Tea Traditions: Russia

A Little Bit of History:

Tea arrived in Russia in 1638 when a Mongolian ruler gifted some to the Tzara of Russia.  By 1679 Tea was being traded with nearby China, and was transported by camel caravan.  The transport was quite costly and at the time only the rich and famous could afford to drink tea.

Photo by Catherine Murray

Over time improvements were made to the route and it became easier to make the journey.  Tea was being transported in greater quantities and more frequently, so that by by 1796, Russia was importing 3 million pounds of tea, at a decreased price, which opened the market to the middle and lower class.  Soon after the railroad was built, which of course made the product even more accessible to the masses.

Tea Tradition:

Russians drink primarily black tea made from loose leaf tea.  It is brewed differently than how we typically brew our tea.  Loose leaf tea is brewed in a small teapot with a high concentration of tea leaves to water.  The brew becomes very concentrated and is very strong.  Russians refer to this brew as 'zavarka'.  Once the liquid is brewed, a small amount of it is poured into a large cup and then boiling water is added.  The amount of water added is adjusted by individual to the the strength of tea that they desire.  Tea is drank either black or with milk, and is often sweetened with jam!!

Traditionally a samovar is used, however has now been replaced by electric kettles for ease of use.  The Samovar is pictured below and usually has a spot for the tea concentrate to keep warm up top, and the large belly of the pot is filled with water and kept hot.  The hot water is accessed by a spout at the bottom of the large water belly.  

Tea must be served with food, otherwise it is considered to be rude.  The samovar is a symbol of hospitality and comfort.  In Russia tea is used for socializing, and you will always be offered tea and snack at somebody's house.  

Although the method of brewing and consuming tea differs from what we are accustomed to, the tradition of being social, sharing and caring is the same everywhere.  It is a consistent theme across all tea traditions, and part of the reason why I enjoy tea so much.

I have never tried the Russian way of tea.  Has anybody had any experiences with this tea tradition?

The Science of Taste

Tea 103 from the Tea Sommelier course put on by the Tea Association of Canada is finally here!  This module is somewhat different from the others in that it's not so much about tea, history terroir, etc.  It's more about how we taste.

In this first week we did two tastings:  The first involved tasting sensory.  So we chewed down on a coffee bean, honey, salt, lime and a tomato!!  The objective of this was to demonstrate where on the tongue certain flavours are concentrated.  So the coffee was to show bitterness, and how the main area we taste bitter is at the back of the tongue.  Sweet is on the tip of the tongue, salt on the sides of the tongue near the front and sour on the sides of the tongue near the back.  If you are interested you can do this experiment as see for yourself how these flavours are predominant in those area.

Let's get tasting!!

The tomato was an interesting one.  It is a fifth sense that has been put forth by the Japanese.  They refer to to this as Umami - and represents the flavour savoury.  It encompasses the whole mouth working together producing this explosion of flavour that is - well savoury, full bodied and all encompassing.

We aslo did a cupping.  They were all teas that we had cupped before except for Mao Jian.  So we basically did Sencha, Gyokuro, and Mao Jian, and then we did First Flush Darjeeling, Second Flush Darjeeling and black tea from Nilgiri.  The purpose for this is to really learn about cross sectional cupping and be able to identify teas not just as to what class it belongs, but also to identify the country and the region within the country, as well as the particular style.

The Mao Jian was a new tea for me and I found it to have a spinachy taste, that light and refreshing.  I enjoyed this tea very much.  The color of the liquor is very light, like straw.

Errors in tasting can happen for a variety of reasons.  For example say you read on the package of the tea what the expected flavour is suppose to be, then you have predisposed yourself to taste that.  Sometimes even the packaging could cloud your taste judgement.  Perhaps the product is packaged in colors and graphics that appeal to you - then the tea is more likely to be appealing as well.  Another error that I've noticed already is if my palate isn't totally clean when I taste the tea, then sometimes the lingering flavours on my palette distort what I am actually tasting.  There are so many ways that our taste can be distorted or influenced without us really even knowing it is happening.

Does anybody have any other barriers to effective tasting that they could share?

Tea is PART of a Healthy Lifestyle

There seems to be such controversy over the health benefits of tea.  Some say yes, some say no, some say whatever!!  The funny thing about researching on the internet is that you can find any support you want on any topic you are looking up.

I do believe that there are health benefits to drinking to tea.  However, I don't believe that drinking tons of tea alone is going to cure you of your ailments, get you to loose weight or give you a long life.  But, there are certain elements of tea that can help you get to your health goals.  I'm not going to relay those details here, but if you go the website of Roberto Caicedo www.myjapanesegreentea.com (click to follow the link), and type in health benefits in the search area you will find numerous topics on how green tea in particular can be beneficial to your health.  All you  really have to do is google it and you'll get tons of info.

Still there are those that think overall the health benefits of tea should be ignored and teas should only be drank for the pure joy of drinking tea.  Personally, as I've already indicated, I believe that drinking tea can add many benefits to your overall health, but it is not a catch all for having a healthy life.  We still have to honour our bodies with clean eating - eating pure natural wholesome foods that are good for us, we need to ensure we are getting all our appropriate vitamins, minerals, anti oxidants etc., which is where tea can add value to our health regime, and we need to exercise our bodies.

Tea is always in the news for its weight loss properties.  I'm not sure about the science behind those stmts, but tea alone will of course never get us to lose weight.  We have to eat less and exercise.  But drinking tea as a supplement to our efforts could certainly help us along.

The statement to drink tea because you enjoy it is true, but I think enough science has been done for us to know that drinking tea does benefit us, but is not a catch all cure for us whether we are looking to cure ourselves of a particular ailment, or loose weight.

I think it is safe to say that tea is part of a healthy lifestyle, but a healthy lifestyle encompasses many aspects.  So drink tea, enjoy it and know that you are doing something good for yourself!!

Tea is part of a healthy life!!  From top left:  Bottom of Grouse Grind!  On the Way Up!  Success at the Top! and of course the rewards - a Beautiful View and and Cup of Tea!!

What's All The Fuss About Bubble Tea!?

Here I am at the Richmond Chinese Night Market sipping on the second bubble tea I've ever had in my life:

I don't know what to say.  About twenty years ago I tried bubble tea for the first time, and I just couldn't  find any amount of enjoyment in the gelatine balls.  I didn't then, and I still don't now.  It will likely be another twenty years before I try it again . . .

I mean the gelatin balls don't taste like ANYTHING!!  They are gummy and just all around not pleasant.

