it's essential to be careful when using or ingesting any plant foods or drinks. Consult a physician before deciding whether an infusion or a tisane is safe for you.

ROOIBOS

Red tea, red bush tea, or rooibos (pronounced roy-boss) is made from the leaves of a plant native to South Africa,
Aspalathus linearis
. Only introduced to the West relatively recently, it has been known to the people of the Cedarberg Mountain region of South Africa for about three hundred years. Indigenous people collected branches of leaves and stems, then hammered or bruised them to release moisture. They then stacked the cut branches in the sun to ferment or oxidize. (“Green” red tea is also available. This undergoes a processing similar to that of green tea, with a limited oxidation process.) Once they are dry, the leaves are placed in boiling water to make a tea (tisane) that is remarkably sweet and full of antioxidants.

Health claims for rooibos began in
1968
, when a young mother gave her colicky baby a tea made from this plant and found that it immediately soothed the child. She spread the word, and the results are proving to be quite encouraging. The tea is said to be soothing and healthful, although these claims have not been substantiated through formal testing. In addition, it is known that rooibos is high in antioxidants—less than in green tea, but more than in black tea, and it has no caffeine, so it can be consumed in larger quantities without side effects.

Rooibos is often blended with other flavorings such as raspberry, hibiscus, almond, and vanilla.

YERBA MATÉ

This strongly flavored tisane is made from the dried leaves of
Ilex paraguariensis
, which grows in many places in South America. It has been used for centuries by the natives, who found that it helped them resist fatigue and made them less susceptible to the effects of thirst and hunger.

Traditionally, yerba maté is poured into a hollowed cal-abash (gourd) and drunk through a straw, which helps filter out large bits of leaves. The brew tastes like both green tea and coffee, with additional hints of tobacco smoke. There is an ongoing argument about whether yerba maté contains mateine or caffeine, and what the difference is between the two. Whatever you call it, the substance within yerba maté produces the same stimulating effects as the caffeine found in coffee and tea.

HOMEMADE TISANES

Apple.
Although “apple tea” more often than not is made up of apple flavoring in black tea, it's also possible to make a tisane from dried apples and flowers, creating a fruity, caffeine-free drink. Add equal amounts of dried apple, hibiscus flowers, chamomile, and dried cranberries. Place in boiling water and brew for five to seven minutes. Sweeten with honey, if desired.

Basil.
Use two tablespoons of fresh basil leaves. There are many different kinds of basils available. Try either the common variety or cinnamon, lemon, or spicy basil. Place them in a nonreactive pot and add one cup of boiling water; brew for five to six minutes. This makes a spicy tea good for keeping one alert. It is also sometimes used to combat the effects of motion sickness.

Blackberry.
Pick one handful of green leaves and place them in a saucepan. Add two cups of water and simmer for ten minutes. Strain into cups and sweeten with honey. This was used by southern Appalachian folk healers to treat diarrhea and as a blood purifier and tonic.

Blueberry.
Use one handful of fresh leaves or about one tablespoon of dried leaves per two cups of water. Boil for about five minutes, then strain and sweeten. Blueberries are native to North America, and Native American healers used blueberry tea to prevent the formation of kidney or bladder stones and to treat diarrhea and problems with the kidneys, as it helps to increase the flow of urine. The cooled tea was gargled to treat mouth sores. The best and most flavorful leaves are those picked in early spring.

Borage.
To make the tisane, take two tablespoons of fresh leaves and/or chopped stems, add one cup of boiling water, and steep for about five minutes. Borage tea was drunk by the ancient Romans to treat depression and as a diuretic, demulcent, and emollient. Applied externally, the tisane was used for in flammations and swelling. Borage tea, like tea made from
Camellia sinensis
, is high in tannins and is slightly astringent. It has a mild cucumber flavor and is high in calcium and potassium.

Catnip.
Use one tablespoon of dried leaves and flowers (or two tablespoons of fresh leaves) to every cup of boiling water. Allow to steep for three to five minutes. Catnip tea has enjoyed a wide variety of uses, but is perhaps best known as a digestive aid. It is also a very, very mild sedative and is good for drinking before going to bed. The most effective elements are found in the plant's volatile oils, so the tisane should be covered while brewing, to prevent them from being lost.

Chamomile.
Use one tablespoon of dried buds or flowers for every cup of boiling water. Steep for three to five minutes, then strain and sweeten, if desired. Chamomile has been beloved as a medicine in Europe for many centuries. The flowers contain a volatile oil that has been, and still is, used as an anti-inflammatory (for skin disorders such as acne and eczema), an antispasmodic (for indigestion and menstrual cramps), and an anti-infective for minor infections. Its flowery, sweet taste makes it a popular tea. The tea is made from the flowers and contains pollen. For this reason, people with an allergic reaction to ragweed and other flowering plants should use caution when taking this tisane.