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Tea

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Drink

   This page contains Chinese text.
   Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or
   other symbols instead of Chinese characters.
   Tea leaves in a Chinese gaiwan.
   Enlarge
   Tea leaves in a Chinese gaiwan.
   A tea bush.
   Enlarge
   A tea bush.

   Tea is a beverage made by steeping processed leaves, buds or twigs of
   the tea bush Camellia sinensis in hot water for a few minutes. The
   processing can include oxidation ( fermentation), heating, drying and
   the addition of other herbs, flowers, spices and fruits.

   There are four types of true tea: black tea, oolong tea, green tea, and
   white tea. The term herbal tea usually refers to infusions of fruit or
   herbs (such as rosehip, chamomile, or jiaogulan) that contain no C.
   sinensis. (Alternative terms for herbal tea that avoid the word "tea"
   are tisane and herbal infusion). This article is concerned exclusively
   with preparations and uses of the tea plant C. sinensis.

   Tea is a natural source of caffeine, theophylline, theanine, and
   antioxidants, but it has almost no fat, carbohydrates, or protein. It
   has a cooling, slightly bitter and astringent taste.

Processing and classification

   Tea plant from Koehler's Medicinal-Plants.
   Enlarge
   Tea plant from Koehler's Medicinal-Plants.

   The types of tea are distinguished by their processing. Leaves of
   Camellia sinensis, if not dried quickly after picking, soon begin to
   wilt and oxidize. This process resembles the malting of barley, in that
   starch is converted into sugars; the leaves turn progressively darker,
   as chlorophyll breaks down and tannins are released. The next step in
   processing is to stop the oxidation process at a predetermined stage by
   taking the water from the leaves via heating.

   The term fermentation was used (probably by wine fanciers) to describe
   this process, and has stuck, even though no true fermentation happens
   (i.e., the process is not driven by yeast and produces no ethanol).
   Without careful moisture and temperature control, however, fungi will
   grow on tea. The fungi cause real fermentation which will contaminate
   the tea with toxic and carcinogenic substances, so that the tea must be
   discarded.

   Tea is traditionally classified based on the degree or period of
   fermentation (oxidation) the leaves have undergone:

   White tea
          Young leaves (new growth buds) that have undergone no oxidation;
          the buds may be shielded from sunlight to prevent formation of
          chlorophyll. White tea is produced in lesser quantities than
          most of the other styles, and can be correspondingly more
          expensive than tea from the same plant processed by other
          methods. It is also less well-known in countries outside of
          China, though this is changing with increased western interest
          in organic or premium teas.

   Green tea
          The oxidation process is stopped after a minimal amount of
          oxidation by application of heat; either with steam, a
          traditional Japanese method; or by dry cooking in hot pans, the
          traditional Chinese method. Tea leaves may be left to dry as
          separate leaves are rolled into small pellets to make gun-powder
          tea. The latter process is time-consuming and is typically done
          only with pekoes of higher quality. The tea is processed within
          one to two days of harvesting.

   Oolong
          Oxidation is stopped somewhere between the standards for green
          tea and black tea. The oxidation process will take two to three
          days.

   Black tea/Red tea
          The tea leaves are allowed to completely oxidize. Black tea is
          the most common form of tea in southern Asia (India, Pakistan,
          Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc.) and in the last century many
          African countries including Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Malawi and
          Zimbabwe. The literal translation of the Chinese word is red
          tea, which may be used by some tea-lovers. The Chinese call it
          red tea because the actual tea liquid is red. Westerners call it
          black tea because the tea leaves used to brew it are usually
          black. However, red tea may also refer to rooibos, an
          increasingly popular South African tisane. The oxidation process
          will take around two weeks and up to one month. Black tea is
          further classified as either orthodox or CTC ( Crush, Tear,
          Curl, a production method developed about 1932). Unblended black
          teas are also identified by the estate they come from, their
          year and the flush (first, second or autumn). Orthodox and CTC
          teas are further graded according to the post-production leaf
          quality by the Orange Pekoe system.

   Pu-erh
          (also known as Póu léi (Polee) in Cantonese), Two forms of
          pu-erh teas are available, "raw" and "ripened". "Raw" or "green"
          pu-erh may be consumed young or aged to further mature. During
          the aging process, the tea undergoes a second, microbial
          fermentation. "Ripened" pu-erh is made from green pu-erh leaf
          that has been artificially oxidized to approximate the flavour
          of the natural aging process. This is done through a controlled
          process similar to composting, where both the moisture and
          temperature of the tea are carefully monitored. Both types of
          pu-erh tea are usually compressed into various shapes including
          bricks, discs, bowls, or mushrooms. While most teas are consumed
          within a year of production, pu-erh can be aged for many years
          to improve its flavour, up to 30 to 50 years for raw pu-erh and
          10 to 15 years for ripened pu-erh, although experts and
          aficionados disagree about what the optimal age is to stop the
          aging process. Most often, pu-erh is steeped for up to five
          minutes in boiling water. Additionally, some Tibetans use pu-erh
          as a caloric food, boiled with yak butter, sugar and salt to
          make yak butter tea. Teas that undergo a second oxidation, such
          as pu-erh and liu bao, are collectively referred to as black tea
          in Chinese. This is not to be confused with the English term
          Black tea, which is known in Chinese as red tea.

