So many different types of tea from one plant

The art of tea began over 5,000 years ago in China, with skilled artisans handpicking and processing the top two leaves and bud from each tea shrub, known as Camellia sinensis, and handcrafting in small batches. Their time-honored practices are still followed today, inspiring us to brew the excellent loose leaf tea while respecting the traditional way of brewing.

As I mentioned, all loose leaf tea comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The difference is in the way it is processed or oxidized. There are six main styles of tea: black, green, white, oolong, Puerh, and yellow.

Specialty teas are plucked from new leaf growth, and only the first two leaves and bud are selected for processing. A new leaf is the sweetest leaf. Loose-leaf teas produce a wide variety of specialty teas:

BLACK TEA

Black tea is fully oxidized, producing a hearty deep rich flavor of amber-colored tea. It is the most popular style of tea in most western countries and used in many blends such as Earl Grey, English Breakfast, and Chai.

GREEN TEA

Green tea is not oxidized. It is roasted, rolled, and either steam or pan-fried, preventing oxidation, producing a refreshing tea with a sweet-smelling aroma. Green tea has a lighter flavor than black tea. It is most prevalent in eastern countries, but becoming more so in the west.

WHITE TEA

White tea is barely oxidized and has a sweet, subtle flavor. White tea is mostly processed from the bud only but can incorporate the first or second leaf as well.

OOLONG TEA

Oolongs are partially oxidized, within a range of 12 to 80 percent. Oolongs are some of the most prized teas due to their intricate processing, which provides a complex flavor that evolves with each sip. The character depends on the skills of the tea maker.

PUERH TEA (pronounced Pu-AIR)

Puerh tea is an aromatic black tea originating in China. The leaves undergo double fermentation and are compressed into bricks or cakes. The tea cakes made it easy to transport and exchange tea in ancient China, although today, you can also purchase loose Puerh. Still produced today, this is perhaps the most exotic and sought-after of Chinese tea.

YELLOW TEA

Yellow tea is not oxidized. After fixing, yellow tea leaves are heaped or piled and then wrapped in a damp cloth to rest for a period. The heat and humidity give the leaves a yellow hew. It’s a scarce tea produced only in China, and very little is exported.

When I started the tearoom, I was focused on serving great food in a unique environment so as to provide a quiet space for guests to connect, communicate and create connections with their family and loved ones. Since starting the business I have learned so very much about business, culinary baking, afternoon tea history and etiquette and tea itself.

What have you found fascinating from these bits of information shared in the blog posts?