The Perfect Gentleman Issue 1 - March 2016 | Page 30

Gourmet Gentleman Yellow Tea Yellow tea is unwilted and unoxidised, but has been allowed to yellow. This process leaves the leaves with a green-yellow or yellow colour, which lends itself to a tea that is itself a more light and yellow in colour. Oolong (blue) Tea Oolong tea is wilted, bruised, and partially oxidised. Semi-oxidised teas are collectively known as 'blue' teas in China, while the term 'Oolong' is used as a name for certain specific teas. Black Tea Black tea is wilted, sometimes crushed, and fully oxidised. Leaves for the black tea are a little older than the ones used for green or white teas. In Chinese tea descriptions, these teas are called ‘red’ teas. Post-fermented (matured) Tea Post-fermented teas are green teas that have been allowed to ferment/compost. These include Pu-ehr, Liu'an and Liubo teas. In Chinese tea descriptions, these are referred to as black teas. Tisanes Tisanes (or herbal infusions) are not teas at all, as they are not made with tea, but are infused with hot water in the same way. They are often made with herbs, spices, or other plant material 30 Countries of Production China Although tea originated in China, it is was for a long time only the second largest tea producer in the world, losing out to India. Recently, it has regained the top spot, as India has run out of space in which to open new plantations. India India is currently the second largest tea producing country in the world, having recently lost the top stop to China. India produces many different types of tea, as there are a number of growing areas within the last country, that have very different climates, and therefore very different growing conditions. Darjeeling: Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, the Darjeeling plantations are at high altitudes (from 400 to 2,500m above sea level) around the town of Darjeeling. This is in a small part of India sandwiched between Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and China. The first plantation was started by the British in 1856. There are now over 90 plantations in Darjeeling, and quality is now more due to the skill of the planter than the altitude. Assam: The province of Assam is to the East of Darjeeling, sandwiched between China, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar (Burma). It is a low lying region of India, that is intersected by the Brahmaputra River, and its tributaries, and at the start of the 20th century it was covered in tropical rainforest.