   Yellow tea
          Either used as a name of high-quality tea served at the Imperial
          court, or of special tea processed similarly to green tea, but
          with a slower drying phase.

   Kukicha
          Also called winter tea, kukicha is made from twigs and old
          leaves pruned from the tea plant during its dormant season and
          dry-roasted over a fire. It is popular as a health food in Japan
          and in macrobiotic diets.

   Genmaicha
          Literally "brown rice tea" in Japanese, a green tea blended with
          dry-roasted brown rice (sometimes including popped rice), very
          popular in Japan but also drunk in China.

   Flower tea
          Teas processed or brewed with flowers; typically, each flower
          goes with a specific category of tea, such as green or red tea.
          The most famous flower tea is jasmine tea (hua chá, literally
          "flower tea", in Mandarin; heung pín in Cantonese), a green or
          oolong tea scented (or brewed) with jasmine flowers.
          Chrysanthemum, osmanthus, lotus, rose, and lychee are also
          popular flowers.

   Faux Tea
          Fake tea is made by unscrupulous traders. It is made using
          bitter tasting plants or recycled tea leaf. The colour and taste
          of the final product comes from an artificial additive.

   Da Hong Pao tea an Oolong tea

   Fuding Bai Hao Yinzhen tea, a white tea

   Green Pu-erh tuo cha, a type of compressed raw pu-erh

   Huoshan Huangya tea a Yellow tea

Blending and additives

   Almost all teas in bags and most other teas sold in England are blends.
   Blending may occur at the level of tea-planting area (e.g., Assam), or
   teas from many areas may be blended. The aim of blending is a stable
   taste over different years, and a better price. More expensive, better
   tasting tea may cover the inferior taste of cheaper tea.

   There are various teas which have additives and/or different processing
   than "pure" varieties. Tea is able to easily receive any aroma, which
   may cause problems in processing, transportation or storage of tea, but
   can be also advantageously used to prepare scented teas.

Content

   Tea contains catechins, a type of antioxidant. In fresh tea leaf,
   catechins can be up to 30% of the dry weight. Catechins are highest in
   concentration in white and green teas while black tea has substantially
   less due to its oxidative preparation. Tea also contains the stimulants
   caffeine (about 3% of the dry weight and typically 40 mg per cup of
   prepared tea), theophylline and theobromine, the latter two being
   present in very small amounts.

Origin and early history in Asia

   The cradle of the tea plant is a region that encompasses eastern and
   southern China, northern Myanmar, and the Assam state in northeastern
   India. Spontaneous (wild) growth of the assamica variant is observed in
   an area ranging from the Indian state of Assam to the Chinese province
   Yunnan and the northern part of Myanmar. The variant sinensis grows
   naturally in eastern and southeastern regions of China. Recent studies
   and occurrence of hybrids of the two types in wider area extending over
   mentioned regions suggest the place of origin of the Camellia sinensis
   variant is in an area consisting of the northern part of Myanmar and
   the Yunnan and Sichuan provinces of China.

   Origins of human use of tea are described in several myths, but it is
   unknown as to where tea was first created as a drink.

Creation myths

   In one popular Chinese legend, Shennong, the legendary Emperor of
   China, inventor of agriculture and Chinese medicine, was on a journey
   about five thousand years ago. The Emperor, known for his wisdom in the
   ways of science, believed that the safest way to drink water was by
   first boiling it. One day he noticed some leaves had fallen into his
   boiling water. The ever inquisitive and curious monarch took a sip of
   the brew and was pleasantly surprised by its flavour and its
   restorative properties. Variant of the legend tells that the emperor
   tried medical properties of various herbs on himself, some of them
   poisonous, and found tea works as an antidote. Shennong is also
   mentioned in Lu Yu's Cha Jing, famous early work on the subject.

   A Chinese legend, which spread along with Buddhism, Bodhidharma is
   credited with discovery of tea. Bodhidharma, a semi-legendary Buddhist
   monk, founder of the Chan school of Buddhism, journeyed to China. He
   became angered because he was falling asleep during meditation, so he
   cut off his eyelids. Tea bushes sprung from the spot where his eyelids
   hit the ground. Sometimes, the second story is retold with Gautama
   Buddha in place of Bodhidharma In another variant of the first
   mentioned myth, Gautama Buddha discovered tea when some leaves had
   fallen into boiling water.

   Whether or not these legends have any basis in fact, tea has played a
   significant role in Asian culture for centuries as a staple beverage, a
   curative, and a symbol of status. It is not surprising its discovery is
   ascribed to religious or royal origins.

