It is said that the first tea originated in China some 4,000 years ago. The legend goes like this:
Emperor Shen Nung in 2737 B.C. was boiling some water for drinking one day when some leaves of a nearby plant fell into his pot. After drinking the beverage, the emperor became so enchanted by its delicious smell and taste that he began urging his people to drink it.
The plant of course is the common tea plant, Camellia sinensis. And drinking tea was soon elevated from just another normal everyday occurrence to an art form and a form of alternative medicine.
From that single drink, Chinese tea evolved into some 15,000 known varieties. Depending on how it is processed, tea falls loosely into six categories, white, yellow, green, oolong, red (known as black tea in the West), and Chinese black tea.
As implied from its name, brewed Chinese black tea ranges in color from a dark reddish brown to black. One of its unique characteristics is that it mellows with age and grows richer and deeper in flavor. You probably heard how wine becomes better with age. With Chinese black tea, you will experience the same thing.
Vintage varieties of Chinese black tea are superlative. They boast of flavors and aromas that conjure up the same adjectives used to describe fine wine or whiskey. Unlike green tea, its much more popular cousin, Chinese black tea is richer in flavor and more full-bodied. Some varieties have even a certain spice to their tastes. To be sure, the tea has the most intriguing taste out of all tea varieties.
Storing Chinese black tea is simple. Just keep it in a well-ventilated place. The tea doesn’t even require temperature regulation. Unlike other teas, Chinese black tea comes in compressed cakes of various shapes and sizes. Sometimes, they’re round. Sometimes, square. Other times, they may even be fashioned into bamboo-like tubes.
Truly like wine, black teas differ subtly in flavor and aroma depending on where they were grown and how long they have aged.
“Although tea-drinking has long been a global trend, interest in black tea has soared in the past two or three years,” explains Shaojun Luo, chairman of the China National Center of Quality Supervision and Inspection of Tea. “China’s well-to-do are passionate about buying black tea. Still, with such limited quantities produced, vintage black tea is very hard to come by.”
All teas are green from the start. By steaming these green tea leaves and leaving them to ferment naturally, Chinese black tea is produced. But how did the drink acquire its characteristic color? The process actually involves the workings of molds, such as aspergillus and penicillium, and in that respect, is much like making cheese.
Although Sichuan is credited as the first main district that produced Chinese black tea, the history of the beverage remains integrally linked to Tibet, Mongolia, and the Uyghur people of northwestern China. In these areas, drinking black tea is synonymous with health and going without it for even a day is to invite illness.
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China Black Tea
... transform into compounds called theaflavins, which gives the leaves a bright coppery red color. Another chemical reaction occurs and the theaflavins form into another compound called thearubigins, which ultimately render China black tea its final dark brown or black color. The theaflavins are also associated with Chinese Black Tea the "brisk" flavor and brightness of China black tea. The thearubigins, on the other hand, are responsible for the tea's strength and color. After a few hours, when oxidation is complete, the aroma of China black tea changes from a "leafy" smell to a "fruity" one. The last step is drying and firing. This is when China black tea is subjected to extreme heat - sometimes in an open fire - in order to change the color of the leaves to its characteristic black color. China...
Black Rum Tea
... black tea combined with a bit of rum to make your tea experience more interesting. Black tea has always been a favorite, especially in the U.S. market. Black rum tea combines all the distinct characteristics that make black tea so wonderful with another popular beverage - rum. Below are our top picks for black rum tea: StashTea.com - Jamaican Butter Rum Tea The Jamaican butter black rum tea at StashTea.com is a fine blend of Ceylon, Indian, and Chinese black teas and combined them with natural rum, Chinese Black Tea sweet butterscotch, and creamy caramel flavors. The result is a rich and aromatic black rum tea with a slightly sweet taste, perfect as a dessert tea. For a special taste treat, add a splash of milk and some...
Chinese Landscape Painting
... of Chinese culture. In fact the actual landscape, poetry, painting, pottery and calligraphy all seem to complement each other. The rest of the world discovered Chinese Black Tea Chinese landscape painting, when the trading routes were established. It was fashionable in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, for the aristocracy in the UK to collect Chinese landscape painting and pottery and show it off in their stately homes. The Chinese landscape, and therefore the Chinese landscape painting are unique. There is a combination of mountains, forest and water that can't be found anywhere else. There are several movements, known as art dynasties, most of them enduring for hundreds of years. Royal court officials and members of the aristocracy in ancient times, were often gifted in calligraphy and painting. Painters worked on silk and then paper became popular after it...
