Down to a T: Green Tea

General Info
Origin: camellia sinensis
Taste: vegetal, grassy, earthy, toasty.
Caffeine level: low
Storage: in a cool and dark place, away from strong spices
Best before: within 6 months
 
Most popular:

• Gunpowder. Gets its name from the shape of the leaves after they’ve been processed.
• Longjng (Dragon Well). A classic from Zhejiang province.
• Lu’an Melon Seed. Only the leaves are harvested, late in the season. Grassier than most.
• Sencha. Widely produced in Japan.
  

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Since I’m a die-hard tea lover, I want to start a series of posts where I’ll be talking about each type of tea in many details. While amateurs will say tea always tastes the same, each variety has its perks and its very own flavor. When I started drinking tea a few years back, I didn’t even know there existed more than one type of tea. I thought tea was just… tea. Only when I started paying attention to what I was drinking did I realize that each tea is unique. Mango black tea won’t taste the same as mango white tea. It’s just like wine; each tea has its own declination, marries well with certain things, and needs to be drunk the right way. In a restaurant, when ordering drinks, you can’t afford to be less than very precise:
“Could I get some wine, please?”
 “Sure, what kind?”
“I don’t care, just bring me wine!”
Everyone is so specific about what kind of wine they want to drink, what flavor they are looking for… We should be just as demanding with tea.

Green tea is so popular; it simply had to kick-off this series. Let’s jump right in.

History
Green tea originally comes from China, from a plant called camellia sinensis. Legend says that it was discovered in 2737 BC when the Emperor of China, Shennong, saw fresh tea leaves fall into the cup of boiling water he was about to enjoy. The leaves fell from a nearby tree, and coincidentally created the delicious beverage we all know and love. This strangely reminds me of the story about how Newton discovered gravity… Either both stories are made up by modern day’s tree lovers, or people back then spent a lot of time lounging under trees. Regardless, Green tea has now become the tea of choice and is the main form of tea produced in China.

The making
Camellia sinensis either grows in the shade or in the sun. It is harvested three times a year, during the summer months. Once it has been harvested, it is then processed in a few different manners, depending on where it is made. Like most teas, it can either be sun-dried, basket or charcoal fired, pan fired, oven-dried, tumbled or steamed. The goal is to dry out the leaves and get the oxidation process to a specific stage, which determines the type of tea. Green tea is actually the same as black tea; only the later has been more oxidized. The tea leaves are usually fired multiple times a year to get the desired result. The pan-firing method is more artisanal and gives the tea its grass-like taste, along with a toasted flavor. The more modern approach is steaming, and it makes the tea sweeter. Chinese tea is mostly produced by pan-firing, whereas Japanese tea is usually made using the steaming method.

With green tea, the oxidation process is halted quickly; the leaves are only rapidly heated. That is why green tea needs to be brewed very carefully (check out my Perfect Cup of Tea post to learn exactly how). If the water is too hot, it’ll burn the very delicate leaves, causing the oxidation process to pick up again. The tea will then taste very bitter; it’ll literally taste like burned grass. To preserve the authentic flavor of the tea, it is recommended to let the water sit before brewing; that way, it’ll have time to cool. A well brewed cup of green tea is supposed to be light in color, unless it has originally been steamed, in which case it would be a dark-green color. You can add milk or sugar if you like, but be aware that green tea has a very light taste that might get overpowered by added sweeteners.

Proper Use
Tea is usually devoid of significant nutrients, and green tea is no exception. However, over the years, a lot of health benefits have been attributed to green tea. It is supposedly good for weight loss, for digestion, for the skin, to protect against illness, to boost the immune system, it positively affects brain function and physical performances… There seems to be no limit to the mystical powers of green tea. Unfortunately, these superpowers haven’t all been proven right. In fact, a lot of them still await scientific validation. The only thing that seems undeniable is that green tea is good for you in a general manner, because it is filled with antioxidants, among other things, and has anti-inflammatory properties. Thereby, green tea extract has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. In my humble opinion, we should all drink tea profusely, just to be safe.

Brewing a sachet of leaves isn’t the only way to enjoy this particular type of tea. For one, green tea is the forerunner of matcha tea. This bright green beverage is made with camellia sinensis leaves (green tea leaves) that have been ground into an extremely fine powder. You simply need to pour the fine particles into warm water and, using a specific brush, whisk the mixture until frothy. It is one of the most expensive forms of tea and it is quite trendy (there’s nothing like walking down the street with your cup of radioactive green concoction). Green tea can also be used to make iced tea and baked goods.

All in all, green tea makes a great companion. A lot of people like to start their day with a warm cup of green tea. Personally, what I like most about it is its versatility; it can be used in baking, medicine, various drinks, face masks… Green tea is simply good all around. Drink up!

Much love,
-TM-