Art of Tea Academy

Your Guide to Black Tea

marketing@artoftea.com (Art of Tea) — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 17:02:00 GMT

Black tea is by far the most popular tea in the world. In the US, it accounts for about 80% of the tea consumed; most of which is served as iced tea. Some of the most popular blended and flavored teas are made using a black tea as its base. These include Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Chai, Masala Chai, Tropical, Passion Fruit, 50/50, Arnold Palmer Iced Tea®, and Orange Pekoe to name just a few. Traditionally, black tea was produced in China, India, and Sri Lanka (Ceylon); however, due to world demand, several countries now produce black teas. Countries like Argentina (60% of the black tea imported to the US), Kenya, Rwanda, Malawi, Indonesia, Vietnam, and many, many more.

Though you can argue most teas are classified by the country they come from; black teas are especially so classified. This is because every country produces radically different styles of black tea and there are so many countries to choose from today. Each countries terroir plays a key role in the cup character and styling of the leaf. Terroir refers to the climate, soil, altitude, and latitude in which the tea is grown. Other factors that influence terroir, to a lesser degree, include: cultivation method, plant material (varietal or cultivar), growing season, type of plucking, and historical practices. To further differentiate the teas within each country producers may use one or more descriptors in the name. This can include:

Regional Name: Often referring to the state or province within the country the tea was produced (Keemun, Yunnan, Nilgiri, Assam, etc.).
Estate Name: The name of the tea producer who processed the leaf (Bogawantalawa, Margret’s Hope, Glenburn, Dilmah, etc.)
Season or Flush: A flush refers to the new growth of two leaves and a bud on the tea plant. The flush is what is plucked off the tea bush to produce the tea. Some countries only have a few flushes a year, while others have flushes every couple months. (First Flush, Second Flush, Autumnal, Monsoon, Spring, Fall, etc.)
Altitude: This refers to the altitude in which the tea leaves are cultivated. (Low Grown, Mid Grown, High Grown, etc.)
Tea Grade: The British created a way of grading the tea following the orange pekoe (OP) grading system. Today most countries use this grading system for their black teas. (OP, BOP, BOPF, F, FOP, etc.)

Orange Pekoe has nothing to do with citrus flavors, but is a term used to define the grade of the largest tea leaf. Grading of tea has nothing to do with quality, but that of the size and look of the leaf. The name is derived most likely from:

The Dutch Royal House of Orange-Nassau: The Dutch East India Company performed a central role in bringing tea to Europe and may have marketed the tea as “orange” to suggest a royal warrant.
Derived from the transliterated mispronunciation of the Amoy (Xiamen) dialect word for a Chinese tea known as “white down/hair” (peh-ho). This is how “pekoe” is listed by Rev. Robert in his Chinese dictionary, in 1819, as one of the seven sorts of black tea “commonly known by Europeans”. Pekoe refers to the down-like white “hairs” on the leaf and to the youngest leaf buds.

It is important to note that not all black tea is equal. At its simplest level, there are 2 main styles of black tea produced. Some countries produce both, while others produce one or the other. For specialty tea, the only type of production is referred to as Orthodox Processed. These are teas that are hand processed or use machines that mimic hand processing and all care is taken to keep the leaf in its whole leaf size. For commodity tea, the main type of production is referred to as CTC (Crush Tear Curl). This uses machinery to make the tea and literally crushes, tears and rolls the tea into uniform sized pieces.

Black tea production was first developed by the British in India and later in Sri Lanka, and was eventually used by other countries, with slight variations. Black tea is first plucked off the bush, withered — usually in huge withering troughs, rolled by machines that gently bruise the leaf and give the leaf its shape, oxidized for many hours to turn the green leaf into shades of brown, fired to stop the oxidization process, and then graded into like size and shape.

A lot of reports and articles talk about how green tea is healthy because it has antioxidant polyphenols, like EGCG. What most people don’t realize is that black tea is just as healthy as green tea. There are just more studies being done on green tea than black. In fact, all teas have antioxidant polyphenols. In black tea, polyphenols are combined with oxygen (during the oxidation process) and polyphenol oxidase to produce oxidized polyphenols. Instead of EGCG, in black tea we get Theaflavins (TF) and Thearubigins (TR). So if you are a fan of black tea and are only drinking that green tea because you think it is healthier, now you know that your favorite black tea is just as healthy for you.

Art of Tea is an award winning purveyor of specialty and organic teas, based in Los Angeles, CA.

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Your Guide to Pu-Erh Tea

marketing@artoftea.com (Art of Tea) — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 17:21:00 GMT

Per written record, tea has been grown and consumed by the many ethnic people who have lived in the Yunnan Province of China, for at least 1,750 years. (Most likely longer.) Being such a remote location, the tea producers in Yunnan needed to develop a tea that would withstand transport for trade. The tea they developed is the unique tea we now call pu-erh. Though pu-erh tea is often thought to be named for the city of Pu-erh, a common gathering spot where sellers would sell their local teas, it has been around a lot longer.

According to legend, during the Three Kingdoms Period (220–280), Zhuge Liang was the man responsible for developing tea production in Yunnan as a way to bring income to the southwestern parts of the province. During the Tang Dynasty (618–906) when tea became popular in the Imperial Court, the tea producers in Yunnan, being so far away from this uplifting of tea, worked hard to just produce tea that would travel well along the trading routes. The most important of these routes was the Old Tea Horse Road.

