With winter approaching and illness season in full swing here in New England, folks will likely be drinking plenty of tea to stay warm and energized. After water, tea is the most widely-consumed beverage in the world. From the Tang dynasty to the Boston Tea party, tea has a rich and storied history (perhaps the subject for a blog post at a later date), but it is ubiquitously enjoyed by young and old around the world. Enjoying tea is a social act. A more contemporary take on the phrase, “spill the beans”, when someone says “spill the tea” or “what’s the tea”, they typically are hoping to hear some interesting tidbits, juicy gossip or secrets that the listener may be privy to. While this phrase may have originated from a quote by The Lady Chablis in John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, its use is becoming increasingly globalized, much like tea itself, through appearances in reality television and social media.
With the globalization of trade goods, especially in the 20th and 21st centuries, we can easily find all varieties of teas at our local grocery store, international food market, or online catalog. With family roots in Cork County, Ireland, I’ve enjoyed strong black tea most days since I was young, but it wasn’t until I was in my late teens and worked at a tea store that I was able to learn more about the different types of tea.
Tea is a drink prepared with the processed leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis (USDA hardiness zones 7-9). An evergreen bush or small tree native to Southeast Asia, Camellia sinensis is now grown around the world in subtropical and tropical acidic soils. Tea grown at higher altitudes takes longer to develop but provides a more nuanced flavor and is generally considered higher quality (and consequently fetches a higher price). There are countless cultivars of the tea plant available as characteristics have been selected by humans for centuries. Tea produces caffeine as a secondary metabolite that acts as a natural insecticide and repellant for plant-feeding insects.
Depending on how the leaves are processed, different types of tea are produced. White, green, yellow, black, oolong and pu-erh teas are forms of true tea (i.e. derived from Camellia sinensis). Many people refer to steeped rooibos, yerba mate, cinnamon, chamomile, lemongrass, lavender, orange peel, spearmint and other blends of fruit and herbs as “herbal tea”, but it is important to note that these do not come from the tea plant.
White tea is minimally processed, often produced by picking young shoot tips then allowing them to whither and dry in the sun. White tea is named such for the white pubescence on these young, minimally-processed leaves and not for the color of the resulting steeped drink, which is often a pale yellow-green. White teas are mild in flavor, sometimes sweet, with a less “grassy” taste compared to green teas. White teas tend to be more expensive compared to other types due to the quality standards imposed. If you’re looking to try a white tea, I highly recommend splurging on a loose-leaf tea for the true experience. Steep at a temperature below boiling (180 degrees F) for 1 to 2 minutes. A higher temperature or longer steep will cause the delicate flavors to be masked by an astringent, bitter taste due to the release of too many tannins. White teas are rarely steeped more than once, but I’ve done so with success in the past. Silver Needle is an excellent architype of a white tea, but may be expensive or hard to find at your local store.
I’ve only tried yellow tea a few times. These rare teas are usually Chinese in origin and have refined, sweet, mellow tastes – more robust than white teas but less “grassy” than green teas. They’re pretty expensive and I’m not familiar enough with any to recommend one, but if you manage to come across this elusive tea, steep gently, like white tea, and enjoy in the company of someone special to you.
Green tea is slightly more processed than white tea. After picking, the leaf shoots are steamed, pan-fired, or sun-dried, (depending on the type of green tea desired), then rolled (usually by hand), but not allowed to oxidize or ferment. Green teas have matured, “true tea” flavors and are quite popular. In Japan, a finely ground powder of green tea leaves called matcha is consumed suspended in water or milk, and is widely used to flavor candies, mochi, ice cream, and other foods. Steep green teas at a temperature below boiling (180-190 degrees F) for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the specific type of tea. A higher temperature or longer steep will cause the delicate flavors to be masked by an astringent, bitter taste due to the release of too many tannins. Green teas often re-steep fairly well, so try to get a second cup or pot out of your steeped green tea leaves. There are many, many types of green tea, but one of my favorites that I recommend you try is Gen-mai cha – an affordable green tea mixed with roasted, popped rice (yes, rice can be popped like corn!).
Called “blue tea” in French (thé bleu), oolong tea is more processed still. After picking, leaves are withered under the sun then allowed to oxidize partially before being rolled/twisted and fully drying. Oolong teas have a more robust flavor than white or green teas and often have complex, “toasty” notes depending on the final drying or firing process after partial oxidation. Oolong teas vary widely in flavor and processing and consequently vary widely in steep temperature and time (usually between 180-200 degrees F, but could be anywhere from a 1 to 5 minute steep). Oolong teas usually re-steep very well! Definitely try to get more than one pot out of these. Because oolong teas can vary so widely, some folks like to collect and compare these teas.
In addition to being enjoyed throughout Asia, black tea has historically been very popular in the Indian subcontinent, the UK, Ireland, and the US. Black tea, sometimes called red tea, often has a much stronger flavor compared to most other types of teas. Their popularity is due, in part, to their longer shelf life and ability to retain flavor longer than other types of tea. Black teas are picked, withered, rolled strongly by hand or machine, sorted, allowed to fully oxidize, then dried. Pu-erh teas, are made similarly, but are then allowed to ferment for various amounts of time and are usually labeled with the year of production and sold in pressed disks. They often have a very strong flavor and may be more of an acquired taste for some.
Black teas are usually named based on the production region (e.g., Ceylon, Darjeeling, etc.), or blended with other flavorings such as bergamot oil (i.e., Earl Grey tea) or spices (i.e., chai teas). Unflavored black teas re-steep better than flavored black teas, though it can vary pretty widely. If the black tea has been stored for longer, it may not re-steep as well, but this can depend on the quality and origin of the tea (and whether it was used loose-leaf or bagged). Black teas are usually fine to steep just under boiling (200-212 degrees F for 3 to 5 minutes), but a shorter steep and lower temperature will result in a less astringent brew. The addition of milk and sugar is often popular with black teas to counteract this astringency associated with the release of tannins. For folks with sensitive stomachs, these tannins can be irritating so a shorter steep, the addition of milk, or a switch to a lighter type of tea is recommended.
So there’s the tea! Though Connecticut is a bit cold for growing tea outdoors, if you have questions about growing your own plant indoors or any of the herbs and spices grown here and used for brewing a warm drink this winter, reach out to us by emailing ladybug@uconn.edu.
Nick Goltz, DPM
Uconnladybug's Blog 