I did some reading on bubble tea and here is what I found out:

• The tea used in bubble tea is usually black or green tea.  As we know, teas are a healthy low fat beverage that has many health benefits in the form of antioxidants and other nutrients.
• To add flavour to the tea many vedors use a fruit puree, which is good, but many vendors will also use a sugary fruit syrup that is high in sugars, carbohydrates, and fat.
• Milk products may add a creamy texture to the drink, but it also adds additional fats etc depending on what the milk product being used is.
• But the real kicker is in the tapioca pearls.  They can push your drink into the 300+ calorie range - YIKES!!

 I don't know why the gelatin balls are so popular, but the actual tea and fruit juice is pretty good.  Maybe I'll give it another whirl someday without the balls .  .  .

The Chinese Tea Shop

I was in Vancouver recently and paid a visit to The Chinese Tea Shop in Chinatown downtown Vancouver, BC, Canada.  Daniel Liu is the proprietor and the visit I had with him in his tea shop was extraordinary.  He only sells Chinese tea.  Week one of the tea sommelier course covered tea tastings and history of Chinese tea.

We were there for 2 hours.  And in those two hours Daniel sampled us 3 types of Chinese Tea.  A Green tea, an Oolong Tea and a Pu-Ehr Tea.

We sat in his shop

 and he served us tea using the Gongfu Cha tea way.  He used authentic yixing tea pots.  All the while he explained to us how the yixing pots was a superior clay to use for making tea.  He had a gentle way about him as he relayed that the clay came from the province of Jiangsu, in the region of Yixing.  He explained that the clay allows for oxygen to pass thru the pot, thereby not allowing the leaves to 'cook' in the pot.  The oxygen also allows for the best of the tea flavours to come thru and not become bitter.  Here is a collection of tea pots that Daniel uses for his tea tastings:

We sampled a green tea (Dongting  Pi Lo Chun (Bi Lo Chun)).  This tea was not pan fired, and it was very grassy and a touch kelpy in flavour.  We also sampled two types of Pu-erh (Lao Ban Zhang and  Ye Lu Xiang  - Green/Sheng) and a Phoenix oolong tea Mi LN Xiang (honey orchid flavour) Wu Dong Mountain.  I was in love!!  This tea was light in flavour and truly had the sweetness of honey with a light flowery taste!!

The Lao Ban Zhang was dark in color and had a very earthy flavour to it.  The Ye Lu Xiang was light in color and had a bitterness to it, that was not overpowering. He steeped each tea in multiple steeps.

After he was done I purchased a few things that I am VERY excited about.  I purchased my first Yixing teapot, and bamboo brewing set complete with a tray, tongs, and tea scoop.  I also purchased 4 Gunfu Cha tea cups, a justice jar, and a strainer and strainer stand.  I'm excited, but will likely go hungry for a while ;)

Daniel Liu was great, and his tea shop is well stocked with tons of selections.  He is hugely knowledgeable in what he does, and it was a pleasure to be in his shop and learn so much about tea.  He mentioned that the Vancouver Community College also runs the tea sommelier course and he has often had students in the shop asking for demonstrations etc.  I would recommend anybody who is in the Vancouver are to go and give Daniel Lui a visit.  Tell him I sent you!!

Taiwan and Their Oolongs

In the second module we focused on learning about teas from different countries, we also learned about the tea history of those countries as well as how the industries are set- up, and how they compare in the line-up of tea producing countries.  We also talked about the geography, and where in each country the tea grows.

This week we tasted tea from Taiwan and Argentina.  We also did our first cross-sectional tasting.  This involves tasting the same type of teas from different countries.

Taiwan:

Tea History started around1624 when the Dutch established a colony on Taiwan as a commercial base and a military stronghold.  They began to move workers from the Fujian and Penghu regions of China as slave labourers to help build the Dutch colonies.  These Fujians, already knowledgable in tea established various tea gardens in the interior mountainous parts of the islands by using both wild tea plants, and cuttings from China.

By the mid 1700's the Chinese finally expelled the Dutch from Taiwan and more Chinese people began to immigrate.  It is because of this Chinese influence that oolong tea industry became prevalent on the island.  

In the late 1900's the Japanese invested a significant amount of resources to aide in the industrialization of the island by establishing transportation, sanitation infrastructure and revising the education system and farming methods.

Taiwan is famous for its light fragrant oolongs and exports 60% to 70% of its annual tea production.  Oolong means 'Black Dragon' in Chinese and has varied oxidation levels - anywhere from 10% to 90%.

Taiwan Oolong

Oolong teas are produced as follows:

Leaves are laid in direct sunlight to wither, reduce moisture content and to soften the leaves. The leaves from the plants used to make oolong are typically larger in size, and tougher.  After withering, the leaves are shaken in a basket to lightly bruise the leaves and then spread out in the shade to dry.  This process of shaking and drying is repeated several times.  Only the bruised edges are oxidized, leaving the core of the leaf green (oxidization is exposing the leaf to heat, moisture and air).  The leaves always remain whole and should never be broken.  Once the desired degree of oxidization is reached, the process is stopped by pan firing the leaves at high temperature.  Oolongs generally have a lower moisture content than green teas and therefore have a longer shelf life.  Styles can range from open leaf to semi or completely rolled shape.

We also learned generally about other tea growing areas in the world  It was interesting to note that when looking at tea by volume of production, Japan as a country does not make the top ten list.  But Japanese tea is certainly a better known tea than say Turkey or Bangladesh, that produces more volume of tea.  

We also tasted some black tea from Argentina.  The main claim to fame for black tea from Argentina is that it is used in packaged iced tea like Lipton or Nestea etc.  They use the Argentinian tea because it does not get cloudy when brewing for cold tea, so cold tea drink producers use this tea.  Consequently their main export is to the USA.

Well, this was the last week and our exams are coming up.  In Tea 101 the cuppings were relatively simple.  Identify if you are tasting white, green, oolong, black or puerh.  Now we have to identify between different whites and greens, and we have to be able to identify the country of origin for the black teas.  It's a blind cupping, so you only get the liquor in the cup.  No leaves to look at!  I'm worried!!

05 Rare Tea

Recently in Vancouver I stopped in to a relatively new tea shop called O5 Rare Tea Bar.  It is truly a unique and amazing shop.  Pedro, the tea shop owner has such a passion for tea.  You feel it when he speaks about tea, and his business of direct trade with specific farmers that he has developed long standing relationships with.

When you enter off the street into his shop you are in quite a small space, with one long counter that has about 3 teas brewing stations set-up.  Upon sitting down a person comes out right away and greets you and serves you a sample of one of their house made elixirs.  Today it was a rootbeer elixir that was to die for!!  We then perused the menu and the server asked what types of tea I was interested in.  I mentioned that I preferred greens and oolongs and she made some suggestions.  I ended up trying the Balhyocha Noeul oolong.  A dark longer oxidized tea.