The Old Tea Horse Road was an essential trade route connecting what is present day Tibet, Yunnan, and Sichuan. Though other items were sold along this route, its name most likely came from the creation of The Tea and Horse Office (1074), established in the Song Dynasty (960–1279), to regulate the trading of tea for warhorses. This trade route was so successful that it flourished during the Yuan (1271–1368), Ming (1369–1644), and Qing (1644–1911) Dynasties. Most of the growth of tea trading during this time, was to Tibet, as the popularity of tea grew exponentially. In fact, during the Ming Dynasty, trading of tea to Tibet started crossing over into influencing political leaders and lamas.

What we have come to love about pu-erh tea was initially developed purely as a way to pack and store tea for the long journey through the trade route. Over time, tea producers developed a way to produce teas that had these unique and desirable flavors using an aging process without having to travel great distances. The process used was a well-guarded secret, going as far back as the Ming Dynasty. Trespassers were assumed spies and killed on site. Even to this day the entire pu-erh process is rarely shared with outsiders.

Production of pu-erh tea, today, is done so in two separate phases. The first phase produces a rough tea referred to as Mao Cha. Mao Cha is representative of how the tea was first made before it was packed to travel the Old Tea Horse Road. Mao cha is similar to a green tea at this stage and is typically sold to large tea producers in the area to finish the processing.

In phase two the tea is made into either a traditional raw tea (sheng cha) or a cooked tea (shou cha). Sheng cha is processed into its final shape and carefully stored for many years until the tea has matured and turned a rich brown/black color. This process can take up to 10 years. This naturally aged tea develops complex characteristics as it ages. The age of the tea also determines the cost; the older the tea the more expensive it is. In the 1970’s, the Kumming Tea Company developed a way to speed up the aging process by controlling a secondary fermentation process referred to as an auto-thermal process (wo dui). Tea produced by this method is referred to as shou cha. This process takes only months to complete, and produces a tea similar to that of the naturally aged, with less complexity. However, the cost for shou cha is significantly less. Most what is sold in the US today is shou cha.

Pu-erh tea comes in many shapes and sizes. It is common to find pu-erh tea pressed into discs or plates (bing), bricks (zhuan), birds’ nests (tuo), square (fang), mushroom (jin), melon (jingua), and loose (san). Additionally, pu-erh is also stored in a citrus rind, like tangerine (ju pu), or stuffed into bamboo tubes (tong). Size can very as well; from a single serving tuo cha to a large 357g birds nest; or from a small 100g tong cha to a bamboo tube as tall as a person.

Pu-erh teas have become so popular that other provinces in China have started producing teas in the pu-erh style as well. Pu-erh teas are teas that only come from the Yunnan Province. A relatively new category of teas has entered the market this past decade called dark teas. Dark teas are pu-erh style teas that are not produced in Yunnan, but come from other provinces such as Hunan.

Art of Tea is an award winning purveyor of specialty and organic teas, based in Los Angeles, CA.

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Your Guide to Green Tea

marketing@artoftea.com (Art of Tea) — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 18:19:00 GMT

Green tea is synonymous with China and Japan, but the green teas coming from these two countries are dramatically different in look and taste. Today green tea comes for several countries, but is always referred to as a Chinese or Japanese processed or styled tea. In general, Japanese teas are processed using steam to denature the enzymes found within the tea to prevent it from losing its green color; while in China, heat is applied through pan firing. These two distinct methods produce teas that have completely different character.

CHINA

Green tea was first developed in China during the Yuan Dynasty (1280–1368). Tea growers were looking to produce a tea that was milder overall, with less bitterness. They developed a process called chaoqing, which translates to “roasting out of the green.” This pan fired method de-enzymed the tea leaves, which radically changed the profile of the tea. This new tea had less bitterness, improved flavor, and an attractive appearance with a pleasing color. These traits were highly sought after by Chinese tea consumers. However, with packaging technology lacking, green teas could not travel far, as their quality would not hold up. Just about every tea region was producing a type of green tea with different production techniques. This led to the array of green teas that are available today. Luckily for us, technology caught up over the centuries so that everyone can enjoy these wonderful teas.

Though production processes have been refined over the years, most Chinese green teas go through the same processing steps. The region that the tea is grown and processed in, is what makes each of these green teas taste different.

Plucking » Withering » First Pan Firing » Shaping » Second Pan Firing » Final Firing » Sorting

For green tea, there are five notable growing regions in China –Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Henan. Zhejiang Province, an eastern coastal province of China, produces Dragonwell, Gunpowder, and Tian Mu Qing Ding. The southern province of Jiangxi produces Lu Shan Yun Wu green tea, which is not as popular in the States. But Jiangxi Province played an important role in the spread of tea knowledge. It is here that Japanese monks came to study Zen Buddhism and share tea and the tea ceremony which became chanoyu. Jiangsu Province, positioned along the Yellow Sea coast, produces Bi Luo Chun green tea. Land-locked Anhui Province produces Mao Feng and Luan Guapin. Henan Province, which is located in central China, is famous for its Mao Jian.

Dragonwell green tea is known for being both a mythical tea and one of controversy, as more Dragonwell tea is consumed each year than is actually produced in the West Lake Region. Legend tells us that in 250AD, a Taoist monk told farmers, desperate for rain, to pray to the dragon who lived in a nearby well. When the rain came quickly, the well became famous. Today, the Dragon Well Monastery still stands next to the well.

Consumers are often afraid of Chinese tea names, but if you know just a few of the words, you can easily see that they often consist of single words strung together to indicate the shape and origin of the teas.

JAPAN

In Japan, tea is much more than just a beverage. It is an integral part of the culture and is a symbol of hospitality. Though references to tea can be traced back to the early 800s, it wouldn’t be until the 1100s that tea production began, and not until the 16th century before tea production really took off. Back then, sencha referred to all boiled infused teas, while today, sencharefers to a high-quality spring harvest tea.

