Chinese Teas Article

Tea in Chinese Culture

The importance of tea in Chinese culture is obvious, and has been a vital staple for thousands of years. Most, if not every typical meal includes tea to be served in China, not only extravagant special occasions.

In China, tea is not just to be drunk, but is to be tasted as well, and the two are completely different and done for different reasons. The drinking of tea is for the reason of quenching thirst and to relax. To taste tea is to become one with natural surroundings, and both the tea and the vessels in which it is steeped and served mesh together with the environments and situations in which the tea is being tasted.

Overall, tea is used to convey different feelings and states of mind in China. The type of tea used, and the manner in which it is presented holds different meanings, and often times nothing needs to be said during a conversation over a perfectly brewed cup of tea.

Tea selection is obviously extremely important. One must look at the tea to make sure that it is of a high quality. This can generally be determined by the color and overall appearance of the tea leaves themselves. They should be dry, but not to the point that they fall apart into dust.

The smell of the tea is also important. You are going to know right away whether the tea is old and has been out in the air for too long, because it will have a stale aroma. It is hard to describe the scent to look for, but you will know whether it is good or bad once you smell it.

Many people do not realize that they can taste unbrewed tea leaves to tell whether they are fresh and of good quality. They should have an understated flavor that is not bitter. When brewed, however, a good tea will have a somewhat bitter flavor, but will become naturally sweet after the fact. It is unnecessary to use artificial sweetener with a good quality tea.

A good rule of thumb when it comes to storing tea to keep it fresh is to keep it away from open air. Tea likes low moisture and cool air, so a pantry or cellar is perfect for storing tea. Properly stored tea lasts for a long time without going stale, which means that you can buy in bulk when you have the opportunity to do so at a good price, without worrying about it going bad on you. For best results, use loose leaf tea instead of processed bagged tea. The tea itself will be much fresher, it is often easier to store, and is not at all complicated or time consuming to brew. You can also control the strength of your tea by either brewing a larger or smaller amount than is typically premeasured into a tea bag.