*History of Tea......................................................... P.2*From China to Japan................................................P.3*Tea arrives in Europe...............................................P.4*Tea production 1.....................................................P.5

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*Tea production 2......................................................P.6*Tea production 3......................................................P.7*Tea processing.........................................................P.8*Afternoon Tea..........................................................P. 9*How to make the best cup of tea..............................P.10*Let’s see how smart you are....................................P.12*Reference................................................................P.14*Glossary..................................................................P.15

History of Tea.

People started drinking tea about 5,000 years ago in ancient China. According to Chinese legend, an emperor called Shen Nung was boiling water under a tea tree. A few leaves from the branches were dropped in the pot. Brown liquid was infused and when Shen Nung drank it, he found it to be refreshing and delicious. This is how tea was “discovered.”

Did you know?

During the Han Dynasty (about 200 BC), tea was used as a kind of medicine. There was also a tradition of offering tea to guests when they came over to your house.

From China to Japan.

Dengyo Daishi, a Japanese monk who spent 2 years in China from A.D.803~A.D.805 is probably the first one to cultivate tea in Japan. When he came back to Japan, he planted the seeds in the grounds near his monastery and, served tea to emperor Saga. The emperor said that he enjoyed it so much that he ordered his people to buy the seeds from China to plant.

Dengyo Daishi.Emperor Saga.

Green tea seed from China.

Tea arrives in Europe.

In the 17th century, Dutch and Portuguese started trading in the China Sea. They were trading silks, brocades, spices, and tea. Dutch companies sold tea to Italy, France and Germany. Although Germans and French were interested in tea, they did not drink tea everyday. However, drinking tea was very fashionable in Holland.

Tea arrives in Great Britain.

When a Portuguese Princess, Catherine of Braganza married King Charles II in 1662, she brought a chest of China tea to England as part of her dowry. She started to serve tea to her friends and suddenly it became very popular. Because of the high tax on tea, only the rich people were able to drink tea. Ladies liked to drink their tea at home while men enjoyed drinking tea in the coffee houses.

Coffee house in England.

Tea production1

Tea is made from the leaves of tea tree called, Camellia sinensis. The first two leaves make the best quality teas. FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe) and OP (Orange Pekoe) are the best two. They are plucked either by hands or machines. Up to 35kg of leaves are plucked and carried in pickers’ backs. When the leaves are brought in, they are weighted and then they are spread out in withering troughs. This makes the air to pass through and cools the leaves.

FOPOP

Plucking tea leaves

Tea production 2

After withering, the leaves are rolled and cut. It is done to twist and break open. This makes the leaves change for the final colour and flavor. The leaves are then left open to ferment (oxidize). The leaves are spread out in a cool and humid place which makes the green leaves to change its colour to red. Then they are fired by passing the leaves through hot air tunnels or baking in hot ovens. Next, the tea leaves are cleaned and sorted into different types of teas. Once they are sorted, they are packaged.

Tea leaves on fermentation racks.

People rolling the tea leaves.

Tea Production 3

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/585115/112316/After-tea-leaves-are-picked-they-are-put-on-racks

Tea Processing

People thought that different types of teas came from different tea trees. However, they all came from one tea tree. Then what makes different types of teas? It’s the degree of fermentation which makes the flavours different. There are more than 3,000 teas from around the world.

Green teas are often called as “non-fermented” or “unfermented” teas. The leaves are dried after they are picked. Then, they are heat-treated to stop any fermentation.

Oolong teas are often called as “semi-fermented” teas. First, they are wilted in direct sunlight. Then, they are put into bamboo baskets and spread out until the surface of the leaves turns slightly yellow. Workers let them ferment for 1 ½ - 2 hours. Oolongs are never broken into pieces and are always whole leaf teas.

Black teas are often called as “fermented” tea. They are usually fermented for 3 ½ - 5 hours to absorb oxygen.

Afternoon tea

During the early nineteenth century, people drank tea all the time, especially after the main evening meal. Because of the long gap between a very light lunch and a late dinner, Anna, the Duchess of Bedford ordered her servants to bring a cup of tea with some refreshments to her room. She no longer was feeling hungry between meals so she invited some of her friends over to join her for afternoon tea. This is how afternoon tea all started. Very soon afternoon tea became fashionable and popular. Companies started to produce tea sets, silverwares, linens and even tea dresses. Cookbooks came out to give instructions on how to make and serve tea and food.

How to make the best cup of tea

1. Fill a kettle with freshly drawn cold water from the faucet. It is important to use water with a lot of oxygen. Bring the water to a rolling boil, but it should still have oxygen.

2. Pour a little bit of boiling water into the teapot, swill it around, and then throw it out. This helps to warm the teapot.

3. Put 1 teaspoon of loose leaf tea per cup into the teapot.

4. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Put the lid on the pot and leave it to brew for about 2-3 minutes depending on the type of leaf. Use a tea cozy to keep the teapot warm, if necessary. 5. Use a strainer to pour the tea into a cup or into a second warmed teapot.

Boiling water in tea kettle.

Teapot with a tea cozy.

Let’s see how smart you are!

1. Which is the first country to drink tea? a. Japan b. China c. Korea d. England

2. When did tea first arrive in Europe? a. 17th century b. 15th century c. 16th century d. 18th century

3. Great Britain was the first country in Europe to start drinking tea. True or False.4. After withering the tea leaves, what is the next step? a. rolling b. drying c. plucking d. packaging

5. All teas are fermented. True or False.

6. Who started Afternoon Tea? a. Ashley b. Queen Elizabeth c. Duchess of Bedford d. Mr. Corben

References

http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/sci/A0848023.html 

http://www.plantcultures.org/schools/schools_food_teaproduction.html

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/food/tea.htm 

http://www.tetley.com/TetleyCom/

http://www.stashtea.com/facts.htm

Pettigrew, Jane. The Tea Companion

Glossary

1. infuse - v. to steep (as tea) without boiling (p.2)

2. cultivate - v. to prepare for the raising of crops (p.3)

3. monastery – n. a house for people under religious vows as monks (p.3)

4. brocade – n. a silk fabric with a raised design (p.4)

5. dowry – n. the property that a woman brings to her husband in a marriage (p.4)

6. trough – n. a long shallow open boxlike container(p.5)

7. wilt – v. to lose freshness and become limp (p.8)