China

   The Chinese have enjoyed tea for centuries. Scholars hailed the brew as
   a cure for a variety of ailments, the nobility considered the
   consumption of good tea as a mark of their status and the common people
   simply enjoyed its flavour.

   While historically the origin of tea as a medicinal herb useful for
   staying awake is unclear, China is considered to have the earliest
   records of tea drinking, with recorded tea use in its history dating
   back to the first millenium BC. The Han Dynasty used tea as medicine.
   The use of tea as a beverage drunk for pleasure on social occasions
   dates from the Tang Dynasty or earlier.
   Lu Yu's statue in Xi'an.
   Enlarge
   Lu Yu's statue in Xi'an.

   The Tang Dynasty writer Lu Yu's 陸羽 (AC729-804) Cha Jing 茶經 is an early
   work on the subject. (See also Tea Classics) According to Cha Jing
   writing, around AC760, tea drinking was widespread. The book describes
   how tea plants were grown, the leaves processed, and tea prepared as a
   beverage. It also describes how tea was evaluated. The book also
   discusses where the best tea leaves were produced.

   At this time in tea's history, the nature of the beverage and style of
   tea preparation were quite different from the way we experience tea
   today. Tea leaves were processed into compressed cakes form. The dried
   teacake, generally called brick tea was ground in a stone mortar. Hot
   water was added to the powdered teacake, or the powdered teacake was
   boiled in earthenware kettles then consumed as a hot beverage.

   A form of compressed tea referred to as white tea was being produced as
   far back as the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). This special white tea of
   Tang was picked in early spring when the new growths of tea bushes that
   resemble silver needles were abundant. These "first flushes" were used
   as the raw material to make the compressed tea.

Advent of steaming and powder tea

   During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), production and preparation of all
   tea changed. The tea of Song included many loose-leaf styles (to
   preserve the delicate character favoured by the court society), but a
   new powdered form of tea emerged. Tea leaves were picked and quickly
   steamed to preserve their colour and fresh character. After steaming,
   the leaves were dried. The finished tea was then ground into fine
   powders that were whisked in wide bowls. The resulting beverage was
   highly regarded for its deep emerald or iridescent white appearance and
   its rejuvenating and healthy energy. Drinking tea was considered
   stylish among government officers and intellectuals during the Southern
   Song period in China (12th to 13th centuries). They would read poetry,
   write calligraphy, paint, and discuss philosophy, while enjoying tea.
   Sometimes they would hold tea competitions where teas and tea
   instruments were judged. When Song Dynasty emperor Hui Zhong proclaimed
   white tea to be the culmination of all that is elegant, he set in
   motion the evolution of an enchanting variety.

   This Song style of tea preparation incorporated powdered tea and
   ceramic ware in a ceremonial aesthetic known as the Song tea ceremony.
   Japanese monks traveling to China at this time had learned the Song
   preparation and brought it home with them. Although it later became
   extinct in China, this Song style of tea evolved into the Japanese tea
   ceremony, which endures today.

   Many forms of white tea were made in the Song Dynasty due to the
   discerning tastes of the court society. Hui Zhong, who ruled China from
   1101-1125, referred to white tea as the best type of tea, and he has
   been credited with the development of many white teas in the Song
   Dynasty, including "Palace Jade Sprout" and "Silver Silk Water Sprout".

   Producing white teas was extremely labour-intensive. First, tea was
   picked from selected varietals of cultivated bushes or wild tea trees
   in early spring. The tea was immediately steamed, and the buds were
   then selected and stripped of their outer, unopened leaf. Only the
   delicate interior of the bud was reserved to be rinsed with spring
   water and dried. This process produced white teas that were paper thin
   and small.

   Once processed, the finished tea was distributed and often given as a
   tribute to the Song court in loose form. It was then ground to a fine,
   silvery-white powder that was whisked in the wide ceramic bowls used in
   the Song tea ceremony. These white powder teas were also used in the
   famous whisked tea competitions of that era.

Roasting and brewing

   Tea roasting
   Enlarge
   Tea roasting

   Steaming tea leaves was the primary process used for centuries in the
   preparation of tea. After the transition from compressed tea to the
   powdered form, the production of tea for trade and distribution changed
   once again. The Chinese learned to process tea in a different way in
   the mid-13th century. Tea leaves were roasted and then crumbled rather
   than steamed. This is the origin of today's loose teas and the practice
   of brewed tea.

   In 1391, the Ming court issued a decree that only loose tea would be
   accepted as a "tribute". As a result, loose tea production increased
   and processing techniques advanced. Soon, most tea was distributed in
   full-leaf, loose form and steeped in earthenware vessels.

Oxidization (often mistakenly called fermentation)

   Tea "fermentation" is not related to yeast fermentation. It is actually
   the oxidization of the tea leaves. In 17th century China numerous
   advances were made in tea production. In the southern part of China,
   tea leaves were sun dried then half fermented, producing Black Dragon
   teas or Oolongs. However, this method was not common in the rest of
   China.