To start with they pulled out a chest of the tea

from behind the counter to smell and view the tea, then they took some out and put in in the brewing pot.  They brewed the tea similar to Gungfu Cha with more leaves and shorter infusions.  They re-steeped the tea as many times as you wanted them to.

I had the oolong.  The oolong was a long oxidized tea, and the dry leaves smelled of cocoa.  It tasted like cocoa as well, with hints of fig and plum.  It was the most exquisite oolong I have ever tasted to date!

 and Brian ordered the ginger beer elixir.  It was cold, and it was bubbly.  It was also quite spicy.  They served it with candied ginger that had been sitting in honey.  Together they were to die for!!

Soon after we were lucky enough that the owner Pedro was in the shop and he came over to chat with us.  He talked about the tea, that it was from South Korea, and how he meets the farmers and sets up deals with them.  He had a slide show from his tea travels where he would select pictures from to show you and further enhance the experience.  He also entertained us with stories about Pu-Ehr, and showing us the differences between and handmade and machine made cakes.  I definitely recommend this place to anyone searching out a unique experience - whether it be tea related, or 'just something different'.  Here is the link to his website.

O5 Rare Tea Bar - It's about obsession with Origin.  5 natural elements that make-up terror:  Earth, Fire, Water, Wind and Void.

I ended up purchasing the Balhyocha Noeul Oolong from South Korea.  I can't wait to get home and make it!!

Africa!!

Africa conjures up images of the Serengeti with lions, zebras, elephants etc.  But there is also a significant amount of tea that is grown on the African continent as well.  Some of the bigger tea producing areas include: Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Tanzania, but tea is also cultivated in Cameroon, Mozambique, Ethiopia, D.R. Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Mauritius.

Historically and still currently, Africa produces mainly tea for the tea bag industry, and for tea blends, so they use the CTC (cut tear curl) method of producing tea.  This results in very small fine granules of tea, that produces a typically darker and stronger tea.  The tea in Africa is generally know for its full body and strong and robust liquor quality that is ideal for blending.

Since the rise in speciality tea, they have begun to produce more Orthodox teas as well as some very good white and green teas as well.

Tea was first brought into South Africa for experimenting with in 1850.  In 1877 the Assamica variety was successfully planted and grown for commercial purposes.

Below is a summary of the teas that were tasted in the Tea 102 Tea Sommelier Course - Week 5.  All the teas from Africa that we tasted were black teas.

Malawi:

Tea has been grown in Malawi since 1890.  The first area to be planted was Mulanji, and then subsequently Thyolo.  Malawi is located in Central Africa and grows approx 3% of the total world production of tea.  The tea is sold primarily thru the Blantyre auction centre, and most of this tea is exported to the UK and South Africa. Some other large importers of Malawi tea includes Germany, Netherlands, USA, Pakistan and Canada.  The tea is sold primarily thruThe tea season runs from November to May - which is similar to the rainy season.

We tasted a CTC from Malawi.

Malawi Black

As you can see it has a very dark liquor.  The aroma was of a sweet floral honey type.  However when I drank it, I found it to be a bit on the bitter side at the back of my tongue.


Kenya:

Kenya has been 'settled' by a variety of groups.  First by the North Africans, and then by the Arabs and Persians.  The Portuguese, as one of the first Europeans in the tea trade arrived on the scene as well. By 1730 the Omani Arabs had managed to send the Portuguese back to Europe, but it wasn't long ( in the 1880's) before the British and Germans arrived to expel the Arabs.  In 1895 The British proclaimed Kenya as part of their 'group', and by 1963 Kenya was finally independent.

Kenya is one of the most successful agriculture regions in Africa.  Tea was planted in about 1925 by the British Settlers.  By 1933 the Kenyan Tea Growers Association offered a way to organize and protect the industry.  This was followed up by the Kenyan Tea Development Authority in 1964.  CTC is the primary product, with Orthodox becoming more popular as of late.  Kenya is now the largest tea producer in Africa.  The majority of the teas is sold thru Auctions, similar to Malawi.

Kenya Black Orthodox

The Kenya Orthodox tea we tasted is lighter in colour than the Malawi.  The dry leave smells of sweet hay which translates into a nice floral honey aroma to the liquor and a fairly smooth, but full bodied sweet tea.

Kenya Black CTC

Tanzania Black

The Kenya CTC was similar to the Orthodox, except that it had more body and a touch less smooth going down.

Uganda Black

Tanzania:


The basic history of settlement is fairly similar to Kenya with the Arabs, the Portuguese, and the British and Germans.  In 1902 the first German settlers planted tea, and commercial production began in 1926.  By 1960 Tanzania was yielding approx 3,700 tons of tea.  Tea is the fifth largest export crop for the country, and they export  over 75% of their tea for foreign markets.  In the 1980's the industry experienced some ill effects of poor economic maintenance, and some major reforms were implemented in the early 1990's.

The tea tastings from Tanzania and Uganda were fairly similar. Both were fairly dark in colour but not as dark as Malawi tea.  Both teas were not very distinctive, and were fairly mellow, not really too sweet and also not bitter.  They are both primarily used in blending.

Overall I liked the Kenyan tea the best.  I guess it's fairly obvious why this tea is the most know growing region in Africa.

Human + Tea = Humanitea

Nepali Tea Traders is taking tea to a higher level.

In a few of my previous posts I've touched on tea and how tea has evolved into more than just a beverage.  Tea is community, it builds relationships between people, cultures, and faiths.  Tea builds bridges, even where there are deep chasms.

Community:
Take for instance my post Tea Builds Relationships, where I discuss my relationship with my boyfriends daughter and how tea has cultivated a common ground between us.  We have sat down and drank tea together and evaluated the teas colour, aroma and flavour.  The other day I even received a text photo from her from a tea shop she was in.  Now that was amazing!!

Intention:
Tea is also associated with intention.  Zen buddhist monks have long used tea as a way to prolong their meditative practices.  In the modern world we can use tea to slow down the pace of life, and reflect on the important things in our lives.  Or just simply sit back and have an opportunity to unwind and relax.  Check out my Meditate With Tea  post here.  We can also be intentional in how we interact with others, what products we purchase and how we choose to spend our lives.

Compassion:
We also use tea compassionately to help others.  Tea offers companionship.  It also consoles in troubled times.  But most often tea lifts us up to face the world and create a better life.  I touch on this briefly in The Oneness of Tea post located here.

