Tea Types and Tea Varieties_ Oolong, Pu-erh, Flavored, Blends, Herbal, Tisanes on StarChefs

8/2/2019 Tea Types and Tea Varieties_ Oolong, Pu-erh, Flavored, Blends, Herbal, Tisanes on StarChefs

1/3

28/12 Tea tpes and tea varieties: oolong, pu-erh, flavored, blends, herbal, tisanes on StarChefs

ww.starchefs.com/features/tea/html/tpes.shtml

each home feedback

shop recipes chef s jobf inder culinary schools wine community f eatures events news chef s congress ask the experts rising

home

THE RAINBO OF TEA

Green, black, white, red the vast array of tea varieties can be dizzying.With the sudden upsurge of interest in high-quality loose-leaf teas, where

does a newcomer begin? How about starting with the one plant that

produces every tea in the world?

The Camellia sinensis is an evergreen native of China. It takes a variety of

forms, growing 15 to 20 meters tall, with leaves ranging from smooth and

shiny to fuzzy and white-haired. The plant gives rise to more than 3,000varieties of tea worldwide, which can be roughly classified into six basic

categories: white, green, oolong, black(the Chinese call these red teas),

pu-erh, and flavored. Some specialists would add another category,blends. And then there are countless herbal infusions, informally referred

to as tea but entirely unrelated to real tea made from Camellia sinensis

leaves.

WHITETEAWhite tea is the rarest of all tea types. A specialty of Fujian province on

China's east coast, it was relatively hard to come by outside of China untilrecently. The name comes from the almost colorless liquor, and from the

silvery hairs found on the buds of the plant. Delicate in flavor as well as

color, the tea has a subtle, slightly sweet flavor and a mellow creamy or

nutty quality. White tea consists of the whitish buds of the tea plant;lower quality varieties contain some leaves as well. The buds (and leaves)

are naturally dried using either sun drying or steaming methods. This is the

final step in the production process, as white tea is unfermented.

GREENTEAGreen tea makes up approximately ten percent of the worlds tea. Theproduction process, like that of white tea, starts with withering, followed

by pan-frying or steaming to prevent fermentation. (The two types differ

in that white tea has a higher proportion of buds to leaves.) After

steaming and before drying, green tea leaves are rolled to give them the

desired shape. In China, this consists of eyebrow-shaped or twisted

pieces, tight balls, flat needles, or curled whole leaves. Japanese green

tea leaves are shiny green blades with reddish stalks and stems. Green tea

is greenish-yellow in color, with a grassy, astringent quality reminiscent ofthe fresh leaves. Scientific studies have shown that both green and black

teas prevent cavities and gum disease, and increase the bodys

antioxidant activity.

OOLONGTEAOften referred to as the champagne of teas, oolongs are considered tobe among the finest and therefore most expensive - teas in the world.

Most oolongs hail from Taiwan; in China they are also referred to as

pouchongs. Oolong tea is semi-fermented, meaning that it goes through

a short period of oxidation (fermentation) that turns the leaves from greento red-brown. The liquor is pale yellow, with a floral, fruity quality -


2/3



remnscent o peac es an a nt o smo e. Due to t e e cacy o t eflavor, connoisseurs generally prefer drinking it without milk, sugar or

lemon.

BLACKTEAThough known to most of the world as black tea, the Chinese call it red

tea due to its characteristic reddish-brown color. Black tea is the mostcommon type of tea worldwide. It has a broad range of flavors, but is

typically heartier and more assertive than green or oolong teas. It is made

by fully fermenting the harvested leaves (for several hours) before the

heating or drying processes occur. This oxidation imparts a dark coloring

and triples the caffeine.

PU-ERHTEAPu-erh (or Puer) tea is in a category all its own. Though it could simply be

classified as a type of Chinese black tea, it is differentiated from other

black teas by the fact that it is fermented not once, but twice. Thedouble oxidation process is followed by a period of maturation, which is

often used to develop a thin layer of mold on the leaves. The mold imparts

a distinctive soil-like flavor that many people find off-putting. For this

reason, pu-erh tea is often consumed for medicinal purposes rather thanfor pleasure aside from being known for its strong earthy quality, it is

recognized as a powerful digestive aid.

FLAVOREDTEATea easily absorbs other aromas and tastes. Thus tea drinkers the worldover have long enhanced their tea with additional flavors, from flowers andoils to herbs and spices. Flavoring tea is a well-established tradition in

China, where, for centuries, people have brewed tea with onions, orange

peel, peach leaves, and berries. The Chinese are also known for their

flower teas - popular varieties include jasmine, orchid, rose, and magnolia.

In many Arabic nations, mint (plus a generous amount of sugar) is the

flavoring of choice. In India, the spicy masala tea is a popular beverage.

It is made by boiling black tea with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon,ginger, cloves, and black or white pepper; milk and sugar are usually added

as well. Beyond herbs and spices, the flavor craze has more recently

spurred manufacturers to produce tea with just about ever flavor

imaginable, from banana to toffee pudding.

BLENDS

Blends are the mutts of the tea world, possessing mixed heritages, so tospeak, rather than a single lineage. Tea producers make blends by

combining different types of teas, often in order to achieve flavor

consistency from one season to the next. Common blends include EnglishBreakfast, Earl Gre, Irish Breakfast, and Caravan.

HERBALINFUSIONS &TISANESThe word tea is often loosely used to describe any beverage made withthe leaves of a plant. But technically speaking, true tea is made from the

Camellia sinensis and everything else isnt tea at all. Connoisseurs and

tea professionals will tell you that all leaf-derived drinks other than truetea should be referred to as tisanes or herbal infusions.

Tisane (tee-ZAHN) is what many people think of as herbal tea, that is, a

drink made by steeping various herbs, spices, flowers, etc. in boilingwater. The term herbal infusion is pretty much the same thing: a drink

made by steeping an herb in hot water. These herbal drinks are commonly

associated with physical and mental health, and are consumed for theirsoothing or rejuvenating qualities. They also suit the needs of those who

wish to avoid caffeine. Common herbal beverages are chamomile,

peppermint, fennel, rose hip, and lemon verbena.


3/3



Sign up for our newsletters! Print this page Email this page to a friend

QuickMeals Chefs Rising Stars Hospitality Jobs Find a School Wine Community Features Food Events News Ask the Experts TicketsCookbooks

About Us | Career Opportunities | Affiliate Program | Portfolio| Media Kit | StarChefs in the News | Site Map

Please help keep StarChefs a free service by displaying our button on your website. Click here for details.

Copyright 1995-2012 StarChefs. All rights reserved. |Privacy Policy

Documents

Tea Types and Tea Varieties_ Oolong, Pu-erh, Flavored, Blends, Herbal, Tisanes on StarChefs