Tea Primer – Growing Regions - Teas of India

Tea Primer – Growing Regions - Teas of India

Part Three on Tea Growing Regions

India has a considerable history of tea, dating back thousands of years.  It was during the British occupation and the British East India Company that tea production in India flourished.  One of the largest tea producers in the world, India is second only to China for the amount of tea produced yearly.  Grown in India is a variant of the tea plant Camellia Sinensis; Camellia Sinensis var. assamica and is noted for its larger leaves than the Chinese variety Camellia Sinensis var. sinensis.

The Indian Subcontinent encompasses large and varied regions where tea is grown.  One of the most famous tea growing regions is Darjeeling, near the Himalayan highlands. Darjeeling tea is noted for its malty muscatel notes and lighter colored infusion and is very unique in flavor profile to other traditional black teas. Green teas and oolong teas are also being produced in this region.  Common phrases for Darjeeling are 1^st Flush, 2^nd Flush & Autumnal Flush designating when the ‘flush’ of new growth appears and is subsequently picked. 

We are proud to offer a number of fine Darjeeling Teas:

Twinings Darjeeling Loose Tea 3.53oz Tin

St. Dalfour Pure Darjeeling 25ct teabags

Ahmad Tea of London Darjeeling Loose Tea Tin 100g - 3.5oz

Margaret’s Hope Loose Leaf Darjeeling

Pan-Fired Darjeeling Green Tea & Steamed Darjeeling Green Tea

Assam is another noted Indian tea growing district and is in a lower region.  Its hot wet summers produce abundant tea crops and Assam 2^nd Flush tea is renowned for a full flavorful aromatic tea. Teas of India Kopili Assam Black in tea bags is noted as a full-bodied tea, dark and malty. Gingia Assam Loose Leaf Black Tea - Luxury Black Tea is one of the nicest Assams available. The golden liquor has classic thickness that is juicy and deliciously malty. Extraordinary well graded.

The Nilgiri region in the Western Ghats Mountains of Southern India on the western coast has very heavy annual rainfall.  Fine Nilgiri black teas are noted for exquisite full leaf, full flavor Orange pekoe teas as well as Broken Orange pekoe production. Teas of India Nilgiri Black again is a nice representative tea in 18ct tea bags.  For a loose leaf Nilgiri tea try Nonsuch Loose Leaf Black Tea - Luxury Black Tea.

Chai Tea is synonymous with India.  Chai is actually the name used for tea in general in India, very similar to the Chinese word for tea ‘cha’.  The spiced chai teas noted in western markets is by and large called Masala Chai.  Masala Chai is seasoned with ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom (green cardamom pods are a leading flavor element) and sometimes black pepper and or fennel.  Masala Chai preparation is traditionally black tea leaves boiled in milk or a mixture of milk & water with the spices and sweeteners being added and boiled along with the tea and then strained before serving. The aromatic flavor of Masala Chai & other Chai Teas is captivating.  Try these wonderful Chai offerings:

Night of the Iguana Chocolate Chai Loose Leaf Tea – Robust and Intriguing

Cochin Masala Chai Loose Leaf Tea – A bevy of South Indian Flavors

Mocha Chai Loose Leaf Tea – Heady and Warm

Krishna Cinnamon Chai Loose Leaf Tea - Transcending the taste buds to a higher consciousness

Twinings French Vanilla Chai 20ct Tea Bags - Perfectly balanced with vanilla and savory spices

Kashmiri Chai Green - Teas of India – Green Tea Chai from Northern India

Shangri La ORGANIC MASALA CHAI TEA Sachet - A paradise of fine flavors

Shangri La Chocolate Chai Tea Espresso Pods - Step into the future of tea with our new Tea Espresso Pods.

NEXT: Teas of Kenya & Nepal, Oolong & Pu-erh Teas, Flowering Teas

Bon Jour!

Rob Leavitt

www.bonjourgourmet.com

Tea Primer – Growing Regions - Teas of China

Tea Primer – Growing Regions - Teas of China

Part Two on Tea Growing Regions

The ancient birthplace of tea is China, where according to legend it was discovered in 2737 B.C. Historically in Chinese culture tea is considered one of the seven necessities of life, the other six being rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and firewood.

Tea growing in China is a vast industry – only a sketch of the main tea types will be gone over here.  From China come many varieties of these exceptional teas:

Black Tea – Keemun, Golden Monkey, Congou, Lapsang Souchong Smoked Black Tea

Green Tea – Gunpowder, Hyson, Dragonwell, Jasmine Green, Jasmine Pearls, Jasmine Flowering Teas

Oolong Tea –Iron Goddess Oolong, Wuyi Oolong (commonly called ‘weight loss’ tea)

White Tea - White Tip Silver Needle

Pu-erh Tea - Pu-erh Beng Cha, aged & fermented tea cake

For many years Gunpowder Green Tea was one of the main exports of Chinese tea. Gunpowder tea was a term used by the English for the tea because the leaves are rolled into tiny pellets resembling gunpowder.  The Chinese call it zhū chá literally bead or pearl tea.  Other famous Chinese Green Teas are Dragonwell and Jasmine Green Tea.   Jasmine Tea is green tea (sometimes made with oolong tea) infused and cured with fragrant ‘night blooming’ jasmine flowers.

