Did you ever wonder what all the strange terms printed on the Tea box really mean? Things like Green Tea or cut Black tea leaves, or the ever missleading Orange Pekoe?
Actually, it's all pretty simple.
Black tea is leaf that have been allowed to sun dry and ferment. Black tea gives you the redish tint and big aroma that is typical of most tea we drink.
Green tea, is the same tea leaf but unfermented. It brews up much lighter in color and a distinctively different taste.
Tea leaves are graded by the size of the leaf. Smaller leaves are more valuable than the larger ones. Orange Pekoe actually refers to the size of the leaf. Orange Pekoe leaves are the larger, less expensive leaf while Pekoe is the smaller, more desirable ones. The Orange Pekoe ones are big enough that in almost all cases they are cut up to increase the surface area and improve brewing. So when you see a tea labeled Orange Pekoe and Pekoe Cut Black Tea, they are actually using the terms to hide the fact that they are using the larger, less desirable tea leves with an unknown percentage of the better, smaller Pekoe. It also telly you nothing about which variety of tea it is, where it was grown or what the characteristics of the brew will be.
Between Green tea and Black tea are the Oolongs. These are only lightly fermented and will give a brew that is between the Green Tea and Black Tea in strength, color and aroma.
There's one other major style of tea, and that's Lapsang Souchong. It's a black tea that is dried over a fire, usually pine, to give it the traditional smokey flavor.
The terms Green, Black, Oolong, Lapsang Souchong, Pekoe and Orange Pekoe only tell you what size leaf was used and how the leaf was prepared. They don't tell you anything about where the tea was grown or which variety of tea is involved. They are terms like Red, White or Rose in wines. But just as the wines or Bordeaux are quite different from those of the Burgundy, teas from different areas have their own styles and personalities.
If you folk are interested in more Tea Trivia, let me know and we'll go on from here. In the meantime, read them labels and see exactly what is going into the tea you drink.
Actually, it's all pretty simple.
Black tea is leaf that have been allowed to sun dry and ferment. Black tea gives you the redish tint and big aroma that is typical of most tea we drink.
Green tea, is the same tea leaf but unfermented. It brews up much lighter in color and a distinctively different taste.
Tea leaves are graded by the size of the leaf. Smaller leaves are more valuable than the larger ones. Orange Pekoe actually refers to the size of the leaf. Orange Pekoe leaves are the larger, less expensive leaf while Pekoe is the smaller, more desirable ones. The Orange Pekoe ones are big enough that in almost all cases they are cut up to increase the surface area and improve brewing. So when you see a tea labeled Orange Pekoe and Pekoe Cut Black Tea, they are actually using the terms to hide the fact that they are using the larger, less desirable tea leves with an unknown percentage of the better, smaller Pekoe. It also telly you nothing about which variety of tea it is, where it was grown or what the characteristics of the brew will be.
Between Green tea and Black tea are the Oolongs. These are only lightly fermented and will give a brew that is between the Green Tea and Black Tea in strength, color and aroma.
There's one other major style of tea, and that's Lapsang Souchong. It's a black tea that is dried over a fire, usually pine, to give it the traditional smokey flavor.
The terms Green, Black, Oolong, Lapsang Souchong, Pekoe and Orange Pekoe only tell you what size leaf was used and how the leaf was prepared. They don't tell you anything about where the tea was grown or which variety of tea is involved. They are terms like Red, White or Rose in wines. But just as the wines or Bordeaux are quite different from those of the Burgundy, teas from different areas have their own styles and personalities.
If you folk are interested in more Tea Trivia, let me know and we'll go on from here. In the meantime, read them labels and see exactly what is going into the tea you drink.