Chinese Herbal Remedies
... find it everywhere. Herbal weight-loss supplements, immune systems support boosters, and many other drugs are all derived from herbal Chinese remedies. You know that in the last few years, traditional Chinese medicine has become a big business in this country. Everyone wants to get into acupuncture, acupressure, Tai Chi, and of course, Chinese herbal remedies. However, you should remember that, just because something is a Chinese herbal remedy, it doesn't mean that it is safe for everyone. These herbs are traditionally only given out by trained healers, so self-diagnosis can be extremely dangerous. We all know that, there are specific medicines for men and women and these include Nu Bao capsules for women, which help to balance the body's hormones. his regulates a woman's period and reduces pain after giving birth. There are various products Chinese Black Tea that promote healthy skin are on sale which is particularly those that attack acne. One of these is Qing Re An Chuang tablets which remove toxic elements from the blood, getting rid of acne and...
Information on Black Tea
... that these varieties are named after the region Chinese Black Tea where they were produced. Like wine, black teas produced in one region have a characteristically different flavor compared to black teas grown in other regions. The varieties of unblended black tea include: Lapsang Souchong Lapsang Souchong was grown originally in Mount Wuyi, Fujian Province in China. Though the tea plant is a warm-weather perennial, growers of Lapsang Souchong believe that the humidity of the mountaintops and the low clouds soothe the tea leaves, producing the best quality black tea. Information on black tea will tell you that Lapsang Souchong acquires its unique smoky taste, not from the fact that they are grown in a mountain area, but from the drying method used - burning over pine. Keemun Produced in Qimen, precinct of Anhui province in central China, Keemun black tea is known for its winey and fruity taste with depth and complexity. Like Lapsang Souchong, this black tea type also has a hint of pine in its flavor...
Organic Black Tea
... Considered by most to be the finest of Chinese black teas, Keemun organic black tea is actually a style of tea rather than the name of a region. Keemun is grown in many regions of China and Taiwan. Because of its smooth taste and aromatic flavor, Keemun organic black tea is often referred to as the "Burgundy" of teas. Chinese Keemuns are especially rich and flavorful. Higher grades of Keemun are also sweet, fruity, and pleasantly full-bodied with a delicate smoky nuance. Keemun is great by itself. But if you want a slightly different taste, the tea also goes well with a bit of Chinese Black Tea milk and sugar. Darjeeling Named for the Darjeeling province in northeast India, this fine drink is another organic black tea worth trying. Often referred to as the "Champagne of teas," Darjeeling is praised for its aroma...
Black Tea Health
... U.S. diet. Black tea health benefits lies in the presence of flavonoids in tea. Before, scientists believed that the process of fermentation changed the beneficial flavonoid polyphenol in black tea into another form, which is not thought to have any beneficial effects at all. However, newer studies showed that polyphenol or not, black tea health benefits can certainly do you a lot of good. Below are the top five black tea health benefits enjoyed by those who love their cup of tea every morning: Antioxidants This is actually the one black tea health benefit you can get from drinking tea. Antioxidants are substances commonly found in vegetables, fruits, and beverages such as tea. Because of their disease-fighting abilities, antioxidants have been the subject of various scientific studies investigating their many benefits, from heart disease to cancer prevention. Think of antioxidants as the rust-oleum paint that you put on your outdoor furniture to keep it from rusting. Chinese Black Tea Just as oxygen in the air...
Black Tea Nutrition
... tea nutrition is also a source of several major antioxidants, including flavonoids, which could neutralize the free radicals in the body, helping to maintain healthy cells and tissues. Flavonoids are special phytochemicals found not only in tea leaves, but in apples, onions, and other fruits and vegetables as well. The majority of flavonoids are released from the tea leaves after 2 minutes of steeping. But the amounts and potency of flavonoids you get from black tea nutrition may depend on the variety, the manufacturing process, and the brewing conditions. Other antioxidants in black tea nutrition include tannins, catechins, theaflavins, and theaburigins. All these antioxidants add to the health benefits in black tea nutrition. In processing black tea, the leaves of the tea plant undergo four different steps....
Chinese Zodiac Symbols
... zodiac symbols to use with the western astrological signs. It is fascinating to study the different horoscopes with respect to birthdates (and times) and find that each of the Chinese zodiac symbols are as close to being accurate personality indicators as the western symbols/signs are. It is also interesting to consider how the symbols extend to being used in something other than telling one's future/luck/personality. My favorite indulgence with Chinese zodiac symbols, for instance, is playing a game called Mahjong Garden, at Pogo.com. Each set won (or completed) yields a "reward" of one of the Chinese zodiac symbols anthropomorphized and spiritualized. Okay, let me clarify: There are twelve individual tile arrangements that you play. Each arrangement is in the design of one of the Chinese zodiac symbols. At the successful matching of all tiles on the board, an animated scroll appears, opens, and reveals one of the animals,...
