Tea
Information and Types of Tea
Tea
is the second most consumed beverage behind water. There
must be something special about this brewed beverage. If
we are to discuss tea and the different types of teas, we
must first cover what it actually is.
What
is Tea?
Tea is basically the dried and processed leaves of only
one species of plant called camellia sinensis. Interestingly
enough, herbal teas or herbal infusions are not really teas,
but simply dried leaves and/or flowers from various other
plants and herbs.
Even
though all teas come from only one species, there are three
major varietals:
The
China – Small leaves and generally thrives at higher
altitudes.
The
India (or Assam) – Larger leaves and generally
thrives at lower altitudes.
The
Hybrid – Kind of in-between the Chinese and Indian.
Earlier,
I talked about the processing of the camellia’s leaves.
There are four main methods of processing and each produces
a different type of tea. These four main types are:
A
Tea for Everyone:
Sometimes,
tea is sold as a blend of some combination of the four main
types listed above. Teas can also be flavored with oils
or scented with flower petals during the processing stage.
They can also be combined with fruits and spices.
One
of my favorites is chai tea
which is black tea brewed with various spices. Finally,
let's not forget refreshing iced
tea!
Fun
Tip:
One
of the neatest things I've come across in a long time is
a website that allows you to customize your own teas!
They will literally blend, add fruits, spices, and other
flavors to create a truly personalized experience.
You
can even name your creation and upload a picture for the
container. It's easy to do and to sweeten the deal, they'll
give you discount points if someone else purchases your
creation! Surprise someone you love with this unique gift.
Follow
either of the links below to get your preferred discount
and then go to the signature blends page to create your
own. Have Fun!
Soil
and climate conditions dramatically affect the taste of
leaves from different parts of the world. The way the tea
is processed also makes a dramatic different in the final
taste.
I
find it fascinating that with all of these combinations,
there are literally thousands of different teas produced
from the single species, camellia sinensis.
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