Nepali Tea
EVERYTHING YOU CARED TO KNOW ABOUT
TEA
(These materials presented here
have been collected from various
source just for the sake of information.)
Tea is a drink made by infusing
leaves of the tea plant (Camellia
sinensis, or Thea sinensis) in hot
water. The name 'tea' is also used
to refer to the leaves themselves;
and it is also the name of a mid-
to late-afternoon meal in the British
Isles and associated countries,
at which tea (the drink) is served
along with various foods.
The Word Tea
The "word tea" in most
of mainland China (and also in Japan)
is 'cha'. (Hence its frequency in
names of Japanese teas: Sencha,
Hojicha, etc.) But the word for
tea in Fujian province is 'te' (prounounced
approximately 'tay'). As luck would
have it, the first mass marketers
of tea in the West were the Dutch,
whose contacts were in Fujian. They
adopted this name, and handed it
on to most other European countries.
The two exceptions are Russia and
Portugal, who had independent trade
links to China. The Portuguese call
it 'cha', the Russians 'chai'. Other
areas (such as Turkey, South Asia
and the Arab countries) have some
version of 'chai' or 'shai'. 'Tay'
was the pronunciation when the word
first entered English, and it still
is in Scotland and Ireland. For
unknown reasons, at some time in
the early eighteenth century the
English changed their pronunciation
to 'tee'. Virtually every other
European language, however, retains
the original pronunciation of 'tay'.
Different Kinds of Tea
There are about three thousand variation
of tea depending upon its plantation,
genetic "parentage", processing,
blending etc But all tea comes from
one plant i.e Camellia sinensis
(This plant is a bush but if allowed
to grow wild, it can reach the height
of about thirty feet.) In general
the tea can be categorized into
three main categories i.e green,
black, and oolong. There are, of
course, many different varieties
within these three main categories.
The major differences between them
are a result of the different processing
methods they undergo. Black teas
undergo several hours of oxidation
(Fermentation), oolongs receive
less oxidation or are semi-fermented,
and green teas are not oxidized
at all.
Black Tea
The preparation of Black tea involves
hours of oxidation. All tea comes
from tropical or subtropical climates.
Tea plants will flourish where it
is warm and where rainfall is heavy.
While the rainy seasons are vital
to the survival of the tea bush,
the best teas are produced during
the dry season. However, while the
plant grows best in hot climates,
the best quality tea is made in
the cooler climates at altitudes
of 3,000 to 7,000 feet. The slower
growth of the tea leaves at high
altitudes produce more flavorful
tea. Black tea, currently accounts
for approximately seventy percent
of world tea consumption. Popular
variations such as English Breakfast,
Irish Breakfast, Darjeeling, Ceylon,
Assam, and Keemun are all black
teas. Many studies have indicated
that black tea may possess some
of the healthy properties associated
with green tea, although the evidence
is not as strong. More research
is needed to determines black tea's
role in human health.
Green Tea
Green tea is not fermented or oxidized
at all; the freshly harvested leaves
are rolled and fired immediately.
As a result, green tea usually has
more of a vegetative or herbaceous
quality than blacks or oolongs.
Most greens tea produces a greenish-gold
liquor. A cup of green tea is generally
much lighter than other teas. While
Asian cultures have believed for
centuries that green tea has properties
beneficial to human health, modern
science is just now discovering
that this may be true. The green
tea is more valued for its medicinal
benefits.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea, which is partially fermented
(oxidized) tea, accounts for less
than three percent of world consumption.
Some tea enthusiasts insist that
Oolong tea, which usually has a
delicate flavor, is the champagne
of all teas.
Tea Grades:
There are different grading schemes
for tea. Some of the well known
grades are:
Flowery Orange Pekoe (peck-oh),
Orange Pekoe
Pekoe
Souchong
Broken Orange Pekoe
Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings
Broken Pekoe
Fannings
Dust
Gunpowder
Young Hyson
Imperial
Twankay
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