India

Korea

   The first historical record documenting the offering of tea to an
   ancestral god describes a rite in the year 661 in which a tea offering
   was made to the spirit of King Suro, the founder of the Geumgwan Gaya
   Kingdom (42-562).

   Records from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) show that tea offerings were
   made in Buddhist temples to the spirits of revered monks.

   During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the royal Yi family and the
   aristocracy used tea for simple rites, the "Day Tea Rite" was a common
   daytime ceremony, whereas the "Special Tea Rite" was reserved for
   specific occasions. These terms are not found in other countries.
   Toward the end of the Joseon Dynasty, commoners joined the trend and
   used tea for ancestral rites, following the Chinese example based on
   Zhu Xi's text formalities of Family.

   Stoneware was common, ceramic more frequent, mostly made in provincial
   kilns, with porcelain rare, imperial porcelain with dragons the rarest.

   Historically the appearance of the bowls and cups is naturalistic, with
   a division according to religious influence. Celadon or jade green,
   "punchong", or bronze-like weathered patinas for Buddhist tea rituals;
   the purest of white with faint designs in porcelain for Confucian tea
   rituals; and coarser porcelains and ash-stone glazes for animist tea
   rituals, or for export to Japan where they were known as "gohan
   chawan". An aesthetic of rough surface texture from a clay and sand mix
   with a thin glazing were particularly prized and copied. The randomness
   of this creation was said to provide a "now moment of reality"
   treasured by tea masters.

   Unlike the Chinese tradition, no Korean tea vessels used in the
   ceremony are tested for a fine musical note. Judgment instead is based
   on naturalness in form, emotion, and colouring.

   The earliest kinds of tea used in tea ceremonies were heavily pressed
   cakes of black tea, the equivalent of aged pu-erh tea still popular in
   China. Vintages of tea were respected, and tea of great age imported
   from China had a certain popularity at court. However, importation of
   tea plants by Buddhist monks brought a more delicate series of teas
   into Korea, and the tea ceremony.

   While green tea, "chaksol" or "chugno", is most often served, other
   teas such as "Byeoksoryung" Chunhachoon, Woojeon, Jakseol, Jookro,
   Okcheon, as well as native chrysanthemum tea, persimmon leaf tea, or
   mugwort tea may be served at different times of the year.

   Buddhist monks incorporated tea ceremonies into votive offerings.
   However the Goryeo nobility and later the Confucian yangban scholars
   formalized the rituals. Tea ceremonies have always been used for
   important occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, remembrance of
   old friends, and increasingly a way to rediscovering Seon meditation.

Japanese Involvement

Importing tea and tea culture

   The earliest known references to green tea in Japan are in a text
   written by a Buddhist monk in the 9th century. Tea became a drink of
   the religious classes in Japan when Japanese priests and envoys sent to
   China to learn about its culture brought tea to Japan. The first form
   of tea brought from China was probably in a teacake. Ancient recordings
   indicate the first batch of tea seeds were brought by a priest named
   Saicho (最澄; 767-822) in 805 and then by another named Kukai (空海;
   774-835) in 806. It became a drink of the royal classes when Emperor
   Saga (嵯峨天皇), the Japanese emperor, encouraged the growth of tea plants.
   Seeds were imported from China, and cultivation in Japan began.

Kissa Yojoki - the Book of Tea

   In 1191, the famous Zen priest Eisai (栄西; 1141-1215) brought back tea
   seeds to Kyoto. Some of the tea seeds were given to the priest Myoe
   Shonin, and became the basis for Uji tea. The oldest tea specialty book
   in Japan, Kissa Yojoki (喫茶養生記; how to stay healthy by drinking tea) was
   written by Eisai. The two-volume book was written in 1211 after his
   second and last visit to China. The first sentence states, "Tea is the
   ultimate mental and medical remedy and has the ability to make one's
   life more full and complete". The preface describes how drinking tea
   can have a positive effect on the five vital organs, especially the
   heart. It discusses tea's medicinal qualities which include easing the
   effects of alcohol, acting as a stimulant, curing blotchiness,
   quenching thirst, eliminating indigestion, curing beriberi, preventing
   fatigue, and improving urinary and brain function. Part One also
   explains the shapes of tea plants, tea flowers and tea leaves and
   covers how to grow tea plants and process tea leaves. In Part Two, the
   book discusses the specific dosage and method required for individual
   physical ailments.

   Eisai was also instrumental in introducing tea consumption to the
   warrior class, which rose to political prominence after the Heian
   Period. Eisai learned that the shogun Minamoto no Sanetomo had a habit
   of drinking too much every night. In 1214, Eisai presented a book he
   had written to the general, lauding the health benefits of tea
   drinking. After that, the custom of tea drinking became popular among
   the Samurai.

   Very soon, green tea became a staple among cultured people in Japan --
   a brew for the gentry and the Buddhist priesthood alike. Production
   grew and tea became increasingly accessible, though still a privilege
   enjoyed mostly by the upper classes.