Almost all of the tea produced in Japan is some type of green tea. However, there are 2 main categories of tea produced. The difference is in the growing and cultivating of the bushes; either in full sunlight or shade. Shade grown teas include matcha, gyokuro, karigane, and kabusecha. Full sun grown teas include sencha, bancha, shincha, kukicha, genmaicha, tamaryokucha, and hojicha. Due to the stress that the leaf has been put through, shade grown teas have a unique taste profile. They produce higher concentrations of chlorophyll, theanine amino acid, and caffeine, which produces a tea with less astringency, more body, and a rich umami flavor.

Production in Japan is also unique in that there are two distinct stages. The first stage, called aracha or crude tea, allows tea growers to harvest their tea in the spring, when the tea is at its best, and then store it until it is needed throughout the year. This first stage consists of:

Sun/Shade Cultivation » Plucking » Steaming » Shaping » Drying » Storing

It is important to note that most of the plucking in Japan is done my machines that are highly advanced and can select only the bud and leaves that are needed. However, some of the more expensive higher quality teas are still hand plucked.

The second stage, which completes the tea, is referred to as refined tea production. The second stage consists of:

Firing » Sorting » Blending

Blending in Japan is slightly different, as it is very common to get tea leaves of varying sizes in a premium grade tea. Unlike teas from China, the look of the leaf is not as important as the taste in the cup.

There are five main growing regions, or prefectures, in Japan. The most well-known region is Uji in the Kyoto Prefecture. Uji is considered to be the birth place of Japanese tea, even though it doesn’t produce a lot of volume. Other regions include: Shizouka Prefecture, Kagoshima Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, and Fukuoka Prefecture. Shizouka Prefecture produces about half of Japan’s overall tea volume. Fukuoka Prefecture produces more than half the countries volume of Gyokuro tea.

Though the largest producers of green tea today are still China and Japan, green tea is produced in several countries. While each differs in processing methods and taste, all growing regions of green tea follow one of the two processing methods, which are considered the green tea standards for the world.

Art of Tea is an award winning purveyor of specialty and organic teas, based in Los Angeles, CA.

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Your Guide to White Tea

marketing@artoftea.com (Art of Tea) — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 17:40:00 GMT

White tea is named for the luscious white down covering the unfurled leaf bud, and to a lesser extent, the fresh new tea leaf. White tea originally came only from China, but as its popularity grew, other countries started producing similarly processed white tea. This has caused great debate and controversy within the industry. Even in China, there are differing opinions on what white tea consists of.

Historically, white tea was a powdered tea developed during the Song Dynasty (960–1279). During this time, the powdered white tea was sifted and placed at the bottom of a shallow bowl, where boiling water was added, and the tea whisked. As the tea was allowed to cool, the tea fell out of suspension, and was carefully consumed. The tea powder which settled to the bottom would not be consumed, but could be used again for the next cup. This method of consuming tea is what inspired Japanese Zen monks, who were studying at Chinese monasteries, to create Chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony.

Tea’s popularity grew during this time, thanks to Emperor Hui Zhing (1101–1125). He became known as the “Tea Emperor” and wrote a treatise consisting of twenty parts. These parts covered everything from cultivation to preparation. His fascination with white tea can be seen throughout his treatise.

The origin of what we call white tea today started in the late 1700s. Tea producers in Northern Fujian province were experimenting with a new process of drying the tea in the sun for several days, and then briefly applying heat to remove any residual moisture. Though the tea wasn’t the greatest, tea producers from Zheng He, Fuding, and Song Xi, continued to produce this tea with what material was available. In the late 1800s, Da Bai Hao (Big White) bushes were introduced, these bushes produced the plumb downy buds which have come to signify white tea as we know it today. During this time, only Yin Zhen Bai Hao (Silver Needles) was produced. This bud-only tea was very time consuming to harvest; over 3,500 buds were needed to produce a single pound. White tea was also made from Shui Hsien (Water Sprite) and Shao Bai Hao (Small White).

In the 1920s, Bai Mu Dan (White Peony) was developed, it included the unfurled leaf bud and the first two leaves. This tea was processed similarly to Silver Needles. White Peony is commonly used in blends and flavored loose and sachet white teas today. These buds have a silvery colored down, with green leaves that have some gray and brown edges, or spots, with some down on them. The quality of the leaf material is highly prized.

In the late 1960s, another white tea, Shou Mei (Longevity Eyebrow), was created in China. This tea typically uses the older leaves lower on the branch. These white tea leaves are allowed to oxidize naturally for several hours. Tea masters consider this a white tea because there is no de-enzyming step, as in green teas, with the application of heat or steam. This process produces a slightly darker brew with more body and oolong-like flavors. Shou Mei is commonly used in blends and flavored iced teas today. The leaves of this tea are more coarse than other white teas, and as a loose hot tea, are considered a lesser grade, but for iced teas they are considered the ideal grade.

In today’s ever expanding tea market, white tea processing can be found in countries other than China. These non-traditional white tea producing countries, produce teas following traditional Chinese processing methods. White teas can be found in countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Taiwan, Nepal, Kenya, USA, Bangladesh, Malawi, etc. These teas, though similar in processing, produce aromatics, tastes, and flavors, that are unique to each location and not totally the same as those produced in China. When first introduced, these teas often received harsh reviews from tea industry purists, but over time they have found a home among the white teas of the world. Whether they’re accepted or not, these teas produce a unique taste profile worth exploring.

Art of Tea is an award winning purveyor of specialty and organic teas, based in Los Angeles, CA.

