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Tonight, George and I attended a tea class at Savoure. Here is a bit of a synopsis and my personal review of each of the teas.
Cindi began with the lightest and most delicate tea they serve, Silver Needles. This is a very rare white tea from China (and also the infamous $35/pound priced tea). This is truly a lovely tea. I've had white tea before but it wasn't nearly as tasty. It really is a tea that could easily be overlooked in the rush of day to day existence. One must really want to relax and savor the moment to appreciate its subtlety. It is a tea that I greatly appreciate having in the salon because I find I can never truly relax that much at home. There is always something that needs doing and I'm easily distracted. This tea is best sipped slowly and allowed to settle before taking another sip. The time between tastes allows the palate to appreciate the very subtle aftertaste. It is a slightly sweet, floral sensation felt at the back of the tongue and roof of the mouth. Very smooth.
We then graduated to a Japanese green tea, Gyokuro. I had never tried this tea before. It was quite nice. It was a shredded leaf which left a more powdery taste in the tea and a bit of residue in the bottom of the cup. It had a nice aftertaste that was slightly sweet and minorly astringent (meaning that it makes the palate and roof of the mouth slightly dry). George particularly liked this tea and plans to reorder it regularly. I liked it but feel more of an affinity with the Chinese whole leaf green teas.
The third tea of the evening was Iron Goddess of Mercy, a green whole leaf tea from China. It is, in my opinion, the best pure green tea that Savoure carries. If nothing else, the name alone should inspire. The tea is named for a very popular mythological goddess, Ti Kuan Yin, a goddess of mercy and compassion with a stubborn streak a mile wide. This is a very flavorful tea. It has a slightly bitter taste on the tip of the tongue but after a moment, the aftertaste is exceptionally sweet while having a slightly astringent effect on the roof of the mouth. The Chinese call this "gahm." It has wonderful gahm. I have had a better quality green tea, but it is extremely expensive tipping the register at $100/pound. It is called King's Tea and I found it through a Chinese herbalist. As much as the price seems offensive, it actually works out to be worth it. Three or four leaves in a two to four cup teapot flavors the water perfectly. Also, the leaves can be used for four infusions, each better than the last. I bought 1/4 of a pound and it just lasts and lasts. Please don't tell any green tea purists, but if I can't drink 4 infusions in one sitting *hiccough*, I store the used tea leaves in the fridge and pour fresh water over them the next day. It may lose minute amounts of flavor, but it still tastes wonderful in my opinion. I told Cindi I would bring a sample in to her so she could try it.
The fourth tea was a black tea from India, Assam TGFOP. Neither George nor I had ever tried this tea. I'm not much of a black tea fan, they seem much too bitter to me. True to form, this was a very bitter tea going down, extremely astringent on the tongue but, in its favor, it had a very sweet aftertaste. I just don't think I want to suffer that much bitterness for a sweetness I could easily attain from a green tea that seems less caustic. The letters after the tea's name are a grading system for Indian teas. It means Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pecko. The Flowery Orange Pecko just means it is the newest, tenderest leaves. The Tippy Golden states there are golden tea leaves mixed in. This is supposed to be a fine quality tea. The more golden leaves, the better. Personally, trying black tea makes me understand why the Brittish are so fond of milk and sugar with tea. The lactose cuts the acid and the sugar counters the bitter. Pretty smart, those Brits. Still, I'd rather just have my green tea naked. Take that how you will. *grin*
Our final tea of the evening was a Mariage Freres blend called Marco Polo. Mariage Freres is a French tea blending company. Most of their blends are black tea based (Marco Polo is one of these) but they have some green tea bases as well. Cindi and Deonna brought out milk, rock sugar and honey to accent this tea if people chose to use them. I find that herbals and blends are much enhanced with a touch of honey. We were also given a choice of sweets to accompany our Marco Polo.
During this event, Cindi gave us historical and nutritional information as well as how tea is made.
To conserve space in this rather tome-like missive, I've decided to offer additional information in the following capsules.
There is a tea tree. In different areas of the globe, different types grow due to climactic variations. The leaves of the tea tree are picked in certain kinds of weather and left immediately out in the elements for a period of time to ferment. This is why tea can only be picked in certain types of weather conditions, because it is left out in the air.
After the tea ferments for a certain amount of time, the leaves are taken and cooked. Sometimes over wood, sometimes steamed... a variety of ways to attain a variety of results. The cooking stops the fermentation process.
The duration of the fermentation process determines the type of tea it will become. White tea is the most delicate and the leaves are left out the shortest period of time in very specific weather. This is why it is often so rare and pricey. Too much time and it ruins the flavor.
Green tea is left out a medium amount of time, oolong is a little longer and black tea is left out to ferment the longest.
The following is a list of approximations (some with rather large margins):
coffee.........60-120 mg
black tea......25-110 mg
oolong tea.....12.5 mg
green tea......8.36 mg
The caffeine in coffee is larger in amount and is absorbed by the body very quickly. This is the caffeine jolt one feels after a cup.
Tea contains both caffeine and polyphenals. The polyphenals slow the caffeine absorption. This means that there usually isn't a caffeine rush. It is slower to absorb and, therefore, stays in our body longer.
Tea also, depending on what type is being drunk, can contain vitamins and minerals that coffee doesn't, making tea an overall healthier drink.
George and I enjoyed ourselves greatly tonight. We learned, we met new people, we drank tea... life is good!
