Premium tea - higher quality and more diverse than what comes in a bag - Knoxville gourmet food

This article will be the first in a short series about teas and infusions. Here, true teas are discussed, in the second article other tea-like infusions are presented, and in the third article, a good recipe for (masala) chai tea is given.

Many, many people enjoy a nice hot cup of tea in the afternoons, and why shouldn't they? It can be stimulating and comforting at the same time, it's well-known now to be good for you if taken in proper moderation, and it can taste absolutely fantastic. Unfortunately, thanks to the convenience it provides, a huge proportion of people believe that tea only comes in a little filter bag on a string, which simply isn't true. In fact, the tea in tea bags is frequently of lower quality, often being obtained from the discarded tea that cannot be sold whole at a premium. In some instances, the tea is actually brewed once for bottling and sale before being redried, ground, and put into the bags! For a really great tea experience, it is very difficult to match the quality that loose-leaf teas can provide, and they present very little in the way of added difficulty to prepare.

Kinds of tea:

All true teas are infusions of the leaves of the same plant: Camellia sinensis, and the basic list of kinds of true teas includes black teas, green teas, oolong (wu long) teas, pu-ehr, and white teas. These distinct kinds of tea have very different flavors and present a very different experience in the cup, and these differences all arise from the different treatments of the leaves of that same plant, Camellia sinensis. Here is a brief summary:

Black tea leaves are harvested from the C. sinensis plant, allowed to ferment (oxidize) naturally, and then dried. This increases the tannin content of the tea leaves and creates a richer, fuller flavor than other kinds of teas. Of the tea varieties, black tea is highest in caffeine content. Black teas are traditionally considered quite warming, and though not as potent as some of the other varieties, they are high in antioxidants as well. Serving black teas with milk, however, diminishes much of that value, although it is a very yummy way to enjoy a still-healthy, warming drink, especially in fall and winter. An expert in Chinese medicine recommended to the author that most folks should drink a cup or two of black tea daily in late fall and winter to help keep the body warm.
Oolong tea leaves are harvested from the C. sinensis plant, allowed to ferment (oxidize) naturally, though not as long as with black teas, and then dried. This process creates a tea that retains slightly more of the antioxidant value of the tea leaves as compared with black teas, but fewer are retained than with green tea. Claims abound on the internet about the magical weight-loss properties of oolong tea, though these claims are largely unsubstantiated by science. The cups are interesting and complex, however, somewhere between green tea and black, though less fragrant than black teas and less grassy than greens. Properly prepared, it is brewed extra strong and consumed bitter (without sugar) to accentuate the sweet aftertaste, which is frequently described as having melon notes. It's quite good with sugar and cream, like black teas, however. The name "oolong" comes from the Chinese for "black dragon," as a bit of trivia.
Green tea leaves are harvested from the C. sinensis plant and dried very quickly, trying to prevent as much fermentation (oxidation) as possible. These have a fresher, sharper, often grassy flavor as compared with other types of teas, and they are not very good with sugar or milk (the additions of which are considered a serious faux pas in China). Some people enjoy a spot of honey in their green tea, but it tends to be overpowering. Your best bet is to get some very good-quality green tea and enjoy it as is: light and refreshing. Visiting a tea-growing area like China or India can sometimes provide you with fresh green tea using leaves that have not even been dried. The flavor is described as being quite rustic, though pleasant once it becomes accustomed to. Green teas are very high in antioxidants called polyphenols and catechins and is considered quite healthful to drink in moderation (3-4 cups a day is fine if you're not overly sensitive to caffeine, though green teas are quite low in caffeine). The aforementioned expert in Chinese medicine recommends frequent consumption of green tea, particularly in the summer, because it is cooling and regulating for the body.
White tea leaves are a special kind of green tea leaves: those that are just budding and therefore carry the most delicate flavors. Only a few leaves per branch of the C. sinensis plant can be used to make white tea. It is quite delicate and almost has to be handled with kid gloves.
Pu ehr tea is a bit more complicated. It technically refers to the leaves of a varietal of C. sinensis (the assamica) varietal, and it traditionally is collected from old and/or wild tea plants. The leaves of this variety have a different flavor profile and a different size and texture (they are larger and somewhat fuzzy), and the tea is known for aging very well. It can come in any of the color grades above (save white) and is often available in an aged cake form, a shape into which it is pressed to promote aging and to store it more conveniently. The aging process creates a darker color and more mellow flavor for the type of tea that it is made from, and it can be quite delicious. Authentic pu ehr teas can be quite expensive since these old, wild tea bushes are relatively rare and difficult to reach.