Nepali Tea Traders:        

Nepali Tea Traders is taking these three concepts, compassion, intention and community to create a better world.  Their model allows us to come together and help others by essentially helping ourselves. If you've had the chance to drink Nepali tea, you would find it to be as good, as the Darjeeling teas.  It is smooth, with several layers of sweet complexity in the flavour.  It is grown in Nepal across the border from India, which is the Darjeeling region.  The teas are also grown at altitude with first and second flushes.

Nepali Tea Traders  is a social enterprise based out of Colorado, USA located here.  Their model is to import tea from Nepal and sell it in North America.  All profits get donated to the

Nepal Youth Foundation located here, to bring health, shelter and education to the children of Nepal.  This concept is near and dear to my heart.  I truly believe that the best way to assist a country out of poverty is not just to give money to fund projects, but to create trade so that the country can lift itself out of poverty by actively engaging in export of their goods and services to other countries.  Nepali Tea Traders is doing exactly that, and donating all profits to a charity as well.  Education is necessary to give people the ability to engage in trade and move themselves forward.

A weak spot in their campaign, that I feel is important if they truly want to be a social enterprise, is they should be more transparent.  These organizations should provide us with more insight as to what constitutes 'all profits'.  I mean somebody is getting paid, and profits refers to income after expenses, so that would include wages.  How much do the stake holders get paid?  How much profits are actually being donated?  What are they doing to ensure that the tea farmers are getting fair prices and that those fair prices are being passed down to the farm workers?

Nepali Tea Traders is a social enterprise.  They are doing the right things, but I think the consumer requires more transparency.  Consumers want to know that if they choose to support an initiative, that these organizations are doing what they promise to do.  There have been to many disappointments in the past.  Overall I love what they are doing!  Nepali Tea Traders has got it right, but there is as always still room for improvement.

Tea is community.  Tea is intentional.  Tea is good.

Darjeeling = Black Tea True or False

A couple of weeks ago there was a discussion on linkedin regarding Darjeeling black tea and whether or not it should be classified as a black tea.  This discussion was under the group Tea Enthusiasts and Entrepreneurs.  If you are a linkedin user you can ask to become a part of this group and participate/follow in any discussions they have.

The argument was that Darjeeling tea is not a fully oxidized tea, and therefore should not be classified as a black tea.  I learned this in my tea course when we tasted the tea from Darjeeling.  They dry leaf, more so in the FF, but also present in the SF was a mixed bag of colour - from green to dark brown.

FF Darjeeling

Some of the contributors stated that Darjeeling tea should be classified as an oolong tea since it is only partially oxidized.  Others argued that oolong has to do with varietal, origin and processing so Darjeeling's don't fall into the oolong category either and perhaps they should be in a class on their own, noting that other areas such as Nepal and Newara Elia also follow similar processing methods.

The rebuttal to the above was:  if it's reclassed to oolong, then we're creating instability to the 'system', and starting to confuse what exactly the two classes are.

There was also discussion around why there is a difference in oxidization levels.  Darjeeling teas are grown at high altitude, and the FF in particular is a slow growth.  The plant has been in a dormant stage for a period of time and it's growth up to the FF plucking is slow.  The tea plants in Darjeeling are also a mix of the Chinese variety sinensis sinensis and the Indian variety sinensis assamica.  All these factors create a very delicate complex flavour to the tea.  In order to capture those subtle nuances in the flavour, the tea is not fully oxidized.

 The discussion goes into much more depth, and I encourage anyone with interest to follow the conversations.  What do you think?  Should Darjeeling black tea be classed into another category?  Or should it be in a category all on its own?

From my limited experience, I know that the big differential about black tea is that they are fully oxidized.  But the Darjeeling, and perhaps some other teas as mentioned above are not.  The tea classes are all about the processing method, and if we are saying that the Darjeeling is not a true black tea because the processing differs, then from what I understand, it can't be an oolong either because there are still differences in the processing methods used.

I've also read the the tea classifications evolved before tea was being processed in the Darjeeling region, so perhaps it is time to add a new class to the standard group and give these groups of high altitude teas a class all their own.  Based on the processing method - not the growing regions.

Does anyone have any comments they would like to share??

Tea in India - Brief History

India's history is of course far more rich and interesting than I could possibly write.  But I am going to stick with the tea history, and start from the point in time that the English came to India and the tea history started being documented.

There is actually documentation of tea in India dating as far back as 750-500 BC, but the first modern records were written in 1598.  Jan Hughen van Linschoten had been travelling extensively in India at the time and he kept some journals.  In these journals he wrote about tea, and how it was not only consumed as a drink, but the leaves were also eaten as a vegetable.  There are further recordings in 1788 that a British Bontanist Joseph Banks wrote that the climate in North East India was perfect for growing tea.  However, there was no mention of any indigenous tea plants being noted at that time.

Photo contribution

In 1823 Robert Bruce was credited with 'discovering' tea growing in the wild in the Assam region of India.  Unfortunately for Bruce he passed away without ever really knowing if the plants he found were indeed tea plants.  But his brother Charles took over and sent samples to be analyzed and it was confirmed that the plants were indeed Camillia Sinensis var. Assamica.  Soon after this discovery the British East India Company was taking over and cultivating the tea.

They tried to introduce the Chinese varietal Camillia Sinensis var Sinensis, but in the Assam region, they just would not grow.  In 1838 the first shipment of non-Chinese tea was shipped to England.  In 1841 they had already started planting in Darjeeling, and here they were also able to plant some of the Chinese varietal.

The first war of independence was in 1857, and it shook the foundation of the British East India Company.  India continues it's protests for autonomy and in the early 1900's Mahatma Ghandi leads non-violence as a campaign to gain independence.  On August 15, 1947 India gains their independence, and all that is left of the British are the tea gardens.

The Tastes of India

This week in the Tea Sommelier course we are tasting the teas from India.  Below is a snapshot of the 5 teas that we tasted.  The teas include:  starting at the lightest coloured liquor:  White tea from Darjeeling, 1st flush Darjeeling black, 2nd flush Darjeeling black, Assam Orthodox black and Nilgiri black.

Darjeeling Teas:

The area of Darjeeling is bordered by Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.  The dry leaf is a mix of colours from dark brown to green, which indicates a mixed level of oxidization.  The tea season is typically from April to October and they have 4 picking times:

          First Flush               March to April

          Second Flush          May to June

          Monsoon Season    July to September

          Autumnal Flush      September to October

First flush teas are considered to be some of the most prized teas.  They are light and delicate with a slight muscatel (astringent) character.  I'm not sure if you can tell in the photo above, but the first flush tea is slightly lighter in colour than the second flush.  In my tasting the aroma of the liquor is like sweet fresh honey.  It was smooth for a black tea, and only the tiniest bit of astringency.  It has a creamy almost buttery finish to it.

