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All about tea: the basics

Posted on May 21, 2021January 21, 2022 by Ashley Young

I am a foolish tea drinker. Ever since I was little, tea has had a special place in my life. After school, my mother was ready with a jar of Earl Gray and cookies to catch up on all the adventures of the day. During my student days I discovered my love for green tea and now I am fond of herbal teas. You can not only drink tea, but you can also cook with it (more on that later).

Have you always wanted to know more about tea? Then you are in the right place. Let’s start at the beginning. All tea comes from the same tea plant: the Camellia Sinesis. So you can only call tea tea if the leaf comes from this plant. Herbal tea is therefore not a tea and is therefore called an infusion. There are four (main) types of tea: black, oolong, green and white tea. The leaves are picked and processed in various ways. Then a blend can be made or the tea is flavoured. Flowers, fruits, spices and/or essential oil are then added.

Black tea is completely oxidized tea. The tea reacts with oxygen, which influences the taste and color of the tea.
Water temperature: 90/95 degrees.
Pulling time: about 3 minutes.

Oolong is a short oxidized tea. It is in between black and green tea, and can therefore resemble both types.
Temperature: 80/90 degrees.
Time: about 6 minutes

Green tea is a slightly oxidized tea. After picking, the tea is heated or steamed as quickly as possible to stop the oxidation process.
Temperature: 70/80 degrees.
Time: about 2-4 minutes.

White tea is made from carefully hand-picked young leaves.
Temperature: 70/80 degrees
Time: about 6-8 minutes.

Top tip: Don’t pour boiling water over your green or white tea. The tea leaves burn and the tea takes on a bitter and strong taste. And that’s a shame, of course.

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