Where tea grows
It has been absolutely fascinating to learn that where tea grow has an affect on the taste of the tea
Terroir
Terroir? The literal meaning of terroir is soil, land. Who knew that where the tea plant grows would alter the taste?
I am not a fan of wine due to a dietary restriction that does not allow me to consume bacterial cultures, fermented foods. But it was fascinating to learn that just as wines take on distinctive flavors from the regions in which they are grown, different types of tea take on unique characteristics depending on where they are grown.
Terroir, which includes everything about the place in which a tea is grown, from environmental factors such as weather and humidity, to the particular quality of the soil, altitude, flora and fauna of the region, is one of the key factors in determining the flavor profiles of different teas.
While different processing techniques result in different varieties of tea such as black, green, white, and oolong, terroir can have a more subtle but just as significant effect.
What’s in a name?
Historically, teas have often been named after the place in which they are grown, giving rise to teas with names that reflect their origin.
Teas such as Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri are named after regions of India, and each have distinct characteristics that reflect the terroir of their growing environment.
Teas like China Keemun and Golden Yunnan, meanwhile, are named after regions in China.
Ceylon tea, grown in Sri Lanka, also takes its name from a place, as Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon during British colonial rule.
Reading about tea, tea history, tea growers, tea producers, tea manufacturing and tea consumption is absolutely fascinating.
Prior to 2010 the camellia sinensis plant was not grown in Canada but there are now fields of this plant growing in British Colombia. A Teafarm that is thriving!
When I was researching which tea producer to use as a supply of loose leaf tea for the tearoom I chose Pluck Tea out of Toronto. The camellia sinensis, tea leaves, may not be from Canada but other ingredients are grown right here at home. The mint, lavender, maple syrup, apples, cranberries are home grown. The large selection of tea blends is what helped with my decision to use this wonderful company. In addition to their other earth friendly, people friendly business practices.
Elevation affects tea flavour
Teas grown at a higher elevation must adapt to their unique environment by growing more slowly and increasing their chlorophyl content, resulting in teas with a rich, slightly floral flavor. Teas grown at a high elevation include Darjeeling and Nepalese Gold.
Soil
Soil is another key component of terroir, with different kinds of soil having different effects upon the flavor of tea. Assam tea, named for the same region of India, benefits from the clay-like soil of the tropical river valley in which it is grown. Similarly, tea grown in Kenya, such as Kenyan Purple and Lychee Purple, draws nutrients from the rich volcanic soil of the region.
World culture
While tea has historically been grown primarily in India, China, and other Asian countries, tea is now grown in many places all over the world. Each tea’s distinct characteristics and flavor are fundamentally influenced by terroir - even if you uprooted a plant in Darjeeling and replanted it in Assam, by the next harvest the tea would have a different flavor!
Tea is also deeply influenced by the culture and history in the places in which it is grown. Unique cultivation, processing, and preparation methods can result in teas with wildly different tastes, from rich and earthy pu-erh teas, to delicate white teas, to vegetal, umami-packed Sencha. Tea culture also varies around the world, from Afternoon Tea in England, to sweet tea in America, to traditional gongfu tea ceremonies in China and matcha tea ceremonies in Japan.
When the tearoom has its own home wouldn’t it be wonderful to take a trip around the world by learning from experts right here at home? To enjoy learning how different cultures “take tea”. I need to find those specialists and invite them to share with us. I have a box in the storage room that has not been opened. It contains an old tea set from an Asian country. I dream of having someone who know so much more than I do, open it with me. They can share with me all of the history, culture, proper ceremony. One day…
However you take your tea, during this Hot tea Month, take a moment to consider the unique blend of place and culture, terroir and cultivation, next time you enjoy a cup!
Once again, I searched the world wide web to learn about tea, tea things, tea history, tea plant, tea growing, tea production and tea culture. The world of tea knowledge seems endless. This blog article comes from that reading. I visited these web pages, Pluck Tea, Artful Tea, Mighty Leaf and more.
Happy Day to you !
I look forward to enjoying a cup with you on Friday this week.