Roasting process introduced to Japan

   In the 13th century Ming dynasty, southern China and Japan enjoyed much
   cultural exchange. Significant merchandise was traded and the roasting
   method of processing tea became common in Kyushu, Japan. Since the
   steaming (9th century) and the roasting (13th century) method were
   brought to Japan during two different periods, these teas are
   completely distinct from each another.

Japan tea culture emerges

   Japanese tea ceremony
   Enlarge
   Japanese tea ceremony

   The pastime made popular in China in the twelfth and thirteenth
   centuries -- reading poetry, writing calligraphy, painting, and
   discussing philosophy while enjoying tea – eventually became popular in
   Japan and with Samurai society. The modern tea ceremony developed over
   several centuries by Zen Buddhist monks under the original guidance of
   the monk Sen-no Rikyu (1522-1591). In fact, both the beverage and the
   ceremony surrounding it played a prominent role in feudal diplomacy.
   Many of the most important negotiations among feudal clan leaders were
   carried out in the austere and serene setting of the tea ceremony. By
   the end of the sixteenth century, the current "Way of Tea" was
   established. Eventually, green tea became available to the masses,
   making it the nation's most popular beverage.

Modern Japanese green tea

   In 1738, Soen Nagatani developed Japanese sencha ( Japanese: 煎茶), which
   is an unfermented form of green tea. To prepare sencha, tea leaves are
   first steam-pressed, then rolled and dried into a loose tea.

   In 1835, Kahei Yamamoto developed gyokuro ( Japanese: 玉露), considered
   the finest loose-leaf Japanese green tea, by shading tea trees during
   the weeks leading up to harvesting in order to alter the leaf chemistry
   in ways considered pleasant by most green tea drinkers.

   Modern maccha ( Japanese: 抹茶) is normally taken from the same shaded
   trees as gyokuro and ground to a fine powder to be mixed whole into hot
   water, and is the tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony.

Rolling machines

   At the end of the Meiji period (1868-1912), machine manufacturing of
   green tea was introduced and began replacing handmade tea. Machines
   took over the processes of primary drying, tea rolling, secondary
   drying, final rolling, and steaming.

Automation

   Automation contributed to improved quality control and reduced labour.
   Sensor and computer controls were introduced to machine automation so
   that unskilled workers can produce superior tea without compromising in
   quality. Certain regions in Japan are known for special types of green
   tea, as well as for teas of exceptional quality, making the leaves
   themselves a highly valued commodity. This combination of Nature's
   bounty and manmade technical breakthroughs combine to produce the most
   exceptional green tea products sold on the market today. Today, roasted
   green tea is not as common in Japan and powdered tea is used in
   ceremonial fashion.

Tea spreads to the world

   As the Venetian explorer Marco Polo failed to mention tea in his travel
   records, it is conjectured that the first Europeans to encounter tea
   were either Jesuits living in Beijing who attended the court of the
   last Ming Emperors, or Portuguese explorers visiting Japan in 1560.
   Russia discovered tea in 1618 after a Ming Emperor of China offered it
   as a gift to Czar Michael I.

   Soon imported tea was introduced to Europe, where it quickly became
   popular among the wealthy in France and the Netherlands. English use of
   tea dates from about 1650 and is attributed to Catherine of Braganza
   (Portuguese princess and queen consort of Charles II of England).

   The high demand for tea in Britain caused a huge trade deficit with
   China, leading the British to try to produce their own in the
   mid-nineteenth century. Using seeds smuggled from China (there was an
   official ban on foreigners entering tea-growing areas), the British
   went through some failed experiments but finally succeeded in setting
   up productive plantations in parts of colonial India with suitable
   climates and soil. They also tried to balance the trade deficit by
   selling opium to the Chinese, which later led to the First Opium War in
   1838–1842.

   The Boston Tea Party was an act of uprising in which Boston residents
   destroyed crates of British tea in 1773, in protest against British tea
   and taxation policy. Prior to the Boston Tea Party, residents of
   Britain's North American 13 colonies drank far more tea than coffee. In
   Britain, coffee was more popular. After the protests against the
   various taxes, British Colonists stopped drinking tea as an act of
   patriotism. Similarly, Britons slowed their consumption of coffee.

   Iced Tea has been popular in North America since the 1904 St. Louis
   World's Fair.

   These days, contradicting tea economies do exist. Tea farmers in Japan,
   Taiwan and China often enjoy better incomes compared to farmers in
   black tea producing countries.

The word tea

   The Chinese character for tea is 茶, but it is pronounced differently in
   the various Chinese dialects. Two pronunciations have made their way
   into other languages around the world. One is 'te' ( Taiwanese
   (linguistics): tê) which comes from the Min Nan dialect spoken around
   the port of Xiamen (Amoy). The other is Chá, used by the Cantonese
   dialect spoken around the ports of Guangzhou (Canton), Hong Kong,
   Macau, and in overseas Chinese communities, as well as in the Mandarin
   dialect of northern China. Yet another different pronunciation is 'zu',
   used in the Wu dialect spoken around Shanghai.