Second flush teas are more full bodied, and have a heavier muscatel tone to it.  Leaf is generally more oxidized - so the dry leaf would still be a mixed bag of colour, but leaning more towards the brown.  In my tasting I noted that the aroma of the liquor was similar to first flush, but deeper and less 'fresh'.  The flavour was similar, but more full bodied and stronger.

The monsoon teas and Autumnal teas we did not try but they are even more oxidized, with a less complex flavour and darker liquor.  The variety of plant grown in Darjeeling are various hybrids between the indigenous Chinese plant sinensis sinensis and the indigenous Indian plant sinensis assamica.

The Darjeeling area has also started to manufacture other teas such as green, oolong and white.  We tried the white in the course and it was good.  It was the silver tip needle type and was light and sweet in aroma.  The colour of the liquor was similar, a light straw hue, but the flavour has a bit more body and a slight nuttiness to it that sets it apart from the Chinese Fujian white silver needle.  On inspection of the dry leaf, I noted that while similar in shape, the Fujian silver needle was lighter in colour, significantly larger and more 'hairy' than the Darjeeling white.  In this photo the first teas is the Fujian, and the second tea is the Darjeeling.  Upon further inquiry, it is simply how and when the leaf was picked and processed.

Assam Teas:

Assam is bordered by Bhutan and Bangladesh.  It is the worlds largest tea growing area.  It has a tropical climate and is near sea level.  Assam teas are know for body, briskness and strong malty flavours.  It is the main tea used in what we know as blended breakfast teas.  First flush teas are not prized like in Darjeeling since, they don't have the dark colour and complex malt flavour of the Assam that is known all over the world.  It is the second flush that is much more sought after.  While Darjeeling teas are primarily Orthodox teas, Assam is know for both Orthodox and CTC, since so much of their tea makes it into tea bags.  This tea is mostly grown at sea level, as opposed to Darjeeling which is in the foothills of the Himalaya.  The variety of plant grown here is Assamica.

In our sampling we tasted an Orthodox tea.  These are fully oxidized leaves and the dry leaf is very dark in colour, but mixed with some lighter tips.  The liquor as you can see in the photo above is also very dark.  This translates into a very full bodied cup of tea.  The tea has a very complex flavour of malt and caramel.  I really enjoy all that sweetness!!

Nilgiri Teas:

Nilgiri is located at the southernmost point in India on the west side.  Far away from Darjeeling and Assam.  It has year round growing conditions and at elevations of 1,000 to 2,000 meters and is picked year round.  The best teas are plucked in the months from December to March.  It is the second largest tea producing area in India after Assam.  The variety of tea plant here is the Assamica.

In our sampling it was noted that there was nothing really complex or singularly outstanding on this tea, however it has a nice mellow sweet flavour that would be good for blending, or if you don't particularly like astringency or extreme sweetness.  I thought it was good. 

My pick is of course the sweetest of the lot - Assam.  It was definitely easier to tell the differences between the teas from India than the teas from Sri Lanka.  However, I did use Angel Chen's suggestion to brew the black teas at a slightly lower temperature than boiling, so that likely helped.  Thank-you Angel!!

The Oneness of Tea

Tea is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, outside of plain water, and has been around as a beverage for almost 5000 years!!  It's no accident that tea is associated with equality, compassion, intention and community.  We need only to examine the history of tea and how it arose in China and Japan, and the influence that the Zen Buddhist monks had on its popularity.

Let's examine these influences by reviewing the Japanese tea ceremony and the concepts of Wabi and Ichigo Ichie.  Together these two concepts suggest that one should make the best of their surroundings and experiences in life to optimize ones encounters and feelings of well being - not just for oneself, but for others as well.  Thereby creating a community of compassion towards oneself and also towards others.

The concept of everyone being equal is prevalent in the actual tea ceremony itself.  Firstly when the entrance way into a tea room is constructed, the entrance way is made smaller than the size of a person, so everyone MUST enter the room in a bowed position.  It is also noticed in the actual pouring of the tea where the tea is generally first dispersed into a large serving jug and then poured into the actual drinking cups, so that everyone gets tea that is brewed exactly the same as opposed to the first pour perhaps being somewhat weaker than the last pour if the cups are served directly from the brewing pot.

The tea ceremony in itself is an exercise of intention.  Every motion, every step along the way is paid the attention it deserves.  The appreciation in what is happening, in brewing the perfect cup of tea is the outcome of being present in the moment.

Now let's fast forward to 2013, and a woman that has only just been introduced to these concepts.  How does she interpret the oneness of tea in this modern era?

We use tea symbolically to offer compassion to one another in times of need.  We share our hopes and dreams over a cup of tea with friends.  We have laughed and we have cried.  We have revered beauty, and shared our differences and similarities.

It is because of all these qualities that tea has the ability to break down barriers to communication and perceived inequalities.  Tea brings people together to share their thoughts and be respectful with each other.  Tea inspires us to be better people.

There are many different kinds of teas, all unique and special in their own way.  As are human beings.  And like the tea we drink we celebrate the differences that make each of us unique and special.

This is what tea means to me. Tea opens up possibilities to a better world, we just have to follow the same principles that make tea as loved as it is.  Tea creates community, and a oneness with each other.  We are all one, we are all equal and just as tea comes from only one plant the camellia sinensis so do we all come from one species the homo sapiens.

Tea is intentional.  Tea is community.  Tea is good.

Sri Lanka - History Every Tea Enthusiast Should Know

OK. Maybe it's not imperative to know, but it's still pretty interesting. ;)

Early on (circa 6 BC) Sri Lanka was dominated by the Sinhalese (a Buddhist people), however over time, the Tamil people from India took over as more and more people migrated over to the island.  the Tamils were people of the Hindu faith.

They didn't really get along all that well (this appears to be a recurring theme in history), So they fought it out and the Tamils established a presence in the Kandy region, and The Sinhalese move further down to the South of the island.

Eventually Europe steps into the picture.  The Portuguese arrive and establish 'friendly'  trade with the islanders, but by 1505 they have control over the whole island except for the Kandy region.  The Tamils are worried so they ask the Dutch to help them (silly!), and by 1658 the entire island except for Kandy is now controlled by the Dutch.  by 1796 the British had moved in and by 1815 they had control of the ENTIRE island.

Could all this fighting really be over tea?!  No, of course not!  It was over coffee.  Up until the 1860's the island grew mainly coffee.  The coffee plantations in the 1860's was literally wiped out by a type of pant virus known in plain english as 'coffee rust'.  At this time the main crop was replaced with tea.  The first plantings were from cuttings from the Aasam region in India.

(This file was originally shared by Colby Otero and was taken from his Flickr Account at this location.  He has allowed usage of his photo under Creative Commons.)

