There are no two cups of tea alike...

 

Since my opening text was about the history of tea I will develop the topic a bit further.  As we already know, the major tea-growing regions are eastern and southern China, northern Myanmar, and the Assam state of India. Other countries growing marketable amounts of tea are: Argentina, Brazil, Georgia, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Taiwan (Formosa) and Turkey. Variety of countries means variety of species.  What is more we do not differentiate only between regions, but also the way of processing and preparing tea.  Today, let us however concentrate particularly at the types of tea. It can be divided into a few basic categories: black, green, red, white, oolong, and puerh. 

Black tea is produced through the process of withering, preceded by the process of oxidation, during which water evaporates from leaves enabling them to absorb more oxygen from the air. As an effect of those processes leaves become dark brown or black. This kind of tea has the highest caffeine content among all teas (50-65% of coffee).

Green tea is also produced through the process of  withering.  The difference is that it must happen slightly after tea is picked. Then the  process is stopped very quickly by rapidly heating  (firing) the leaves. Because green teas are brewed at lower temperatures and for less time than black, they have less caffeine (10-30% of coffee). Greens have also more subtle flavors with many undertones and accents.

White tea is processed using the youngest shoots of the tea plant, with no oxidation. That is why it is the most delicate of all teas. To extract its subtlety, complexity, and natural sweetness,  white tea is breved with a very low temperature and a short steeping time.

Oolong tea (also known as wulong tea) is produced through the process of partial oxidation. This tea has a caffeine content between that of green tea and black tea. The flavor of oolong tea is also somewhere in between green and black tea. It has its own extremely fragrant and intriguing tones. Oolongs (wulongs) are often compared to the taste and aroma of fresh flowers or fresh fruit.

Puerh is an aged black tea from China appreciated for its healing properties and earthy flavor.  The process of its production is a closely guarded state secret in China. Its taste is very strong with an incredibly deep and rich flavour, and no bitterness.

Red tea (Rooibos) is technically not a tea but a tisane because it is not prepared from the leaves of  a tea bush. Instead, it is the oxidized and dried leaves of the South African plant. Lack of caffeine and  lots of antioxidants make the herbal tea really attractive. Moreover,  it is also rich in minerals like iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc, which promote the hair growth.