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Tea, once associated with the mystic and mysterious Far East, now seems more akin to a mundane cup of hot black tea, perhaps with milk, to warm us on a winter's day on the East Coast, or tall iced tea to cool us down on a sweltering Arizona summer afternoon. But tea is, and can be, far more than this. The last 10 years has brought a coffee revolution, but tea has, for some reason, lagged behind. Is this because tea purveyors have desired a more traditional image, or coffee has wealthy patrons with deep pockets for advertising budgets? Or has this occurred because tea has not hidden behind the complicated preparation paraphernalia found in most coffee bars and cafés? Probably a bit of both. And whilst most people, if asked, can tell you the difference between an espresso, a cappuccino and a mocha, few would feel confident in the differences between jasmine, sencha, Darjeeling and honeybush tea. This needs to change! A potted historyTea was discovered, so the story goes, by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2737 B.C. Whilst taking a break from travel and resting under a tree, he was boiling his drinking water (the Chinese already knew that boiling water made it safer to drink) and leaves from the tree -- a large tea plant -- blew into the boiling water. The emperor found the resulting brew refreshing and invigorating, and the beverage tea was born. Wild varieties of the cultivated China tea plant (Camellia sinensis) -- not to be confused with the tea tree (Melaleuca alterniflora) -- were discovered in Assam (North India) and the colonial British established plantations in North and South India and Bangladesh. Tea has since spread to Sri Lanka (the famous Ceylon), Indonesia, East Africa and South America. From its origins in China, where people originally drank tea as a health tonic, its popularity has grown beyond all recognition. Tea comes in as many forms as wine and beer and makes a perfect accompaniment to breakfast, lunch and dinner. Madam Bollinger famously stated that Champagne is the alcoholic beverage for all-day consumption, tea is the nonalcoholic beverage for any and every occasion. What is tea?Tea, in the strictest form, is derived solely from the evergreen bush Camellia sinensis. Rooibos (redbush tea), maté, chamomile and honeybush are all completely different botanic species and thus are not "tea." Different subvarieties of C. sinensis, climate, soil variations, elevation and processing conditions all contribute to the production of white, green, oolong and black variants. Green tea consists primarily of the leaves and tender shoots of C. sinensis with the endogenous enzymes heat inactivated immediately after withering (the first stage of manufacture). This stops oxidation during further processing and maintains the fresh, green characteristics. Steam is used to make Japanese styles (sencha, etc.). The manufacture of Chinese-style green tea uses heated surfaces, for example woks and drums. After enzyme inactivation, processors shape and dry the leaves. White tea is really just the unopened leaf buds of C. sinensis. Black tea primarily comes from C. sinensis assamica. After withering, processing disrupts (breaks) the cells by either traditional rolling or cut-tear-curl processing (think of an old-fashioned mangler with teeth), which makes the small-particle "tea-bag" tea. Cellular disruption allows enzymes and polyphenols to mix, and oxidation (like apple browning after the fruit is cut and exposed to air) -- commonly, but inaccurately, termed fermentation -- produces the characteristic black-tea color and flavors. Drying completes the transformation and results in the stable leaf-tea product that we all know and love. Oolong and pouchong sit halfway between green and black tea in oxidation terms, and Taiwan (formally Formosa) and China are famous for this variety. Processors do not use full leaf disruption, but bruise the leaves, traditionally by walking barefoot upon the laid-out leaves, which starts slow fermentation and produces the typically flowery aromas of oolong teas. Interestingly, the processing of tea, coca and tobacco have parallels, but that is a different story! Tea as a panaceaIn recent years, westerners have been catching up with what people in the East have always known, and tea has become synonymous with good health. Tea polyphenols have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties, so Shen Nung's drinking water was even safer than he knew! Tea polyphenols act as nature's breath fresheners by interacting with and trapping sulfur compounds known to contribute to halitosis. Polyphenols' antibacterial properties also aid oral health. Tea also reduces plaque formation and increases dental health due to its fluoride content. Medical studies have also shown that black tea works synergistically with antibiotics and can have a positive impact on heart health. Green tea has been shown to help treat and prevent leukemia and obesity -- both huge problems on a global scale. Not only is tea on the increase in food and beverages, tea has found it's way into almost every cosmetic, from perfume to lipstick to shampoo. Tea is truly the panacea of all ills, making us look and feel good. Tea contains caffeine and gives tea its refreshing and reviving properties, but we also drink tea to relax and reduce stress. Tea also contains theanine, an amino acid unique to tea (and a certain rare Russian mushroom) that acts as a beta-blocker and antagonist to caffeine.
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Tea: Nectar and Ambrosia
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