Cindi began with the lightest and most delicate tea they serve, Silver Needles. This is a very rare white tea from China (and also the infamous $35/pound priced tea). This is truly a lovely tea. I've had white tea before but it wasn't nearly as tasty. It really is a tea that could easily be overlooked in the rush of day to day existence. One must really want to relax and savor the moment to appreciate its subtlety. It is a tea that I greatly appreciate having in the salon because I find I can never truly relax that much at home. There is always something that needs doing and I'm easily distracted. This tea is best sipped slowly and allowed to settle before taking another sip. The time between tastes allows the palate to appreciate the very subtle aftertaste. It is a slightly sweet, floral sensation felt at the back of the tongue and roof of the mouth. Very smooth.
We then graduated to a Japanese green tea, Gyokuro. I had never tried this tea before. It was quite nice. It was a shredded leaf which left a more powdery taste in the tea and a bit of residue in the bottom of the cup. It had a nice aftertaste that was slightly sweet and minorly astringent (meaning that it makes the palate and roof of the mouth slightly dry). George particularly liked this tea and plans to reorder it regularly. I liked it but feel more of an affinity with the Chinese whole leaf green teas.
The third tea of the evening was Iron Goddess of Mercy, a green whole leaf tea from China. It is, in my opinion, the best pure green tea that Savoure carries. If nothing else, the name alone should inspire. The tea is named for a very popular mythological goddess, Ti Kuan Yin, a goddess of mercy and compassion with a stubborn streak a mile wide. This is a very flavorful tea. It has a slightly bitter taste on the tip of the tongue but after a moment, the aftertaste is exceptionally sweet while having a slightly astringent effect on the roof of the mouth. The Chinese call this "gahm." It has wonderful gahm. I have had a better quality green tea, but it is extremely expensive tipping the register at $100/pound. It is called King's Tea and I found it through a Chinese herbalist. As much as the price seems offensive, it actually works out to be worth it. Three or four leaves in a two to four cup teapot flavors the water perfectly. Also, the leaves can be used for four infusions, each better than the last. I bought 1/4 of a pound and it just lasts and lasts. Please don't tell any green tea purists, but if I can't drink 4 infusions in one sitting *hiccough*, I store the used tea leaves in the fridge and pour fresh water over them the next day. It may lose minute amounts of flavor, but it still tastes wonderful in my opinion. I told Cindi I would bring a sample in to her so she could try it.
The fourth tea was a black tea from India, Assam TGFOP. Neither George nor I had ever tried this tea. I'm not much of a black tea fan, they seem much too bitter to me. True to form, this was a very bitter tea going down, extremely astringent on the tongue but, in its favor, it had a very sweet aftertaste. I just don't think I want to suffer that much bitterness for a sweetness I could easily attain from a green tea that seems less caustic. The letters after the tea's name are a grading system for Indian teas. It means Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pecko. The Flowery Orange Pecko just means it is the newest, tenderest leaves. The Tippy Golden states there are golden tea leaves mixed in. This is supposed to be a fine quality tea. The more golden leaves, the better. Personally, trying black tea makes me understand why the Brittish are so fond of milk and sugar with tea. The lactose cuts the acid and the sugar counters the bitter. Pretty smart, those Brits. Still, I'd rather just have my green tea naked. Take that how you will. *grin*
Our final tea of the evening was a Mariage Freres blend called Marco Polo. Mariage Freres is a French tea blending company. Most of their blends are black tea based (Marco Polo is one of these) but they have some green tea bases as well. Cindi and Deonna brought out milk, rock sugar and honey to accent this tea if people chose to use them. I find that herbals and blends are much enhanced with a touch of honey. We were also given a choice of sweets to accompany our Marco Polo.
During this event, Cindi gave us historical and nutritional information as well as how tea is made.
To conserve space in this rather tome-like missive, I've decided to offer additional information in the following capsules.
There is a tea tree. In different areas of the globe, different types grow due to climactic variations. The leaves of the tea tree are picked in certain kinds of weather and left immediately out in the elements for a period of time to ferment. This is why tea can only be picked in certain types of weather conditions, because it is left out in the air.
After the tea ferments for a certain amount of time, the leaves are taken and cooked. Sometimes over wood, sometimes steamed... a variety of ways to attain a variety of results. The cooking stops the fermentation process.
The duration of the fermentation process determines the type of tea it will become. White tea is the most delicate and the leaves are left out the shortest period of time in very specific weather. This is why it is often so rare and pricey. Too much time and it ruins the flavor.
Green tea is left out a medium amount of time, oolong is a little longer and black tea is left out to ferment the longest.
The following is a list of approximations (some with rather large margins):
coffee.........60-120 mg
black tea......25-110 mg
oolong tea.....12.5 mg
green tea......8.36 mg
The caffeine in coffee is larger in amount and is absorbed by the body very quickly. This is the caffeine jolt one feels after a cup.
Tea contains both caffeine and polyphenals. The polyphenals slow the caffeine absorption. This means that there usually isn't a caffeine rush. It is slower to absorb and, therefore, stays in our body longer.
Tea also, depending on what type is being drunk, can contain vitamins and minerals that coffee doesn't, making tea an overall healthier drink.
George and I enjoyed ourselves greatly tonight. We learned, we met new people, we drank tea... life is good!
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And your right, so much is missed when we are rushing around everywhere.
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I'm glad you enjoyed the class though. I'm going to be sure to sign up EARLY next time they have one. :)
Oh! I was there this morning and saw they have a t-shirt that reads Iron Goddess of Mercy. I thought of you. ;)
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