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Understanding the Healthful Properties of Tea

marketing@artoftea.com (Art of Tea) — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 17:59:00 GMT

We have all heard that consuming tea is healthy because tea contains Antioxidants, Polyphenols, EGCG, Flavonoids and Catechins that fight free radicals in the body. But what does that really mean? With all the research published today on the health benefits of tea, it is becoming more and more common for operators to ask their tea partner to clarify the information on what the different scientific terms mean and the differences between them. As a strategic partner to your customers, you can provide them with the information they need to educate themselves and their guests on the wonderful health benefits of tea!

Are All Teas Healthy?

Yes, because all tea comes from the same plant, Camelia sinensis, all tea contains some health properties. Premium orthodox teas do tend to be higher in antioxidants, however, because they primarily contain only the fresh new leaves of the plant, compared to CTC teas that often include older mature leaves, as well as, stems and stalks.

To start, the terms Antioxidants, Polyphenols, EGCG, Flavonoids and Catechins all refer to antioxidants. One way to understand the relationship between the different antioxidant compounds is to consider them in order from largest group to smallest. The illustration below shows a basic break down of the groupings. As you can see from the diagram, antioxidants range from very broad or to very specific. For example, EGCG is a very specific antioxidant.

Understanding the Technical Terms

Antioxidant is a broad term that covers many different types of substances. An antioxidant is a substance that prevents the oxidation of another substance. Oxidation is the loss of an electron when two substances interact. The substance that loses the electron is oxidized. Oxygen is a well-known oxidizing agent, hence the term oxidation. We are most familiar with this happening to apples turning brown when they are cut open, or metals when they start to rust. Likewise, that is what happens when green tea becomes black tea.

The method for quantifying the strength of antioxidants in food is through Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC). ORAC is a measurement of how effectively the food neutralizes free radicals. The ORAC value of tea is between 1,128–1,253. This is on the same level as peppers, apricots, mangos and potatoes; but higher than eggplants, pineapples, orange juice and carrots.

Free radicals are substances that set off a chain reaction which can be damaging to cellular structures. Free radicals are natural byproducts of the metabolic processes that are believed to be responsible for aging and the development of several different diseases, such as cancer. Antioxidants block, or stop the oxidation process, thereby neutralizing free radicals and stopping the chain reaction before it starts. Although our bodies produce some antioxidants naturally, we also require antioxidants from food. Polyphenols are the most common antioxidant found in tea. This phytonutrient is a byproduct of a plant’s metabolism and is made up of many phenol units. (A phenol is an organic compound that is mildly acidic.)

Polyphenols are made up of 2 primary groups: Hydrolyzable Tannins and Phenylpropanoids. The most famous polyphenol group is Phenylpropanoids. Phenylpropanoids are a diverse family of organic compounds that are synthesized from phenylalanine amino acid in plants. The two most popular sub groupings are Flavonoids and Lignans. Flavonoids are the most consumed group of polyphenolic compounds in the human diet and are found in most plants. Lignans are a principal source of dietary phytoestrogens (most commonly found in nuts and oilseeds) in Western diets. Lignans like Matairesinol (MAT) and Secoisolariciresinol (SECO) are converted in the intestine to enterolignans, which is then used by the body in the form of Enterolactone and Enterodiol. Hydrolyzable Tannins (or tannins found in tea) are often misunderstood as tea having tannic acid. While tannic acid is a specific type of tannin, these two terms are not interchangeable. Tea does not contain tannic acid!

In taking a closer look at Flavonoids, we see a grouping of like substances called Catechins. Catechins make up about 25% of the dry weight of tea and can influence the taste of the tea. This taste can best be described as not exactly astringent nor exactly bitter. We have seen this catechin group advertised on many tea products, and referred to in tea health articles. These catechins include Gallocatechin (GC), Epigallocatechin (EGC), Epicatechin (EC), and the most popular Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is the most abundant catechin in tea and is found only in green tea, since catechins are converted to Theaflavins and Thearubigins during black tea production. Teas high in Thearubigins tend to be stronger in taste, have more body, have a dark brown/black color and are more simple in taste. An example of these would-be CTC machine processed commodity tea. Teas high in Theaflavins tend to be more mellow, nuanced in taste, multidimensional and complex, with a bright gold/red color. An example of these would be premium hand processed orthodox teas.

Summary

• All tea comes from the same plant Camellia sinensis

• Tea has potential health benefits due to the antioxidants it contains

• Antioxidant is a broad term that covers many types of substances with different technical names

• Antioxidants block free radicals and stop the oxidation process which is damaging to cellular structures

The healthiest tea is the one that you will drink the most!

Art of Tea is an award winning purveyor of specialty and organic teas, based in Los Angeles, CA.

If you found this article helpful, please share it with coworkers, colleagues, and fellow lovers of tea.

Herbal Tisanes — Part 2 of 2

marketing@artoftea.com (Art of Tea) — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 17:33:00 GMT

Herbal teas are becoming more and more important as the growth of herbs have gained in popularity. According to the American Botanical Council, sales of herbal teas have grown by 19% over the last few years. Tea suppliers nationwide are looking to capitalize on this trend by producing tasty herbal blends. Art of Tea has been producing herbal teas for many years and is poised to help our customers capitalize on this trend.

The term “herbal tea” is more of a colloquialism today, to mean, plant material steeped in hot water like “real” tea (Camellia sinensis). Herbal teas, for the most part, do not contain any Camellia sinensis tea. This category of tea, is sometimes referred to as tisanes or herbal infusions, so as not to confuse consumers. Like tea, these infusions can be served hot or iced.

Wikipedia states, “Tisane or herbal tea is any non-caffeinated beverage made from the infusion or decoction of herbs, spices, or other plant material in hot water.” However, this is not totally accurate. For decades, tea professionals have sworn that herbals are caffeine free. But, in the last few years, a group of caffeinated herbals have gained market share, these include the herbals yerba mate, guayusa, and yaupon.