James Taylor was one of the first from the British to plant a tea garden in the Kandy region.  He planted in 1866, and by 1872 he had built himself a tea processing plant.  In 1875 the first shipment of tea was sent to England.  Sir Thomas Lipton recognized that tea was a potentially lucrative product and hooked up James Taylor as his supplier of tea,  and well as you know, Lipton teas became famous for their teas from Ceylon.

Sri Lanka's tea production has grown to be the third largest tea producing country in the world. There are 6 tea growing regions ( Kandy, Dimbula, Nuwara Elia, Uda Pussallawa, UVA and Ruhuna) of which 5 were covered in the tea tasting here.

The island was first named Ceylon in English, and in 1972 the name was changed to Sri Lanka which means 'beautiful island'.  Incidentally in 1948 the British finally relinquished their rule and Sri Lanka became what is known as  a self governing dominion of the commonwealth nations.  Which I believe is the same as Canada!!

Japanese Tea History - A Quick Overview

Back in the day, around 794-1185 tea was brought to Japan in the form of dancha (a hard ball of oxidized tea leaves) by japanese monks that had been to China.  In the 800's Japan and China had a falling out which led to anything Chinese (including tea) to be dropped from Japanese culture.  By the 12th century relations with China were back on track and tea was once again popular.

At this point a Japanese Zen Buddhist monk by the name of Eisai introduced tea seeds and tea etiquette from China.  His main objective was to use the tea as an aid for mediating monks.  Eisai experimented with tea and together with monk Myo-e promoted the drinking of powdered tea as both a health benefit and a Zen training tool.  This powdered tea was called Matcha.   Monks started their daily ritual, and here began the beginning of the rules of preparing and serving tea.

By the 13th century samurai warriors were into the matcha.  They were adopting the Zen ways, but the tea also became a source of entertainment and excess.  Big extravagant parties were held, and tea in Japan was getting quite a reputation.

Then came a fellow by the name of Murato Shuko (1423-1502), who transformed the Matcha from a source of entertainment, to more of a ceremony.  He created the tea and the concepts of Wabi and Ichigo Ichie which became central to the tea ceremony.

Wabi is 'finding beauty in imperfection and discovering a sense of the profound in all things nature'.  It means what it says - one should be able to find beauty in all things, not just in what is visually appealing to the eye.  Ichigo Ichie is 'one time, one meeting', which essentially means that every encounter one has is unique and once it is over it is gone forever.  So even if there is something in your life that you do everyday, it may appear to be the same everyday, but in fact every time it occurrs it happens a little differently.  It is this fact that makes every moment in life unique and all moments should be accounted for as unique and special in its own right.

Perhaps the biggest influence on the practice of tea came from Sen Rikyu (1522-1591) who continued on with the work of his predecessor Shuko, which led to the development of the tea ceremony.  The Japanese tea ceremony is a complex set of procedures for preparng the tea, and for receiving the tea.  It takes many many years, often a lifetime to perfect. 

Modern tea gardens are for the most part designed for harvest by machinery, and that is why the tea rows are so uniform.  The needle like shape of the leaves is a result of the rolling and drying machines that are used.  Most of the green tea is steamed in Japan, but there are some roasted or pan fired teas from the island of Kyushu.

While most tea is processed by machinery, it is important to note that this does not affect the quality of the tea, it simply allows for more efficient processing techinques.  Unlike most of the tea producing countires, Japan has the ability to come up with the capital to support this type of processing. 

The best teas are said to come from the Yame region of Fukuoka Prefecture and the Uji region of Kyoto in the Shizuoka Prefecture.  Green teas from Japan are simply amazing and should be explored and enjoyed by everyone.

Tea from Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Five black teas from Sri Lanka is what we are cupping this week along with the 5 green teas from Japan covered previously.  I definitely enjoy green teas over black teas, but as I'm learning more about teas, and trying all these different varieties, I am developing an appreciation for all types of teas.

The teas we are tasting are broken down by region:  Kandy, Dimbula, Nuwara Elia, Uva and Ruhuna.  This is the order that they appear in the attached photo.  All the teas were steeped with boiling water for 4 min.

Kandy is located 2000-4000 feet above sea level.  It is the ancient capital of Sri Lanka, and geographically it lies in more of the centre of the island.  These are full bodied teas with strong bold flavours, but very sweet.  I really enjoyed this tea, it was full bodied with a very sweet flavour.  The dry leaves are very dark which translates to one of the darker coloured liquors in the flight.  The wet leaves turn the typical redish brown colour of a black tea.

Dimbula lies 3500-5000 feet above sea level and is located in the mountains.  The region relies heavily on the monsoon rains.  The flavours of the tea produced here range from full bodied to light and delicate and fragrant.  On my cupping I couldn't really capture these flavours on my palette.  What I could determine was that there was an astringency to this tea, and that is about all I noticed.  I am not really a fan of the astringent teas.  at least not yet anyways.  I brewed it a second time, so it was quite a bit lighter in flavour, and the astringency didn't take over and I could taste more of the floral delicate flavours they talked about.  Maybe my tea measuring was out!?

Nuwara Elia is also high in the mountains at 6240 feet above sea level.  This tea has been referred to as the champagne of tea.  These teas are typically fragrant and light with distinctive flavours.  The dry leaves of Dimbula and Nuwara Elia are very similar, but Nuwara Elia has more golden tips included.  They are both a lighter brown color than Kandy which translates to a lighter liquor and a lighter body.  They are tightly rolled and smaller than kandy, and the wet leaves are a mixture of light brown and green in colour.  I had the same issue with this tea.  The first go around was very astringent and couldn't make out much else.  On the second time around I could taste more without being overpowered by the astringency.  It was very enjoyable.  

Uva also lies around 3000-5000 feet above sea level and is located in the eastern slopes of the central  mountains.  These teas are typically used mainly for blending and have a relatively pungent flavour.  The dry leaves are very small and dark.  I didn't care much for this tea.  It was bitter tasting to me.  The tasting notes said to expect a menthol eucalyptus flavour to come thru.  I didn't get that.  So I gave it a second go around I still couldn't taste it - Now I'm starting to get nervous for my blind cupping at the end of this module!!

Ruhuna lies right along the coast and only at a maximum height of 2000 feet above sea level.  The dried leaves are very dark which translates to a dark liquor and full body.  I enjoyed this tea as it also has a honey sweetness about it that I enjoy.

My favourite would be the tea from the Kandy region.  In case you haven't noticed yet I love sweet stuff!!!  Next week is India - more black teas - Yikes!!

Where do YOU buy your tea?