Preparing teas:

The different kinds of tea require different preparation methods for premium taste. Brewing the tea for too short a time produces poor, watery results and less healthful benefits, while brewing the tea for too long produces a harsh, often bitter drink. Similarly, if the water used to create the infusion is too hot or too cold, very different results occur, often which are undesirable. Properly brewing teas is a science bordering on art, and many long and somewhat challenging books have been written on the topic!

Black teas tend to require hotter water and longer steeping times to obtain the optimal results. Usually 3-5 minutes in freshly boiled water is called for, depending on the grade of tea and the particular varietal. Brewing black teas for too long creates a very tannic drink that is quite bitter, almost requiring milk and sugar to balance the flavors!
Oolong teas tend to do best in slightly cooler water, though still very near boiling. The steeping times range from 3-5 minutes as well, depending on the grade, level of oxidation, and the varietal. They also tend to be brewed more strongly (using more leaves) than other grades.
Green teas are best steeped in slightly cooler water for less time to preserve many of their fresh characteristics as well as to prevent dissolving too many tannins from the leaves, which would make the cup bitter. Usually brew times from 2-3 minutes in 180 F water is called for.
White teas are even more delicate, usually calling for brew times of only 30 seconds up to 2 minutes, usually in water between 170 and 180 F.
Pu-ehr teas are as complex and varied in their preparation as they are in their presentation. Steeping might last only 12 seconds or up to longer than 10 minutes, depending on a huge variety of factors. They are frequently brewed several times also, each successive brewing being longer than the previous and producing a slightly weaker cup. It is best to contact an expert (perhaps the one that sold you the tea) on preparing pu erh teas.

The method of preparing depends on the result that you want. Many people prefer a nice clean cup of tea, for which you'll need some equipment like a "tea ball," which is a metal (or mesh) cage to store the leaves in and which can then be used somewhat like a tea bag. It should not be overloaded! Generally, one teaspoon of leaves is sufficient for a great 8 oz. cup, unless you're brewing oolong, in which case a teaspoon and a half is more appropriate. Another method is to brew the tea in a measuring cup and pour it through a fine mesh strainer into the cup (author's preferred method). Still another method, common in China, is to place the leaves in the bottom of the cup and leave them there for the duration of consuming the tea. When the cup is low, it is usually refilled three or more times until the flavor is quite weak.

Good tea is somewhat difficult to find, but it can be had. There are nice "premium" teas available in loose leaf at upscale grocery stores like Earth Fare and The Fresh Market in Knoxville, and most Indian and Asian grocery stores and markets carry decent ones. Don't be afraid to visit and to ask for help, as the labels in foreign markets may not even have English on them. Alternatively, consider visiting these websites that sell teas:

Adagio Teas where you can pick from a huge variety of good quality teas and even create your own blends.
The Tao of Tea produces some wonderful teas in nice tins with great blends to consider.
Lotus Leaf Tea another resource with a wide variety of teas
Revolution Tea, which sells premium teas in mesh sachets instead of in bags, convenient and higher quality.
The Republic of Tea, which is rapidly becoming one of the most popular brands of specialty and premium teas in the U.S.
Special Teas where you can again sample or select from a wide variety of high quality teas.
Stash Tea, which is kind of a lower-cost, lower-quality breaking-in point to the world of better teas and tea varietals.

Like with high-grade coffees or other ingredients, sticker shock often accompanies a first experience with seeing premium tea. It's quite expensive and can be very expensive, particularly for high-grade green teas from esteemed estates. Instead of measuring cost in price by the ounce or pound, as it's sold, remember that only a teaspoon of dried tea is used (2-4g) per cup. It's best to calculate the cost by-the-cup, in which case even the top-shelf stuff starts looking reasonable, perhaps in the $0.20 to $1 per cup price range (making it comparable or cheaper than low-grade tea, usually from a bag, at a coffee house, though you have to do the work and the dishes at home).

Buy them locally! Great loose-leaf teas are available at a variety of locations in Knoxville including the two The Fresh Market stores, the two Earth Fare locations, The World Market in Turkey Creek, the Knoxville Food Co-Op on Broadway, and at any Asian or Indian market in Knoxville (there are a few and a quick web search will help you find your nearest one). To obtain pu-ehr locally, a visit to a Knoxville-area Asian market will probably be required.

In part two of this short series of articles, read about other infusions frequently labeled as "tea" and some special tea blends, including rooibos (red tea), yerba mate, and (red) Thai tea. In part three of this short series, read about how you can make your own chai teas at home without having to buy a special blend.

For more ideas and information about tea, visit the National Tea Examiner, Margaret Studer.

For more great recipes and cooking ideas, follow the Knoxville Gourmet Food Examiner by subcribing at the top of the page. You can also read more on his personal cooking blog: The Untrained Gourmet.