Nearly every part of a plant can be used for herbal teas:

Leaves: peppermint, spearmint, rooibos
Fruits: rosehips, apple
Petals: jasmine, safflower, hibiscus, chrysanthemum
Herbs: lemon verbena, basil
Bark: cinnamon, willow
Seeds: anise, fennel, cardamom
Pollen: chamomile flower pollen
Grass: lemon grass, oat straw
Peels: orange, lemon
Nuts: almonds, cola, nutmeg
Roots: ginger, licorice

We use several different herbal ingredients in our herbal teas. Last week, we introduced you to several of these ingredients. What follows is an introduction to even more.

PEPPERMINT

Latin Name: Mentha piperita

Origin: USA, Poland, Bulgaria, Egypt, Turkey, Germany, Yugoslavia

Description: The plant is a strongly aromatic annual that grows up to 3 feet. The leaf edges are serrated and the leaf stem is short and square. Generally, the leaves are 2 inches or more in length and about an inch wide with a smooth surface.

Part Used: Leaves

Color: Green to dark brown-green

Odor: Aromatic, menthol

Taste: Aromatic, minty, cooling, refreshing

ROOIBOS

Latin Name: Aspalathus linearis

Origin: South Africa

Description: The plant is a shrub with many thin branches and thin, needle-like, green leaves. Red rooibos is bruised by machine to ensure oxidation that develops the characteristic color and flavor, not unlike black tea. Green rooibos is not bruised, so oxidation essentially does not occur, similar to green tea.

Part Used: Stalks and leaves

Color: Reddish brown to greenish brown

Odor: Sweet, spicy

Taste: Earthy, mild, minerally

ROSEHIPS

Latin Name: Rosa (with various species)

Origin: Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, Australia, South America

Description: Also known as rose haw or rose hep, it is the fruit of the rose plant that is typically red-to-orange, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips begin to form after successful pollination of flowers in the spring or early summer, and ripen in late summer through autumn.

Part Used: Fruit

Color: Clear Reddish

Odor: Sweet berry floral

Taste: Sweet, zesty, slightly bitter floral

SPEARMINT

Latin Name: Menta spicata

Origin: USA, Europe, Asia

Description: This plant is an herbaceous rhizomatous perennial plant, with variably hairless, to hairy stems and foliage, and a wide-spreading fleshy underground rhizome. Spearmint produces flowers in slender spikes, each flower being pink or white. The name “spear” mint derives from the pointed leaf tips.

Part Used: Leaves

Color: Green to dark brown-green

Odor: Aromatic, sweet

Taste: Sweet, aromatic, minty, refreshing

TOASTED RICE

Latin Name: Oryza sativa

Origin: Asia

Description: Used in Genmaicha (brown rice tea) from Japan. It is sometimes colloquially referred to as popcorn tea, since a few grains of the rice pop during the roasting process to resemble popcorn.

Part Used: Seed

Color: Pale brown

Odor: Toasty, roasted

Taste: Toasted grain

TULSI (HOLY BASIL)

Latin Name: Ocimum sanctum, various other species

Origin: India and throughout Southeast Asia

Description: Its history goes back as far as tea’s does. Hindus view tulsi as a goddess in the form of a plant. In India, it is referred to as the Queen of Herbs due to its healing powers. A commonly used herb in Ayurveda. The most common varieties are rama, vana, and Krishna, each having a moderately different taste. An aromatic plant of the Lamiaceae family with green or purple leaves, that are strongly scented.

Part Used: Leaf

Color: golden brown

Odor: Vana = forest herbs, Krishan = peppery, Rama = herbaceous

Taste: Vana has hints of lemony citrus, Krishan has slightly spicy and mint-like qualities, Rama

has a cooling mellow flavor

YERBA MATE

Latin Name: Ilex paraguariensis

Origin: Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil

Description: Begins as a shrub, but can grow into a tree over 50 feet tall. Yerba Mate is part of the holly genus and its leaves contain caffeine. A drink using the leaves of the plant is referred to as mate. Traditionally made in a gourd and consumed through a metal straw. Medium bodied medicinal drink of the Guarani Indians of South America. A healthy stimulating tisane from the Amazon Rainforest.

Part Used: Leaf

Color: Golden Brown

Odor: Smoky, Herbaceous

Taste: Smoky, Herbaceous, Notes of Cooked Vegetables

Art of Tea is an award winning purveyor of specialty and organic teas, based in Los Angeles, CA.

If you found this article helpful, please share it with coworkers, colleagues, and fellow lovers of tea.

Herbal Tisanes — Part 1 of 2

marketing@artoftea.com (Art of Tea) — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 17:07:00 GMT

Nearly every part of a plant can be used for herbal teas:

Leaves: peppermint, spearmint, rooibos
Fruits: rosehips, apple
Petals: jasmine, safflower, hibiscus, chrysanthemum
Herbs: lemon verbena, basil
Bark: cinnamon, willow
Seeds: anise, fennel, cardamom
Pollen: chamomile flower pollen
Grass: lemon grass, oat straw
Peels: orange, lemon
Nuts: almonds, cola, nutmeg
Roots: ginger, licorice

We use several different herbal ingredients in our herbal teas. What follows is an introduction to a few of them.

CHAMOMILE

Latin Name: Matricaria chamomilla, M. recutita

Origin: Egypt, Germany, Poland, Croatia, Argentina, Chile

Description: The plant is an annual plant, which is often sought after for its soothing and calming affects. Individuals allergic to ragweed may also be allergic to chamomile due to cross-reactivity.