Taiwan is too a major tea growing area famous for its Gunpowder & Oolong teas.

NEXT: Teas of India

Bon Jour!

Rob Leavitt

www.bonjourgourmet.com

Tea Primer (by special request)

Tea Primer – Growing Regions

As a tea vendor it is paramount that I know a lot about tea. While I do not profess to know everything about tea I do have a solid working knowledge about tea types and regions.  Overheard at a coffee shop (Amazing Origins in Englewood Colorado) a barista was asked about some teas by a customer. She admitted that she did not know the answer when asked about Ceylon tea.

My goal here then is to briefly list the major tea growing regions in the world and a little about the types of tea specific to those regions to shed light on the subject.

Tea is produced from the leaves of the plant Camellia Sinensis.  This is used to produce the main variety of teas on the market today, mainly Black Tea and Green Tea, but also Oolong Tea and White Tea. These teas all contain caffeine to varying degrees with Black Tea & Oolong Tea generally containing more caffeine.

Teas that are herbal in nature not using leaves of the plant Camellia Sinensis are commonly called Tisanes or herbal teas and do not contain caffeine, for the most part.

Orange Pekoe is classification given to tea for the type of leaf used in grading the tea. Orange does not have anything to do with the citrus fruit but rather from the Dutch East India Company & the House of Orange or from the orange color of leaves of the dried tea, depending on whose giving the explanation.  There are many grades and classification as to be mind boggling; Orange Pekoe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe.

A common classification is FOP; Flowery Orange Pekoe. BOP; Broken Orange Pekoe is another.

The world’s primary tea growing regions for western markets are China, India, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and Kenya though a great deal of tea is produced in Turkey, Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan.  Within China, India, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and Kenya there are many vastly different growing regions and climates producing many different types of tea.

Teas from Sri Lanka are still called Ceylon Teas today.  Black teas are one of Ceylon’s specialties; these black teas are known for brilliant deep color and brisk aroma from their characteristic twisted, slim, long leaves. Our Lovers Leap Ceylon Black tea is an excellent tea at an excellent price and you won’t be disappointed in Stash’s Organic Ceylon Black Tea, both teas in loose leaf form (for better brewing!).  Twinings Tea Ceylon Orange Pekoe Tea in teabags or loose leaf is another outstanding selection.  Ceylon Green Teas are superb too and a splendid selection would be Royal Ceylon Gunpowder Green Tea.

NEXT: Teas of China

Bon Jour!

Rob Leavitt

www.bonjourgourmet.com

What has Earl Grey got to do with dieting and slimming?

What has Earl Grey got to do with dieting and slimming? Read on to find out how making a simple switch from your usual cuppa could save you hundreds of calories!

Earl Grey was a British Prime Minister who was responsible for the Great Reform Act of 1832, which began the process of electoral reform. But as well as reforming British politics he also reformed tea. He asked Richard Twining to make him an aromatic tea based on a tea given to him as a gift by a Chinese Mandarin. Twinings developed a tea flavoured with oil of bergamot and it later became know as Earl Grey tea.

Earl Grey is a classic, delicately perfumed tea that is best drunk without milk and sugar. If you drink Earl Grey instead of your usual cuppa you'll save yourself a few calories over the course of the day. If you have the Earl Grey instead of cappuccino you could easily save yourself a few hundred calories! Cappuccino is one of the sources of hidden calories and, delicious though it is, can easily add unneeded calories to you diet.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/weight-loss-tips-tea-earl-grey-hot-517606.html#ixzz1LbkdeHlj

Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Royal Wedding Tea - Ahmad Tea

We are proud to bring on a new line of teas - Ahmad Tea of London, "The World's Most Exclusive Tea"!

As a Yankee in the USA I am not too caught up in the Royal wedding frenzy but have been drawn in inadvertently from Ahmad Tea.  Their international rep insisted on sending along a case of Royal Wedding Tea in a handsome gift tin containing 25 bags of English Breakfast Tea. This commemorative tea caddy has been created in celebration of the marriage of Prince William of Wales & Miss Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on 29th April 2011. Sold elsewhere (if it can be found) for $25 or more ours retails at $12.99. http://www.bonjourgourmet.com/Ahmad_Tea_Royal_Wedding_Tea_p/at1426.htm

Our line from Ahmad Tea of London will be growing and you can find many wonderful teas in loose teas and teabags. http://www.bonjourgourmet.com/Ahmad_Tea_of_London_s/72.htm

 Bon Jour!

Rob Leavitt

DIY: Repurposed Tins as Magnetic Organizers + Free Printable Lists

Here is a great way to re-utilize your favorite empty tea tins - turn them into magnetic organizers for the fridge or office.

Here is the link from a posting on the Creature Comforts blog.

http://www.creaturecomfortsblog.com/home/2010/7/8/diy-repurposed-tins-as-magnetic-organizers-free-printable.html

Tea anyone?

Bon Jour!