More on the Complex Subject of Tea

Although opinions on the subject differ depending upon whom one consults, many would say that there are four different types of tea available. All four of these teas are harvested from the same plant: the Camellia sinensis tree, which has been known to grow as high as forty feet.

The differing types of tea are called green, white, oolong and black. They are produced using different processing methods (We will discuss the different methods used for each tea in a later blog).

Tea is native to China. According to legend, it has been used since the year 2737 B.C., when the Chinese Emperor Shennong drank tea that had been steeped in boiling water. Whatever the true origin, tea-drinking is deeply interwoven in Chinese history and traditions.

While black tea is the most popular world-wide, green tea is the most popular beverage in China. Green tea harvesting is hard work, as the very best tea leaves can only be harvested by hand and not by machine. The tea leaves and the bud must be picked using only the ball of the thumb and the index finger. Each tea shoot collected consists of a single bud, as well as the second and third leaves adjacent to the bud. This is called fine picking. Where black tea is involved, the act of picking is sometimes called a pekoe and a leaf or a pekoe and two leaves. Rough picking occurs when more leaves are taken with the bud, and results in a lower grade of tea.

A typical tea bush will generally produce around three thousand tea leaves a year. While this may sound like a great deal, it only amounts to about a pound of fully processed tea.