Part Used: Flower, pollen, stalk

Color: Golden

Odor: Honey-like, Flowery, Sweet, apple-like

Taste: Sweet, Mild, honey-like, flowery, slightly bitter, apple-like

CINNAMON

Latin Name: Cinnamomum verum, C. burmannii, C. loureiroi, C. cassia

Origin: Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, China

Description: A spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus. While C. verum is often considered “true cinnamon,” most of what is sold commercially comes from the species C. lourieroi, referred to as Saigon cinnamon, this species is most often used in blends, due to its sweetness.

Part Used: Bark

Color: Pale Brown

Odor: Spicy, sweet

Taste: Cinnamony-spicy, hot & sweet

GINGER ROOT

Latin Name: Zingiber officinale

Origin: South Asia, East Africa, Caribbean

Description: The rhizome (a subterranean stem) of the plant. The rhizome is gathered when the stalk withers. It is immediately scalded or washed, then scraped to kill it and prevent sprouting. It is a perennial reed-like plant with annual leafy stems about 3–4 feet tall. Because of its aesthetic appeal, ginger is often used as landscaping around subtropical homes.

Part Used: Root

Color: Pale Yellow

Odor: Spicy

Taste: Fragrant, spicy-hot

GUAYUSA

Latin Name: Ilex guayusa

Origin: Ecuador, Peru, Colombia

Description: An evergreen tree found in the Amazon Rainforest. Guayusa is part of the holly genus and its leaves contain caffeine. Traditionally consumed by the local Ecuadorian Kichwa people for its stimulating effects, guayusa is finding popularity with Hollywood celebrities like Channing Tatum and Leonardo DiCaprio. Called the first super-leaf because it is packed with a lot of antioxidants.

Part Used: Leaf

Color: Golden Brown

Odor: Earthy, Herbaceous, Toasty

Taste: Earthy, Woody, Touch of Sweetness

HIBISCUS

Latin Name: Hibiscus sabdariffa

Origin: China, Egypt, Sudan, Nigeria

Description: The plant is an annual shrub that grows to about 15 feet tall and has lobed leaves. The flowers have a five-lobed, red, fleshy calyx that is about 1 inch long. Hibiscus is often intercropped with peanuts, and though it is extremely rare, it is possible to get peanut shells mixed in with the hibiscus.

Part Used: Flower

Color: Deep burgundy-red

Odor: Faint, tart, fruity

Taste: Sour, tart, fruity, berry-like

HONEYBUSH

Latin Name: Cyclopia (with various species)

Origin: South Africa

Description: Discovered in the 18th Century, the honeybush shrub owes its name to its appearance. The blossoms are bright yellow and smell like honey, whereas the leaves are somewhat rough. It is called vegetable bush by the locals, due to its pod-shaped fruits and knobby roots. Has many similarities with rooibos.

Part Used: Leaves

Color: Golden

Odor: Sweet, earthy

Taste: Sweet and Aromatic with gentle roasty flavor

LEMON GRASS

Latin Name: Andropogon citratus

Origin: Egypt, Thailand

Description: This plant is a sweetly scented grass, growing up to five feet tall. Its bulbous stems become leaf blades that are pointed and long. When sliced fresh, the stalks show concentric, sheathed leaves. The lower 4–6 inches of the leek-like stalk has the most succulent flavor. The upper portion of the leaf has a fold along its center ridge.

Part Used: Stalk (lower 4–6 inches)

Color: Light yellowish green to mint green

Odor: Aromatic, lemon-like, sweet

Taste: Lemon-like

LEMON MYRTLE

Latin Name: Backhousia cotriodora

Origin: Australia, Malaysia

Description: Also known as lemon scented ironwood and sweet verbena tree. It can reach up to 66 feet, but is often smaller. The flowers are creamy-white clusters at the ends of the branches from summer through autumn, after petal fall, the calyx is persistent. The majority of commercial lemon myrtle is grown in Queensland and the north coast of New South Wales, Australia.

Part Used: Leaf

Color: Yellowish

Odor: Lemon

Taste: Sweet lemon

LICORICE ROOT

Latin Name: Glycyrrhiza glabra

Origin: Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey

Description: This licorice plant is a legume and is NOT botanically related to anise, star anise, or fennel, which are sources of similar flavors. It is an herbaceous perennial growing to about 1 meter tall with pinnate leaves. The flowers are long, purple to pale whitish-blue, produced in a loose inflorescence.

Part Used: Root

Color: Pale Yellow

Odor: Sweet Anise-like

Taste: Sweet Anise-like

Next week we will be sharing the rest of the the herbal ingredients used at Art of Tea!

Art of Tea is an award winning purveyor of specialty and organic teas, based in Los Angeles, CA.

If you found this article helpful, please share it with coworkers, colleagues, and fellow lovers of tea.

Teaware for Foodservice

marketing@artoftea.com (Art of Tea) — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 17:27:00 GMT

After selecting a fine line of hot teas to serve in your restaurant, like those sold by Art of Tea, the next step is to determine how the tea will be served to your customers. This can often be confusing to those new to tea. Determining which style, material, or method of brewing to best fit your brand identity, is most likely your first decision. Once that is determined, your next step is to figure out how many sets to purchase, to both maximize your hot teas sales, but not break the bank. This guide walks you through your options and helps you capitalize on the growing popularity of specialty hot tea.

The type of tea you have chosen will somewhat dictate the type of teaware you choose. Selling pots of tea is almost always more profitable than selling cups or mugs of tea. A teapot program can fetch more than $4.00 per pot, while a cup or mug program may only fetch $1.50 per cup. Over the course of a year, that could equate to an over 200% increase in annual profits. Luckily, today, you can choose to offer either a line of loose leaf teas or a more operationally friendly pyramid sachet tea line that offers the convenience of a bag program, with the quality of a loose-leaf program.