   Languages that have Te derivatives include Afrikaans (tee), Armenian,
   Catalan (te), Czech (té or thé, but these words sound archaic, čaj is
   used nowadays, see the next paragraph), Danish (te), Dutch (thee),
   English (tea), Esperanto (teo), Estonian (tee), Faroese (te), Finnish
   (tee), French (thé), (West) Frisian (tee), Galician (té), German (Tee),
   Hebrew (תה, /te/ or /tei/), Hungarian (tea), Icelandic (te), Indonesian
   (teh), Irish (tae), Italian (tè), scientific Latin (thea), Latvian
   (tēja), Malay (teh), Norwegian (te), Polish (herbata from Latin herba
   thea), Scots Gaelic (tì, teatha), Singhalese, Spanish (té), Swedish
   (te), Tamil (thè), Welsh (te), and Yiddish (טיי, /tei/).

   Those that use Cha or Chai derivatives include Albanian (çaj), Arabic
   (شَاي/shi/chai), Assyrian (pronounced chai), Azeri: (çay), Bengali
   (চা), Bosnian (čaj), Bulgarian (чай), Capampangan (cha), Cebuano (tsa),
   Croatian (čaj), Czech (čaj), Greek (τσάι), Hindi (चाय)chai, Japanese
   (茶, ちゃ, cha), Kazakh (шай), Korean (차), Macedonian (čaj), Malayalam,
   Nepali (chai), Persian (چاى), Punjabi (ਚਾਹ), Portuguese (chá), Romanian
   (ceai), Russian, (чай, chai), Serbian (чај), Slovak (čaj), Slovene
   (čaj), Somali (shaax), Swahili (chai), Tagalog (tsaa), Thai (ชา),
   Tibetan (ja), Turkish (çay), Ukrainian (чай), Urdu (چاى), Uzbek (choy)
   and Vietnamese (trà and chè are both direct derivatives of the Chinese
   茶; the latter term is used mainly in the north).

   The Polish word for a tea-kettle is czajnik, which could be derived
   directly from Cha or from the cognate Russian word. However, tea in
   Polish is herbata, which was probably derived from the Latin herba
   thea, meaning "tea herb".

   It is tempting to correlate these names with the route that was used to
   deliver tea to these cultures, although the relation is far from simple
   at times. As an example, the first tea to reach Britain was traded by
   the Dutch from Fujian, which uses te, and although later most British
   trade went through Canton, which uses cha, the Fujianese pronunciation
   continued to be the more popular.

   In Ireland, or at least in Dublin, the term "cha" is sometimes used for
   tea, with "tay" as a common pronunciation throughout the land (derived
   from the Irish Gaelic tae), and "char" was a common slang term for tea
   throughout British Empire and Commonwealth military forces in the 19th
   and 20th centuries, crossing over into civilian usage. In North
   America, the word "chai" is used to refer almost exclusively to the
   Indian " chai" (or "masala chai") beverage.

   Perhaps the only place in which a word unrelated to tea is used to
   describe the beverage is South America (particularly Andean countries),
   because a similar stimulant beverage, hierba mate, was consumed there
   long before tea arrived. In various places of South America, any tea is
   referred to as mate.

Tea culture

   Tea is often drunk at social events, such as afternoon tea and the tea
   party. It may be drunk early in the day to heighten alertness; it
   contains theophylline and bound caffeine (sometimes called "theine"),
   although there are also decaffeinated teas.

   There are tea ceremonies which have arisen in different cultures,
   Japan's complex, formal and serene one being the most known. Other
   examples are the Korean tea ceremony or some traditional ways of
   brewing tea in Chinese tea culture.

Preparation

   Taiwanese tea kettle over hot coals
   Enlarge
   Taiwanese tea kettle over hot coals

   This section describes the most widespread method of making tea.
   Completely different methods are used in North Africa, Tibet and
   perhaps in other places. In the American South, iced tea is also
   prepared differently.

   The best way to prepare tea is usually thought to be with loose tea
   placed either directly in a teapot or contained in a tea infuser,
   rather than a teabag. However, perfectly acceptable tea can be made
   with teabags. Some circumvent the teapot stage altogether and brew the
   tea directly in a cup or mug. This method is becoming more popular. For
   an acceptable quality, however, it is necessary to obey the rules for
   preparation such as sufficient infusion time by placing the teabag in
   the cup before pouring the hot water.

   Historically in China, tea is divided into a number of infusions. The
   first infusion is immediately poured out to wash the tea, and then the
   second and further infusions are had. The third through fifth are
   nearly always considered the best infusions of tea, although different
   teas open up differently and may require more infusions of boiling
   water to bring them to life.

   Typically, the best temperature for brewing tea can be determined by
   its type. Teas that have little or no oxidation period, such as a green
   or white tea, are best brewed at lower temperatures around 80 °C, while
   teas with longer oxidation periods should be brewed at higher
   temperatures around 100 °C.
   Black tea infusion.
   Enlarge
   Black tea infusion.