Where do you buy your tea?  Do you order it on-line from retailers outside of your own community?  Do you buy it from retailers in your community?  Are those retailers large corporate stores such as Teavana or David's Tea?  Or do you support your local independent retailer?  Perhaps you shop at numerous locations and have identified favourites at each location.

In my community we have a Teavana in our shopping mall.  We also had, until about one month ago another chain type in the same mall.  It was called Tea Desire.  Tea Desire is a Canadian corporate store, that has not expanded as quickly as David's Tea (also Canadian).  The pressure from having a Teavana open up in the same mall I am suspecting lead to the closure of Tea Desire.  Now I hear that David's Tea is going to be opening up in the mall in the old Tea Desire store, and going head to head with Teavana.  Yes Davids Tea has a significantly larger following than Tea Desire has, but at the end of the day our community is only about 100,000 strong, maybe 160,000 if you include the outlying areas.

We also have two independent loose leaf stores in town.  I'm not sure how successful they are but my feeling is that they may just be 'making it', or worse managing to 'hang on' despite the facts.  Up until about 6 months ago we had another independent tea and spice store.  I think it had a store front for about 1 to 1.5 years before they also closed their doors.  All the reviews that I read on this store were good.

Just for the heck of it I roughly counted about 25 coffee shops in my town.  11 of them are Starbucks.  Not that there is anything wrong with Starbucks, I go there sometimes myself, but I also make a point of frequenting our local independent stores and services.  Downtown there is a Starbucks, a Blenz and an independent coffee shop all within close proximity to each other.  It bothers me that when I do the walk by, Starbucks has a line-up out the door, and both Blenz and the independent shop have available seating.  Especially if you do a side by side taste test, Starbucks does not necessarily come out on top.  But we seem to be pre-conditioned to follow trends.  Maybe we desire acceptance?  I'm not really sure why we all flock together. . .

Some of the best teas and coffees come from the local independent stores, and not from the large corporate organizations.  The corporate stores come with the fancy store fronts, and the fancy names and I think the fancy prices, for some of the really not so fancy teas.  Their tea descriptions tantalize, and make the tea sound better then they could ever really be, and we all buy into it.

I'm not saying don't ever buy tea from the large corporate store.  I do and have found some teas there that I love.  But I also give the local independent guy a chance to show me what he has.  Usually their knowledge is better, and the teas are more honest.  This post is simply a reminder to give the local guys in your community a chance.  It's good to shop local, and that includes all products, not just tea!!

Tea from Japan

This week in my tea course we are reviewing tea from Japan.  Today I performed my preliminary tea tastings of 5 teas from Japan.  They are all green teas as that is what is predominately manufactured in Japan, and what they are most well known for.  The teas we tasted were: Sencha, Genmaicha, Hoji Cha, Gyokuro and Matcha.  Here is a photo of the dry leaves, are presented in the order of the list from top left to right and then bottom left to right.

Here is a photo of the tea liquor:

If you start with the big bowl, that is the Matcha, and if we rotate in a clockwise direction we have Gyokuro, Sencha, Genmaicha, and Hoji Cha.  All teas were steeped in water heated to 80 degree celcius for 3 minutes.

Sencha:  The most popular tea in Japan, has a light slightly vegetal aroma, and tastes similar.  I really enjoyed this tea, for it's light flavour.

Genmaicha:  I loved the toasted rice popcorn flavoured coupled with the fresh vegetal flavour of the green tea.  This is one tea that once you taste it you will easily recognize it every time.

Hoji Cha:  This tea is roasted in a procelain pot over charcoal and has a sweet nuttiness to its flavour.  The leaves are roasted until they are brown, and the liquor also has a brown colour to it.  I quite liked it.

Gyokuro:  The dry leaves of this tea are exceptionally green in colour.  The dry leaves have a soft silky feel to them and they already promise a high quality tea.  This tea is grown in the shade, as opposed to Sencha that is grown in the full sun.  I loved this tea.  It has a full see weedy/kelpy flavour to that is somehow still light on the pallet.

Matcha:  Apparently this was the ceremonial grade that we tried.  It had a bitterness to it, and was a bit grainy to drink due the powdered leaves not dissolving in the water.  The health benefits of Matcha are numerous, and I will definitely continue to drink this tea.  I hope I enjoy it more in the future!!

What are my top picks?  It's hard to say as I think green tea is one of my favourites all around.  For just green tea without any special roastings or flavourings I love the gyokuro.  It has such an amazing kelpy flavour that is strong yet subtle.  Bit I also really like the genmaicha for its roasted rice flavourings, and I liked the Hoji Cha for its sweet nuttiness.  Sencha is a great all around green tea that won't break the bank.  As for the Matcha - I will drink this and hope will soon learn to enjoy it more, but the health benefits from this superfood are far to great to ignore it!!

  This was just a quick synopsis of the teas I tasted this week.  As it turns out we are also covering the Teas from Sri Lanka this week so I'll have to get back to work shortly.  The Sri Lanka teas will be 5 black teas.

Coffee OR Tea . . .

I've noticed that there seems to be a big competition between tea and coffee.  It's like there is a constant struggle over what to drink.  Not many claim to be a fan of both.  It seems to be an either or proposition.  Does anybody else notice this?

I suppose from a marketing and sales perspective the two beverages are different, and they may even cater to completely different markets.  I feel people that generally consume tea, are different from those that generally consume coffee.  My perspective is also a west coast perspective, where coffee has historically always dominated over tea.

What's odd is that 'west coasters' (of Canada and the US) are said to be 'laid back'.  We like the outdoors, and are into 'saving the enviornment'.  We recycle, do yoga, perform all sorts of outdoor activities.  We meditate, and seek out mindfulness.  Essentially we are tea drinkers.  But yet most of drink coffee!!

I have been a coffee drinker since my early 20's.  I loved, and still love coffee.  Up unil about 4 months ago, I only ever really drank the occasional green tea, and herb teas.  Since learning about tea, thru The Tea Association of Canada and am learning about the different types of teas, and how to brew them properly, and reading up on the health benefits of tea I have converted some of my coffee consumption to tea and couldn't be happier!

Coffee fits because it gives me the morning kick start that I need at 5:00 am when I get up.  Tea fits because I drink it during the day.  I used to feel somehow not that well in my body when I drank to much coffee and now I actually feel great since I've introduced tea.  It keeps me alert and calm at work.  I love it!!

I think there is room to be a consumer of both.  But hands down tea fits the 'west coast' lifestyle, and coffee still gets you going in the morning.

Meditate with Tea

The activity of preparing tea, tasting tea, and relaxing is a form of meditation.  If you focus on the art of the brew, and pay specific attention to the various steps in preparing the tea, you will notice that you are being very intentional in what you are doing.  Block everything from your mind and focus on the tea.

