Tea Tastings

February 24, 2010Katie

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Recently I reread this book on tea that I got a few years ago – The Tea Companion by Jane Pettigrew.

I have become obsessed with good tea.  I am a tea connoisseur in the making.

See, I used to be a pot-a-day coffee drinker.  Seriously, if I didn’t have a half a pot by noon, I developed a migraine.  I was that severally addicted to the stuff.

And then I had real tea.

I’m not talking the kind that is wrapped in gauze and hangs by a string on the side of your cup.  I’m talking about loose leaf tea.  The kind you put in a pot with a filter and steep at just the right temperature and then pour into your cup.

Big difference.

I thought it might be fun to document some of the new teas I’m trying.  Thus the new section of my blog -Tea Tastings.

First let me introduce you to tea.

You might be interested to know that all tea – green, black, oolong, and white teas are all made from the same plant – the Camellia sinensis bush and the difference in taste, color or style comes about on how the tea is processed (by climate, soil, altitude, conditions, when and how it is plucked and processed, or the blending, packaging, transportation and storage of the tea.

The bush has dark green shiny leaves and small white flowers.

Most people are familiar with the tea inside their teabag – in the past that would typically have been black tea – like Lipton tea bags.   Black tea is actually the most processed, actually using four processing steps to make the tea.  This includes, withering, rolling, fermenting and firing of the leaves.  The firing results in a darker, blacker tea – thus black tea.

Other continents have been huge tea drinkers in the past.  The tea phenomenon has just recently began to creep its way across the United States.  Tea is currently the most drunk beverage besides water and the tea industry is growing by billions each year.

Yes, I may be a bit obsessed, but I truly do love the stuff.

6 Comments

  • Paul

    February 24, 2010 at 11:13 pm

    I love hot tea (especially during the winter) as well. Do you drink it straight, with sugar or the English way with cream (milk). My cousin's wife is Welsh so she served tea with milk and sugar. I actually liked it. Kind of like coffee but without the kick.
  • dishinanddishes

    February 25, 2010 at 10:24 am

    Paul - I dislike most sweet drinks so I drink it straight. If I want sweetness, I sometimes put just a touch of raw honey in it, or if I have a cold, I like honey and lemon. I honestly haven't tried them milk and sugar, although I probably should for the experience!
  • Cheryl

    February 25, 2010 at 7:21 pm

    Katie, this is going to be so interesting! I have 2 bags of loose leaf tea, I haven't tried yet. It is just so handy to reach in the cabinet and grab a bag of Apple Cinnamon (which I love) or Peach Passion (which I grabbed by mistake today). If I use a sweetener, it is normally honey or agave nectar. And Katie, the Foof Co-op has the best honey! The producer from Noble (I think his name is George) has a lemon flavored honey that is awesome. Also, check out the teas and coffees from Prima Cafe on the Food Co-op.
    1. dishinanddishes

      February 26, 2010 at 8:06 am

      Cheryl -I really need to talk with you at greater length about the co-op! I am MOST intrigued by that!
    2. laura johnstonbaugh

      March 21, 2010 at 7:09 pm

      today chris drank some green tea with me, yyaaayyy! also i have a friend that is way into the food co-op.
  • Paul

    February 25, 2010 at 8:08 pm

    I love lemon & honey as well to ease a cold. Enjoy your Tea Time! (4:00pm)

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