The material of teaware chosen speaks volumes to your guests and offers different challenges operationally:

Ceramic / Porcelain is most affordable and offers the largest array of designs and colors to match any brand image or identity. However, like your dishes, these are prone to breakage.
Glass offers a unique perspective, showing the “agony of the leaf,” or, the unfurling of the leaf. However, if you are using pyramid sachets, the agony is not as theatrical as it would be if the tea was loose, and just like ceramic, glass is also prone to breakage.
Iron pots are interesting if you have an Asian themed restaurant. These heavy iron tea pots are great for durability, but pose roadblocks when it comes to effectively cleaning and sanitizing them each night.
Clay pots offer amazing design options from Asian to modern to wild. However, clay is very absorbent and cleaning chemicals cannot be used on them, as this will taint the tea taste.
Silver is very expensive and very English. Unless you are offering a regal tea service at one of the top 1% of white table cloth restaurants, silver, both economically and operationally, doesn’t make sense.

Accessories offer the ability to enhance your tea service. Using a sand tea timer shows your guests you understand the importance of steep time. Most sand tea timers on the market offer 3 different times in one timer; typically, 3, 4 and 5 minutes. Not only can this be used for different types of tea, but also for strength of brew. Training your staff to know which times are best for each tea type is just the first step in timing recommendations. Wait staff can then comment on strength of brew as well. For example, you may offer a dark oolong at 4 minutes, but then recommend using the 3-minute mark for a lighter brew, or the 5-minute mark for a more robust brew. Additionally, offering honey sticks, rock candy sugar, homemade simple syrups of various flavors, etc. can also enhance the experience.

We recommend choosing a 16–18oz ceramic/porcelain style tea pot that matches both the design and color of your restaurants brand identity. To step up your program, add a waste ramekin for the spent loose leaves or pyramid sachet. Guests will appreciate the extra effort to control the steeping process by removing the leaves or pyramid sachet, and your employees will be thankful not to have to clean up a wet sloppy mess. But, to take it to the next level and offer a top-line premium showcase that will create buzz and “theater” in the restaurant, offer a complete plated service. This would include a serving plate which holds the tea pot, a waste ramekin, and a sand tea timer. Presentation is everything! By taking it to the next level, you can now sell the same tea product for a higher price, guests will be drawn to the “theater” of the presentation and you will see an uplift of guests ordering tea.

To help you maximize your hot tea sales and not break the bank, we have come up with an easy to follow formula that will help guide your purchase quantities. It is as simple as counting to four.

One: How many seats does your restaurant accommodate?
Two: What is your average capacity?
Three: What are your average turns?
Four: What are your average expected tea orders? (Where Low = 10% of guests, Medium = 20% of guests, and High = 35% of guests)

From here, it is just a simple mathematical equation (One x Two x Three x Four = Quantity of Sets to Purchase). Below is an illustration of how this formula works.

No matter what you have selected to fit your brand image and identity, taking the time to select the right teaware to serve your teas will show your guest that you care about your tea program. Anyone can serve a mug or cup of tea and say they care about their tea program, but those offering premium delivery service in a tea pot, show that tea is important to their beverage offering.

Art of Tea is an award winning purveyor of specialty and organic teas, based in Los Angeles, CA.

If you found this article helpful, please share it with coworkers, colleagues, and fellow lovers of tea.

Tea Legends, Tales, and Stories

marketing@artoftea.com (Art of Tea) — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 17:25:00 GMT

Over the past several millennia, tea has been at the center of many legends, tales, and stories. It is not surprising that the most consumed beverage in the world, next to water, would be the topic of some amazingly creative stories. Though these are not historically accurate stories, they are a part of the tea culture that many have come to love. Though many stories can be shared, the ones below are about some of the most popular teas sold: Earl Grey, Iron Goddess of Mercy, and Genmaicha.

Earl Grey tea is the most popular flavored tea throughout the world. The flavor of bergamot fruit is added to just about any style of tea, though most popular on a black tea base. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) is sort of a sour orange. This citrus fruit is most likely a hybrid of Citrus limetta (sweet lime/sweet lemon) and Citrus aurantium (bitter orange). Commercially, bergamot is grown in southern Italy, in Calabria, where more than 80% of this fruit is cultivated.

The simple combination of bergamot and tea has been at the center of many stories, disagreements, and legends, as to its origin. The one common thread throughout all the stories, is that it is somehow related to the British Prime Minister from 1830–1834, Earl Grey.

Story 1: While on a mission to China, Earl Grey saved the life of a mandarin nobleman and was given the recipe as a symbol of gratitude.

Story 2: Earl Grey was given this tea as a gift at the end of a successful diplomatic visit to China.

Story 3: Lord Grey’s men saved a mandarin’s son from drowning and he was presented with this flavored tea in gratitude.

Story 4: This tea was developed to imitate the more expensive types of teas from China, like Keemun teas, and served by the Grey family.

Story 5: Lord Grey developed the recipe for this flavored tea and gave it to a local tea house in London to produce.

Story 6: Earl Grey was presented this tea by an envoy on his return trip from China.

Story 7: On the way home with its load, a trading ship was hit by a horrible storm. The tea and bergamot fruit mixed together and the tea was ruined. But, Lady Grey liked the flavor and served this unique exotic tea while hosting.

Story 8: The tea was flavored specifically for Lord Grey by a mandarin to suit the local water of Northumberland to offset the taste of lime (calcium) in the local water.