Benefits of Black Tea
But if you notice, black tea has a distinctively strong flavor and characteristically dark color. How is this so? Well, you see, the main difference lies in how black tea is processed. While in making green tea, the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant are first dried and then gently steamed, black tea leaves undergo far more processing steps. First, the leaves are withered. Then, they are rolled around to release the beneficial polyphenols present in the leaves. Next, the leaves are left out in the open and exposed to heat and humidity to start the fermentation process. After full oxidation or fermentation is done, the leaves are then dried and packed. All these processing methods actually account for the uniqueness of black tea. The taste may range from brisk to astringent to delicately fruity, flowery, or even smoky. Often, these differences can...
Loose Leaf Black Tea
... nearby plant came loose and fell into his pot. And that was how the first cup of tea was made. Of course, that's only a legend, but as history would have it, tea (the loose leaf variety was obviously the first type of tea made) goes way back nearly 5,000 years ago in China, though whether or not it was indeed discovered by the Emperor himself remains to be proven. Still, you can see how much tea has to offer - the history of human culture, no less! All tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, an evergreen plant growing in warm weather. What determines the resulting types of teas is the processing of the fresh leaves from the tea plant. During oxidation, the tea leaves undergo natural chemical reactions that result in distinctive taste and color characteristics of the different tea types. Green tea is not oxidized...
Asian Black Tea Set
... mouth to make," Lu Yu wrote in the first ever annals of tea drinking, called Cha Jing or the Art of Tea. But sometimes, it really pays to match the kind of Asian black tea set that you use with the tea type you're drinking. For instance, many people say that for China black teas or China green teas, a Chinese Yixing teapot is the best. You see, Yixing teapots are made from unglazed clay, and that's why teas drank from such teapots taste better because the flavor is fully preserved. So if you want to savor the taste of your tea and experience the different subtle variations of black tea, the kind of Asian black tea set you use matters. Below are a few good shops where you can look for the perfect Asian black tea sets. KitchenKapers.com At KitchenKapers.com, you can find an elegant-looking, white-colored Asian black tea set - the Joyce Chen Time for Tea Set - Black 90...
Black Dragon Tea
... version of black tea, then black dragon tea may well suit your palate. How Black Dragon Tea is Produced Made from the partially oxidized leaf of the Camellia sinensis, the plant where all tea types come from, the leaves used in making black dragon tea range in size from young to fully mature. Often, black dragon tea is baked or roasted after being fully dried to produce a mellower but richer flavor. Traditional oolong teas come from China and are Chinese Black Tea oxidized and roasted, producing a darker, strong tea. These include Tie Guan Yin or the "Iron Goddess"; Fuo Shou or the "Buddha Hand"; and Monkey-Picked, and Wu Yi Oolong. Next to China, black dragon tea is also quite popular in Taiwan where it is produced in great numbers. Taiwan black dragon tea are highly esteemed for their smooth flavor which they...
Buy Black Tea
... tea farms. * Importing directly guarantees quality. * Importing directly guarantees freshness. * Importing directly guarantees the best prices. * We're genuine tea lovers; we really do care! Advertising aside, SevenCups.com does offer an astounding collection of fine Chinese organic black teas imported directly from tea farms known for their quality produce. Not only that, if you know next to nothing about tea, then you ought to check out their Tea Education section, featuring everything from tea health benefits, how to buy tea, and how to make tea. InPursuitofTea.com True to their name, InPursuitofTea.com explores the remote regions of Asia to supply you with the finest teas, going from Burma to Sri Lanka, to Yunnan Province, and countless other places. Chinese Black Tea You can read about the adventures of In Pursuit of Tea Founder, Sebastian Beckwith, at the Travel Diary section of the website. And after getting...
Birthday Decorating Ideas
Her birthday is in early August. We planned to have an outdoor event for the neighborhood party. We went to a party supply store to get birthday decorating ideas for the patio area. My daughter liked the colorful Chinese lanterns that are made of paper and can be strung along the deck. She has always liked Chinese food also so we decided to have an oriental theme to the party. This was one of the easiest birthday decorating ideas that I ever dealt with. We bought the paper Chinese lanterns as well as a strand of Chinese lantern lights. We also bought paper plates and cups that had oriental floral designs on them. For food I ordered takeout from our favorite Chinese restaurant. I took one of the paper plates to the bakery to see if they could duplicate the design onto the birthday cake. The decorator said she would be able to do this. ...