   Black tea
          The water for black teas should be added at the boiling point
          (100 °C or 212 °F), except for more delicate teas, where lower
          temperatures are recommended. This will have as large an effect
          on the final flavour as the type of tea used. The most common
          fault when making black tea is to use water at too low a
          temperature. Since boiling point drops with increasing altitude,
          this makes it difficult to brew black tea properly in
          mountainous areas. It is also recommended that the teapot be
          warmed before preparing tea, easily done by adding a small
          amount of boiling water to the pot, swirling briefly, before
          discarding. Black tea should not be allowed to steep for less
          than 30 seconds or more than about five minutes (a process known
          as brewing or [dialectally] mashing in the UK, Specifically in
          Yorkshire.). After that, tannin is released, which counteracts
          the stimulating effect of the theophylline and caffeine and
          makes the tea bitter (at this point it is referred to as being
          stewed in the UK). Therefore, for a "wake-up" tea, one should
          not let the tea steep for more than 2- 3minutes. When the tea
          has brewed long enough to suit the tastes of the drinker, it
          should be strained while serving.

   Green tea
          Water for green tea, according to most accounts, should be
          around 80 °C to 85 °C (176 °F to 185 °F); the higher the quality
          of the leaves, the lower the temperature. Hotter water will burn
          green-tea leaves, producing a bitter taste. Preferably, the
          container in which the tea is steeped, the mug, or teapot should
          also be warmed beforehand so that the tea does not immediately
          cool down.

   Oolong tea
          Oolong teas should be brewed around 90 °C to 100 °C (194 °F to
          212 °F), and again the brewing vessel should be warmed before
          pouring in the water. Yixing purple clay teapots are the ideal
          brewing vessel for oolong tea. For best results use spring
          water, as the minerals in spring water tend to bring out more
          flavour in the tea.

   Premium or delicate tea
          Some teas, especially green teas and delicate Oolong or
          Darjeeling teas, are steeped for shorter periods, sometimes less
          than 30 seconds. Using a tea strainer separates the leaves from
          the water at the end of the brewing time if a tea bag is not
          being used.

   Serving
          In order to preserve the pre-tannin tea without requiring it all
          to be poured into cups, a second teapot is employed. The
          steeping pot is best unglazed earthenware; Yixing pots are the
          best known of these, famed for the high quality clay from which
          they are made. The serving pot is generally porcelain, which
          retains the heat better. Larger teapots are a post-19th-century
          invention, as tea before this time was very rare and very
          expensive. Experienced tea-drinkers often insist that the tea
          should not be stirred around while it is steeping (sometimes
          called winding in the UK). This, they say, will do little to
          strengthen the tea, but is likely to bring the tannic acids out
          in the same way that brewing too long will do. For the same
          reason one should not squeeze the last drops out of a teabag; if
          stronger tea is desired, more tea leaves should be used.

   Additives
          The addition of other items such as milk and sugar to tea is
          primarily a European invention, though it has also spread to
          british colonies such as Hong Kong or India. Some connoisseurs
          eschew cream because it overpowers the flavour of tea. Many teas
          are traditionally drunk with milk. These include Indian chai,
          and British tea blends. These teas tend to be very hearty
          varieties which can be tasted through the milk, such as Assams,
          or the East Friesian blend. Milk is thought to neutralise
          remaining tannins and reduce acidity.

          Sugar cubes ready to be added to a cup of tea

          Enlarge
          Sugar cubes ready to be added to a cup of tea
          When taking milk with tea, some add the tea to the milk rather
          than the other way around when using chilled milk; this avoids
          scalding the milk, leading to a better emulsion and nicer taste.
          The socially 'correct' order is tea, sugar, milk, but this
          convention was established before the invention of the
          refrigerator. It is worth noting that this convention was only
          universally established in the 20th century - prior to this, the
          common earthenware mugs used were unable to withstand the
          temperature of the tea, and so the convention was to add the tea
          to the milk. This was not the case with bone china.
          Adding the milk first also makes a milkier cup of tea with sugar
          harder to dissolve as there will be no hot liquid in the cup. In
          addition, the amount of milk used is normally determined by the
          colour of the tea, therefore milk is added until the correct
          colour is obtained. If the milk is added first, more guesswork
          is involved. If the tea is being brewed in a mug, the milk is
          generally added after the tea bag is removed (however, it is
          arguably better to add milk before removing the tea bag than it
          is to remove the tea bag too soon: the tea will continue to brew
          even with milk added).
          Other popular additives to tea include sugar or honey, lemon,
          and fruit jams.
          In colder regions such as Mongolia, Tibet and Nepal, butter is
          added to provide necessary calories. Tibetan butter tea contains
          rock salt and yak butter, which is then churned vigorously in a
          cylindrical vessel closely resembing a butter churn. The flavour
          of this beverage is more akin to a rich broth than to tea, and
          may be described as a very acquired taste to those unused to
          drinking it.