Iron Goddess of Mercy (Ti Kuan Yin) is a premium oolong from China originating in the 19th century. Ti Kuan Yin production is a very complex hand-crafted tea that is produced twice a year (spring and winter). Legend tells of a pious, poor farmer Wei, who would pass a rundown temple which housed the statute of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Being poor he couldn’t do much, but one day he brought a broom to clean up. Twice a month for several months he did this, until one night Guanyin appeared in his dreams. She told him of a gift she had left for him behind the temple that he should share with others. There he found a small tea plant which he planted in a nearby field. The tea plant flourished and cuttings were used to plant more tea bushes. The area prospered with the selling of this fine tea and the temple was restored and became the beacon of the region.

Genmaicha, or brown rice tea, is a Japanese green tea blended with roasted brown rice. This tea is sometimes referred to as popcorn tea due to the grains of toasted brown rice popping during roasting, resembling popcorn. But there is typically no popcorn in this tea. A variation on this tea adds matcha to the blend. The history of this tea is the stuff of legends.

Story 1: In 15th century Japan, a samurai was planning a military campaign. His servant, Genmai, was serving him green tea, a luxury in that time, and a few kernels of rice fell out of his sleeve into the samurai’s cup. In a fit of anger the samurai drew his katana and beheaded the servant. As the samurai drank his tea he realized the rice added to the flavor of the tea and became remorseful. He ordered that this new tea shall be served to commemorate his late servant. To honor his memory, he named the tea Genmai-cha.

Story 2: About 100 years ago, a small tea shop in Kyoto created a more affordable tea for the people using a late harvest bancha tea blended with rice to mask the tea’s flavor.

These are just a few of the many stories told over the years about Tea. It is incredible that modern consumers can still drink such a historically rich beverage.

Art of Tea is an award winning purveyor of specialty and organic teas, based in Los Angeles, CA.

If you found this article helpful, please share it with coworkers, colleagues, and fellow lovers of tea.

What is a Tea Terroir and What Does it Mean for Flavor?

marketing@artoftea.com (Art of Tea) — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 16:53:00 GMT

Ever wonder why the same type of tea from different areas of the same country have totally different cup characteristics? Or why the same type of tea from different countries are radically different in appearance? The simple answer is the tea’s terroir. However, the concept of terroir is a little more complicated. In fact, there are entire books dedicated to just this one subject matter alone.

If you are a wine aficionado, you have most likely come across this term before. French winemakers originally developed the concept of terroir, which became the basis for the French wine appellation d’origine controlee (AOC). This is the model for wine appellation and regulation in France, which then spread around the world. Today, terroir is used in many food and beverage artisanal industries and each have varying definitions of what terroir means. Even wine experts cannot agree totally on its definition. Luckily, the majority of tea professionals can agree that terroir refers to: climate, soil, altitude, and latitude. Other factors that have an effect on terroir, to a lesser degree, include: cultivation method, plant material (varietal or cultivar), growing season, type of plucking, and historical practices.

Climate is critical to the development of flavor, aroma, and survival of the plant. Tea grows best in tropical or subtropical regions, which provides the plant with the water, humidity, sunlight and temperature it needs. Tea does not survive well in an environment that is too hot or too cold; though some cultivars have been created to grow in such areas. However, climates that are too constant will develop simple tea cup characteristics. The tea plant requires some climate stress so that its internal defenses, called secondary metabolites, kick in. These internal defenses help develop complex and unique flavors and aromas. Tea from Darjeeling, India is the perfect example of this.

Soil quality is important to ensure that the plant gets the nutrients it needs to grow and thrive. Though we often refer to the tea plant as a bush, when left to grow in the wild, it can grow to over 30 feet, which is more like a tree. The root system of a cultivated tea bush is about six feet deep, so soil that is loose without limestone or clay, is necessary. The tea bush does well in many different soil types, as long as the soil is acidic, with a pH between 4.5 to 5.5. This allows for those nutrients to be absorbed more easily. The soil must have good moisture but not retain too much water or the plant will drown. This is why we often see tea estates or gardens planted on hillsides. Minerals are also critical to the tea’s internal functions, making a big impact on the tea taste. Wuyi Oolongs are prized for their mineral cup character, which is due to the soil’s high mineral content.

Altitude plays a key role in the development of essential oils which are responsible for a tea’s aromatics. High altitude stress on the plant, kicks in those secondary metabolites and encourages development of exquisite aromas. At this altitude, the tea growth is slowed and the essential oils are allowed to concentrate further. Stressors such as UV radiation from the sun, warm days, cold nights, mist, and lack of oxygen, all play roles in the development of these aromatics. Taiwanese oolongs that are grown above 5,000 feet, are a perfect example.

Latitude is one of the factors that denotes the number of flushes the tea plant will have for harvesting. At latitudes closer to the equator, tea can be harvested all year long. Sri Lanka, for example, at a latitude of eight degrees north, produces tea all year long, with a new flush about every 80 days. However, travel north or south more than fifteen degrees and the tea can go dormant over the winter months. During this time, when nights are longer and temperatures are cooler, the tea becomes stressed. The first flush harvested after this dormant cycle, produces some of the most expensive teas.

Other factors that have an impact are due to human interaction with the processing of the plant material. Cultivation methods having an impact on the tea include:

Japanese steamed green teas versus Chinese pan fired green teas
Orthodox processing versus CTC processing
Machine plucking versus hand plucking
Withering method
The entire oolong processing method
Plucking standard
Firing method

Understanding the terroir of your favorite tea gives you insight into the type of teas you enjoy. This makes it easier for you to seek out new teas to try with a better rate of success. Just remember, tea is still an agricultural product and sometimes variations from crop-to-crop cannot be helped. Certain characteristics that are prominent one year, may be more reserved in other years. At Art of Tea we strive to bring you the best consistency every time you make a purchase.

Art of Tea is an award winning purveyor of specialty and organic teas, based in Los Angeles, CA.

If you found this article helpful, please share it with coworkers, colleagues, and fellow lovers of tea.