By Randy Jackson
For many years, I’ve been as addicted and habituated as anyone to coffee in this Western coffee culture. Recently, however, I’ve found myself drawn to the more gentle allure of tea over coffee’s bold kick. I began this transition without realizing just how deep and rich the world of tea truly is, steeped in centuries of tradition and boasting a great many varieties. So, for beginners to tea, I’ve formulated four key questions and their answers to provide a foundational understanding of the world’s most consumed beverage.
WHAT PLANT DOES TEA COME FROM?
All non-herbal teas come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The history of using the leaves from this plant to make tea dates back at least to the third century CE in China. The variety of teas from the plant arises from how the leaves are processed.
Green tea is made by steaming and drying the leaves. Green tea has a delicate flavor. It has about 37% as much caffeine as coffee.
Black Tea is the most popular type of tea, with the most familiar names for teas, such as Darjeeling, English Breakfast, and Chai. Black tea is made by fermenting the leaves (oxidization). Black tea has a robust, relatively strong flavor compared to other teas. A cup of black tea generally contains about 58% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee.
Oolong Tea is partially oxidized and has a less intense flavor than black tea. Its flavor is more complex than black or green tea. The caffeine level of Oolong tea is about 42% of that of coffee.
White Tea is made from naturally dried leaves, with no oxidization. White tea has a delicate flavor. The caffeine contained in white tea is about 26% of that of coffee.
Pu-erh Tea is made using a microbial fermentation process and aging. It generally has an earthy and rich flavor. The caffeine level of Pu-erh tea is about 53% of that of coffee.
Matcha is a powdered version of green tea. The tea plants are kept in the shade for three weeks prior to harvesting. It has a slightly grassy, vegetal taste. Matcha contains the most caffeine of all the teas, about 74% of the amount in coffee.
HOW DO TEA FLAVORS VARY?
In addition to the different flavors of the teas listed above, the flavor of tea is affected by where the tea plant is grown. Like wine, the climate, elevation, and soil produce a range of flavors in tea. For example, Darjeeling tea is often called the champagne of tea because the soil in the Darjeeling area of India produces a delicate and fruity tea.
Furthermore, there is a distinction between pure tea and flavored tea. Pure tea, as the name implies, is a tea that has not been blended with herbs or spices. For tea connoisseurs and enthusiasts, pure tea offers aromas and flavors that are particular to the type of tea, the area where it is grown, and the method of processing used. Not surprisingly, there are tea sommeliers or tea masters, a title earned by years of education, training, and experience.
The type of tea most casual tea drinkers consume is flavored tea, which includes all the most familiar varieties, such as English Breakfast, Earl Grey, and Chai. English Breakfast is unique among flavored teas as its flavor arises from blending certain black teas from different geographical locations rather than using additives. Earl Grey tea is primarily flavored with bergamot oil, an oil extracted from the bergamot orange peel, giving it a light citrus flavor. Earl Grey tea is mostly commonly made with black tea, but other types of tea, such as green tea, are also made into Earl Grey tea.
Chai tea is typically made from black tea, but other types of tea are also used. Its flavors come from spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and black pepper.
For Canadian readers, the massively popular Red Rose Tea, like English Breakfast, blends certain black teas from different geographical sources.
Herbal teas, also known as tisanes, are made from various herbs, spices, flowers, fruits, and roots. They contain no caffeine. Chamomile, peppermint, ginger, hibiscus, and rooibos are the five most common herbal teas.
HOW IS TEA CONSUMED IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES?
In the United Kingdom, drinking tea is a cultural touchstone. Tea leads all other beverages in terms of consumption. Black tea with milk is the most typical way tea is consumed in the UK.
In India, tea is also the most consumed beverage. Chai, made from black tea and typically brewed with milk, sugar, and spices, is the leading drink of choice.
China, like many other Asian countries, has a broad preference for various types of tea. Black, green, oolong and herbal teas are all popular, reflecting the region’s rich tea culture.
Another tea-drinking country is Argentina, where mate is the most popular beverage. Mate is made from the leaves of the yerba mate (mah-TAY) plant and is a type of herbal infusion rather than traditional tea.
On the flip side of tea’s popularity is Mexico, where tea doesn’t make the top five beverage list at all. After water, coffee is the most consumed beverage in Mexico, followed by soft drinks, agua frescas, and cerveza.
In the United States, particularly in the southern states, most tea consumed is iced tea. Iced tea can be made with any type of tea, but the most common is black tea. Beyond water, in terms of popularity, tea ranks third behind coffee and soft drinks.
According to the market data portal Statista, the top five tea-drinking countries in 2016 were Turkey, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, and Iran. Canada was ranked 22, the United States was 36, and Mexico trailed at 56.
WHAT THE HECK IS BUBBLE TEA?
Until now, at least, my haphazard tea education has lacked any understanding of the cultural phenomenon of bubble tea. Silly me, I thought some sort of machine was used to blow air bubbles into a cup of tea.
But that’s not it. However, it does start with tea – green, black or oolong. The tea is cooled, and milk is added: whole, soy, condensed, or even coconut milk. Also added are tapioca pearls. These are small, chewy balls made from tapioca starch. The pearls are cooked until they reach a jelly-like consistency. This adds a texture to the drink. Despite common misconceptions, the “bubble” in bubble tea originally referred to the frothy foam created when the tea is shaken.
In the interest of research (and curiosity), we headed to a bubble tea place to try it. I chose dirty bubble tea, a drink made with cooled oolong tea, cold milk, brown sugar syrup, ice, and a handful of black tapioca balls. The drink required shaking to mix the layers. A large-diameter straw allowed the tapioca pearls to be slurped up as they sank to the bottom of the glass. The pearls were quite dense and chewy but without any real taste. I could detect the taste of tea in the drink mixture, but overall, it seemed like a beverage a long way from the centuries-old practice of sprinkling dried leaves into a cup of hot water and serving.
So, there you have it: from 3rd-century China, with monks sipping hot green tea in a monastery, to a trendy bubble tea shop in the foothills east of the Canadian Rockies, a beginner’s journey to the story and flavors of tea. I’m not that far yet in my tea journey, but I appreciate the words of a tea guru, James Norwood Pratt, who once wrote, “Tea is quiet and our thirst for tea is never far from our craving for beauty.”
For contact or comment, email box95jackson@gmail.com.