Green Tea – Perhaps the Most Versatile Tea

by The Food Hamper on July 22, 2010

Tea – Green Tea – Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

Tea set with green teaIt is not always that we are so fortunate that something we enjoy is good for us. How lucky we are that green tea fits that role so well!

The role of green tea in promoting health has been much in the news in the last few years. There is ample evidence that, consumed in moderation, green tea indeed does aid many aspects of functioning. Some of these benefits have been known for over a thousand years.

The polyphenols, flavonoids and even caffeine (in moderate quantities) present in green tea are all known to help the body protect itself. Green tea helps lower cholesterol (the ‘bad’ kind), absorbs free radicals that can damage cell membranes and reduces the prospect of certain cancers.

Despite Federal FDA denials, many studies lend strong support to those who tout green tea’s benefits. Black tea, as well, has most of the same benefits.

But green tea has many virtues beyond the medicinal. It tastes delightful and provides a relaxing form of enjoyment in a hectic world.

Just as with black or Oolong tea, green tea comes from the leaves of an evergreen called Camellia Sinensis. They are plucked, then processed. But unlike black tea, green tea leaves do not go through a long oxidation process.

Instead, green tea leaves are steamed, which retains the EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) antioxidants. Black and Oolong teas undergo ‘fermentation’ which converts the EGCG into other compounds. ‘Fermentation’ in tea, despite the use of the same word, is not the same process as in winemaking. No sugars are converted to alcohol. It’s simply a synonym for oxidation, more or less.

As a result, the tea flavor is much more delicate and the aroma and taste retain much more of the ‘vegetative’ quality from the original bush. That flavor is enjoyed in a hundred varieties by tea drinkers the world over.

The Long Jing tea from Hang Zhou in China, pan dried and flat in appearance, often goes by the name Dragon Well. This green tea is among the most common drinks in China. Yet for all its commonality, it makes a fine brew. The Gyokuro, also known as Jewel Dew as a consequence of its color, is another fine green tea from China.

The Ryokucha from Japan is a green tea that is so common there that a form of the word (ocha) is often taken to mean simply ‘tea’. Connoisseurs regard the green tea from the Uji region of Kyoto to be among the finest. Matcha is a powdered green tea once used primarily in tea ceremonies. Now it is so popular throughout Japan and elsewhere that it finds its way into ice cream and other sweets.

Gunpowder, which has nothing to do with the explosive, is another popular variety. The leaves are rolled into tiny pellets, making for a very intense infusion. Its muscatel overtones make for a wonderful brew.

There is even a green tea-style Earl Grey. Though without the heady flavor of the more common black tea type, the bergamot oil combines well with green tea.

So if you have always been a committed black tea drinker, it’s time to open up your horizons. It may not make you wealthy, but it can give you enjoyment and promote your health. And isn’t that very wise?

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Tea – Black Tea

by The Food Hamper on May 29, 2010

Tea – Black Tea, The Good Guy

a cup of tea on a tableIn traditional Westerns at the movie theater, the good guy wears the white hat. Here, black is definitely ‘the good guy’.

All true tea is the product of the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. But, ah, what a difference a little oxygen and sunlight makes. Green tea is very lightly oxidized, Oolong moderately so and black tea the most heavily oxidized of all. There’s even a fourth variety, white tea, that rarely makes it to western shores.

The black tea leaves are plucked, washed, rolled and dried. From there they may find themselves partially ground into a tea bag or sold more or less whole. But in whatever form the leaf makes it to market, the flavor is largely the result of the region from which it came and the processing used there.

Much of it originated in China near Mount Wu Yi, in the Fujian Province. One style, the Lap Sang Sou Chong, is dried by holding the leaves over burning pine. The result is a delightfully strong, smoky flavor. From the Yunnan Province hails the tea that adopts the name of its homeland. Here is produced a dark, malty tea that is full of rich flavor.

India, for centuries one of the world’s largest tea producers, offers two with names that are possibly more famous than the tea itself. Assam is full-bodied and with a distinctive astringency that prompts many to dilute it with milk. The Darjeeling from West Bengal is more delicate, but still a very robust tea. Slightly spicy, it makes a perfect breakfast drink.

Initial efforts to grow tea in Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka) in the 18th century were met with utter failure. But the growers persisted and tea drinkers around the world are the beneficiaries. The black Ceylon teas grace many fine table in their home country and throughout the world.

Vietnam has recently made efforts to join the ranks of major producers. The light aroma of a Vietnamese black is deceptive. This dark brew has a wonderful taste that is the real deal.

Even Turkey offers a black tea that any aficionado will want to sample. Hailing from the Rize Province on the eastern coast, this mahogany colored brew  is prepared in a samovar and served up ‘koyu’. The best way to translate that word is simply to drink some. Be prepared for a jolt.

Black tea also makes for an excellent partner in traditional or modern blends. For example, the famed Earl Grey (named after its 17th century promoter) is a sweet, perfumey blend that gets its distinctive taste from a small amount of bergamot oil.