Similar to a Chinese tea ceremony, you can create your own ceremony.  A very simple procedure is as follows:

• Bring the water to temperature and pour into a heated teapot.  
• While the water is heating up, measure the tea that you will be using, and set it aside.  
• Find a spot that envelops you in a sense of peace and beauty.  You can create your own spot by adding a few items like a table cloth, candles, comfy chair etc, or perhaps you already have a spot like this.  In the summer my spot is outside on our deck.  It's quiet and the view is nice, and relaxing.
• Set out the brewing pot, cup, tea, timer, temperature gauge (if you use one), hot water.
• Inspect the dry leaf, really look at it and describe it to yourself.  Smell it, feel it, and enjoy your senses at work. 
• Once the water is at the correct temperature, add the leaves and the water to the brewing pot and set your timer.  A clear glass brewing pot is great for this because you can watch the leaves unfurl as the taste infuses into the water and colours the liquor.
• Once the timer indicates the tea is ready, remove the tea leaves from the pot and pour into your favourite tea vessel.
• Before you take your first sip, enjoy the colour and aroma of the tea liquor.
• Sit back, relax, and take your first sip.  What do you taste?  What flavours can you make out?  Focus on the tea, be aware of the moment you are in and let go of your daily stresses.  You can get back to all of that soon enough!!

You can create a ritual out of anything that you like to do.  But because there are so many steps and little things to focus on, it creates an easy atmosphere to be successful in your quest for being intentional.  Tea is also associated with being intentional.  Buddhist monks and other scholars have long been using tea in this manner.  

Today, find that spot where you can relax, make it your own and create your own tea ceremony.  Let me know how you found it.  Was it relaxing?  We're you able to focus on the tea and not think about everything else in your life?  How long did it take?  Would you do this ritual on a regular basis?

Tea from China - History

Just finished my Skype session with the instructor and other class participants.  WOW!!  Is there ever a lot to know in this module.  The book is like three times the size as the Tea 101 materials and of course the tea list is huge!!  I'm going to summarize here the history of tea in China.

China is the birthplace of tea.  It was discovered in 2737 by Emporer Shen Nong.  He was sitting in the shade of a tree and boiling some water when a breeze came up and blew some of the leaves from the tree into his pot of boiling water.  Instead of dumping it out he drank it and found it to be delish!!  Tea was born, as the tree he was sitting under was a tea tree.

The Chinese also have an answer for how the tea trees came to be:  It was because Bodhidharma, the first patriarch of Zen decided that he was going to sit in front of the Shaolin Temple in China and meditate for 9 years.  Unfortunately he dosed off a little and was so upset with himself (Doesn't seem very Zen like) that he sliced off his eyelids and threw them to the ground.  From those eyelids grew the first tea bush!!

Tea was first brewed by boiling it to death.  This resulted in, as you can imagine a very strong and bitter liquor that was used primarily for medicinal purposes.  It must have worked because they started to cultivate it due to the demand for its medicinal uses.  The first cultivation of tea started in the Szechwan province.  by the mid 4th century.  The imperial court even put a levy on the tea called a 'tea tribute' - the first form of tax on tea.  The unfortunate reality was that the tea tribute was so important that the peasants had to focus on tea growing, and little to no focus on growing food, and for the poor in China it meant many people died of famine.  (Every country's history has something to this effect in their history - how can we be so unjust to each other?).

The first teas were pressed into cakes and then roasted until hard and red in color.  Tea was traded.  The Tibetans traded war horses for tea, and was such as sought after commodity that they used the hardened tea bricks as currency.  They also used tea in their meals as a flavour additive.

The Tang Dynasty in China 618 - 907 was a period of aesthetic quality - it was refined and sophisticated.  Tea was brought to a whole new level.  The brewing, and cultivating and the manufacturing of teas began to be turned into an art.  Fruit juices were being added to sweeten the flavours, and more attention was given to brewing a tea that had distinctive aromas and flavours.

LuYu - the patron saint of tea writes the first book about tea, its origins, methods and tools used for plucking and processing, preparing and serving.  He documented how it should be prepared, served and appreciated.  He was the first to document tea.

Now in China independent privately owned coops share local resources for labour, harvest, processing and distribution.  The government regulates much of the tea and still typically harvests and operates large scale farms.  China has a significant portion of the worlds tea gardens-about50%, but only produces about 20% of the world output.

Tea builds relationships

Part of this blog is also to discuss how tea has made me more intentional, and how it has  had a positive impact on my life.  Something that I am very excited about was the communication that opened up between my partner's daughter and myself over the last month since I have started the tea course.  She is  17 years old and heading off to university this fall.  Things have never really been great, but over time I think we've both started to give each other a break and try harder to communicate and have more of a relationship.

It's really been years of miscommunication, hurt feelings and a clashing of wills that has built up.  We don't have a lot in common either, but tea is something that she took an interest in about a year ago, and it's still going strong.  I have to say that she had taken on the passion of tea before I did.  But now we have something in common.  We have something to share and talk about.

My desire to learn about tea started because of a trip I took last year to Nepal.  Yes, I drank a lot of tea while I was trekking in Nepal.  In the mountains they don't have much in the way of a good cup of java, so I relinquished the morning ritual and took on tea.  I didn't miss coffee, but I do really love to have my morning coffee, so it wasn't a change in my ritual that drove me to learn about tea.

I was really trying to think of a way that I could start a business that involved importing product from Nepal.  They grow coffee and they grow tea.  I researched and decided that tea might be a good way to go.  I'll get into all of this in another post later on.  I decided that I needed to lean about tea if I wanted to import tea and start a business involving tea.  So that is how I ended up in the Tea Sommelier course.

I've only completed the first course - I just got my marks from my exam and overall I walked away with 95.5%!!  I'm thrilled about that!!  What I've learned and read about tea fascinates me.  I love the flavours, the human connections that are created over tea, and the ability to relax and focus on the tea when I am doing my tastings, and not be interrupted by the daily stresses and interruptions that seem to be able to creep in everywhere else.  The course also has a forum where you can leave posts and have discussions with other course participants.  I have met some wonderful people here as well.  One of the girls has a Facebook page Les Thes Laha-Nia  She posts some beautiful photos, tea industry news articles etc.  Please follow the link and like her page!!  The pages main lingo is in French, but pictures need to words, most of the news links etc are in english, and you can use translator to read the posts in English.

I am so very thankful to find a common thread with my boyfriend's daughter.  It 's been just over 8 years and finally it feels like we've caught a break.  Thank you tea for nurturing this connection and allowing for it to happen!!