tea tasting.docVIP

What is Green Tea? Like all tea, green tea is a varietal of the evergreen Camellia sinensis bush. Unlike black and oolong teas, it is not oxidized. All teas offer a world of health-inducing benefits, but green tea is most widely known for its powerful polyphenols, which are strong antioxidants. Green tea goes through a single day, three-stage process of steaming (or pan-frying), rolling and firing to banish any bitter components and bring out its finest qualities. The steaming or pan-frying stage takes place immediately after the leaves are plucked. Placed in a metal pan over a hot flame or steamed, the leaves become soft and pliable. The sudden heat stops the enzymes that would otherwise lead to oxidation. The leaves are rolled on heated trays to reduce their moisture content and then carefully fired—drying them until they retain just two-percent of their moisture. CaffeineGreen tea contains very low levels of caffeine, less than a quarter the amount of caffeine per cup than in a similar-sized cup of coffee. Steeping is Easy Fill the kettle with 6 oz. of fresh, filtered water and heat to just short of boiling. Steep tea bags for 1 to 3 minutes and full-leaf for 2 to 4 minutes. Experiment to find your favored steeping time. Enjoy Sip by Sip. How to Brew Hot Tea You will extract the most pleasure from fine tea, steeped with care. I suggests the following step-by-step ritual for infusing hot tea: Heat Your Water ■It begins with the water—the element that brings tea to its full potential. Fresh water yields a better cup. We recommend using filtered, spring or bottled water. ■Fill your kettle with fresh, cold water and heat to a rolling boil—unless you’re making green or 100% White Tea. In that case, stop short of boiling to avoid “cooking” the delicate tea. ■If you’re using a teapot, warm it first by swirling in a splash of steamy water and pour it out. ■Plan on about one teaspoon of tea or herbs or one tea bag per six-ounce cup. If using whole leaf tea, place t