Whichever country you favor, whatever flavor you enjoy, sample a wide variety of black tea straight or flavored. Drink up!

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Tea – Flavored Tea, A Cornucopia

by The Food Hamper on April 18, 2010

mint tea in a glassCornucopia: ‘A symbol of prosperity and affluence, dating back to the 5th century BC.’ In modern parlance, ‘a great many very good things’. And that exactly describes the flavored teas that are available today.

Though counting them could be difficult, the variety of flavored teas to be found could quite possibly exceed those of coffee. Devoted tea drinkers everywhere are the beneficiaries of that wide array of choices.

Flavored teas are created by adding, what else can one say, flavors to tea. During the process of preparing tea leaves, particularly as they oxidize, they can absorb a great many additives. Today, those additives range from floral aromas to fruit flavoring to syrups.

Most of the tea used is the black variety, since green tea is barely oxidized at all (it’s steamed instead), and Oolong only moderately so. But all types have been used, even the rare white teas that make it to Western shores only rarely.

The teas used are almost as diverse as the flavorings themselves. Ceylon, Darjeeling, Wu Yi and even African Rooibos are often used.

Among the flower-flavored teas are Jasmine, Chrysanthemum, Rose and many others. These have a delicate flavor and a lovely bouquet revealing their twin origins as tea and flower. They are popular at all sorts of functions, and even those who enjoy a robust Turkish in the morning may long for one after a hectic day.

One can easily find ginger combined with a Ceylon black. Peaches added to a Formosa Oolong are a specialty of many sites. Yunnan from China, flavored with calendula petals is all the rage, too. Even the rare China white, blended with sweet melon, shows the endless creativity of tea creators.

Cinnamon has long been used as a delightful spice sprinkled atop a rich black cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Infusing it into a black tea is just as delicious. In the Middle Ages cinnamon was sometimes used as a currency among the elite. Modern devotees of tea can find out why if they try this superb combination.

The variety of fruits used to flavor teas simply staggers the imagination, not to mention taxing the pen. Blueberry, cherry, banana, apple, raspberry and every other fruit grown on the planet have made their way into one of the world’s most ancient beverages.

Flavorings that have only recently delighted coffee drinkers have been used in teas for decades. Coffee drinkers have to generally be satisfied merely with adding the syrup after brewing. Caramel, chocolate and even candy syrups are being used right in the preparation of the leaf grinds or powder.

Whatever tea you favor, whatever flavor you prefer, you can find combinations that only a computer could keep track of. So don’t rack your brain. Just open your palate and try something new!

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Tea – Herbal Tea

by The Food Hamper on March 10, 2010

Tea – Herbal Tea – What’s In A Name?

Glass of herbal tea with a lemonHerbal tea or tisane, which isn’t actually made from the tea bush Camilla Sinensis, has been consumed for at least as long as the genuine article – over 5,000 years.

Made from a variety of plants, and prepared in a similar way (infusing hot water through the substance), herbal teas provide many of the same values. They’re relaxing, enjoyable, tasty and have many health benefits.

Chamomile, for example, is one of the most popular of herbal teas. A plant known to have medicinal qualities at least as far back as ancient Egypt, it makes a pleasant brew. It can help relieve anxiety and act as a mild soporific (sleeping brew). It is naturally caffeine free and has a delightful floral aroma and taste.

Dried lemon grass is another very common base used to make herbal tea. Not surprisingly, it has a slightly lemony flavor and its spicy aftertaste brings a pleasant zing to the palate. Studies strongly suggest it has antibacterial properties, too, and it’s known to aid digestion.

Sage, though often used as an herb in cooking, makes for a superb tisane. The calming effect of sage herbal tea is well known, but it also has a very light taste. Slightly peppery, it goes well with a variety of dishes or stands well all on its own.

But bushy plants are not the only source of herbal teas. Rose Hips, for example, have long been used to make a fine brew. Produced from the fruit of the rose plant, this reddish drink has a delicate taste and provides ample vitamin C. A dried 100g sample will contain almost 2g of vitamin C.

During WWII, when imports of oranges were restricted by the war, the locals turned to Rose Hips to help supplement their need for that important vitamin.

While the alleged aphrodisiac effect of ginseng is still up for debate, both the delightful taste and the health benefits have been well established. It should be consumed in moderation, since drinking herbal ginseng tea can lead to excess nervousness.

Produced from the fleshy root of the Panax plant, ginseng has a very distinctive taste. Some find it bitter, others liken it to a mild soda pop. As with any herbal, you either like it or you don’t.

Rooibos, an African word for ‘red bush’, while not a true tea, is closer to black tea than many herbals. It is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. and elsewhere, thanks to its distinctive taste and red color.

The color is appropriate, since the taste is – while hard to describe – also ‘red’. Tangy, flavorful and with the clarity of a fine, light, black tea it is a wonderful addition to the tea tin.

Whether your goal is to relieve the symptoms of a cold, strive for longer life or simply to relax and have a tasty hot brew, herbal teas are an essential part of the connoisseur’s cabinet.

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