   Ceremony
          * Zen Buddhism is the root of the highly refined Japanese tea
          ceremony.

          + Gong Fu tea ceremony, a popular Chinese ceremony practice is
            based on Lu Yu writing "Char Jin".

          + The Korean Tea Ceremony is more like the Chinese ceremony.

          + In the United Kingdom, adding the milk first is historically
            considered a lower-class method of preparing tea; the upper
            classes always add the milk last. The origin of this
            distinction is said to be that the rougher earthenware mugs of
            the working class would break if boiling-hot tea was added
            directly to them, whereas the fine glazed china cups of the
            upper class would not. It is now considered by most to be a
            personal preference.

Packaging

   Tea Bags
   Enlarge
   Tea Bags

   Tea bags
          Tea leaves are packed into a small (usually paper) tea bag. It
          is easy and convenient, making tea bags popular for many people
          nowadays. However, the tea used in tea bags has an industry name
          -- it is called "fannings" or "dust" and is the waste product
          produced the sorting of higher quality loose leaf tea. It is
          commonly held among tea aficionados that this method provides an
          inferior taste and experience. The paper used for the bag can
          also be tasted by many which can detract from the tea's flavour.
          Because fannings and dust are a lower quality of the tea to
          begin with, the tea found in tea bags is less finicky when it
          comes to brewing time and temperature

          Additional reasons why bag tea is considered less well-flavoured
          include:

          + Dried tea loses its flavour quickly on exposure to air. Most
            bag teas (although not all) contain leaves broken into small
            pieces; the great surface-area-to-volume ratio of the leaves
            in tea bags exposes them to more air, and therefore causes
            them to go stale faster. Loose tea leaves are likely to be in
            larger pieces, or to be entirely intact.
          + Breaking up the leaves for bags extracts flavoured oils.
          + The small size of the bag does not allow leaves to diffuse and
            steep properly.

   Triangle Tea Bags

          A new infuser has recently come onto the market with an unusual
          design. The mesh triangle bags are made of a gossamer mesh and
          have been criticized of being environmentally unfriendly. The
          shape is designed to allow the tea leaves to expand more when
          steeping, and not leave flavours (such as paper) in the tea,
          addressing two of connoisseurs' arguments against tea bags. As
          such, the flavours available tend towards more gourmet
          selections such as white tea rather than blends.

   Loose tea
          The tea leaves are packaged loosely in a canister or other
          container. The portions must be individually measured by the
          consumer for use in a cup, mug or teapot. This allows greater
          flexibility, letting the consumer brew weaker or stronger tea as
          desired, but convenience is sacrificed. Strainers, "tea
          presses", filtered teapots and infusion bags are available
          commercially to avoid having to drink the floating loose leaves.
          A more traditional, yet perhaps more effective way around this
          problem is to use a three-piece lidded teacup, called a gaiwan.
          The lid of the gaiwan can be tilted to decant the leaves while
          pouring the tea into a different cup for consumption.

   Compressed tea
          A lot of tea is still compressed for storage and aging
          convenience. Commonly Pu-Erh tea is compressed and then drunk by
          loosening leaves off using a small knife. Most of the time
          compressed tea can be stored longer than loose leaf tea.

   Tea sticks
          One of the more modern forms of tea consumption, an alternative
          to the tea bag, is tea sticks.
          The first known tea sticks originated in Holland in the mid
          1990's, where a company by the name of Venezia Trading produced
          a tea stick named Ticolino. Ticolino are dubbed as single
          serving tea sticks which use an infusing technology to brew the
          tea leaves inside, releasing the flavour and aroma.

   Instant tea
          In recent times, "instant teas" are becoming popular, similar to
          freeze dried instant coffee. Instant tea was developed in the
          1930's, but not commercialized until the late 1950's, and is
          only more recently becoming popular. These products often come
          with added flavours, such as vanilla, honey or fruit, and may
          also contain powdered milk. Similar products also exist for
          instant iced tea, due to the convenience of not requiring
          boiling water. Tea connoisseurs tend to criticise these products
          for sacrificing the delicacies of tea flavour in exchange for
          convenience.

Storage

   Tea storage is essential to keeping the taste of tea pure. Tea absorbs
   moisture and odours very easily so it is necessary to keep it in some
   kind of container away from strong odours. One way to store a small
   amount of loose leaf tea is to keep it in a tin or glass container.
   These containers will keep the tea free from moisture and also keep
   odours out so the tea will keep its original flavour. Other ways to
   store tea include air tight bags. When storing the tea keep it away
   from sun light, strong odours, and moisture. For larger amounts of tea
   it would be good to put it into a cooler type of container. First wrap
   the tea in brown paper then wrap the paper again with brown paper to
   keep out any moisture. Then place the tea into a cooler that has
   nothing in and has a good seal. Next take the tea to a cool place away
   from moisture and odours. The length of time you can store tea depends
   on its type. Some teas such as flower teas will go bad in a month or
   so, but others may get better with age.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea"
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