The Tea for me?

“What is the best tea for me to drink?” and then, “What is your favorite tea?”

These are two questions I am asked often when sampling tea at market or Selby Gardens. I find it extremely fascinating to explore and chat about the different taste and enjoyment experience people have when drinking a cuppa. Some thoughts to share on this often complex pastime of drinking tea.

My usual answer to the first question, “What is the best tea for me to drink?” is quite simple, the tea that you like the best!

For me, Green Tea is simply the best tea because of the powerful health benefits associated with drinking green tea. The truth of the matter is that if you really don’t like green tea, the chances are that you will not drink sufficient quantity of green tea to achieve the promised healthy enhancements.

If you prefer a Rooibos tea, then you should drink it because you are certain to drink much more of it. And you will benefit from the high anti-oxidant levels and the unique combination of vitamins and minerals found in Aspalathus linearis. You may prefer a combination of botanical tea and herbals or indeed all herbals. Each tea offers unique health benefits as well as unique flavors, and only you can decide the one you like the best.

Now the second question, my favorite tea, has become quite complicated. I have many favorites and drink different teas at different times of the day.

I describe myself as an Orthodox tea lover and almost exclusively drink loose leaf tea. I just love the taste of Camellia sinensis in all its wonderful forms and natural flavors. I do not need the addition of fruits, flowers or added flavors in order to make tea more palatable or enjoyable because, to me, they mask the true flavor. And I want to taste the true flavor of loose leaf tea. Why only loose leaf tea? See Think Out of the Bag.

That does not mean that I will not drink or appreciate a finely blended tea with quality ingredients such as our Black Rose or Earl Grey (thanks for snapping the fab pix, Alexis Z) which are both perfect for afternoon tea. Also, see my post on Early Grey, Are you Spellbound?

I am now much more sensitive to caffeine and find I must stop drinking true tea around 5.30pm otherwise find myself enjoying my tea all night long!

This has meant a shift to herbals for that time frame. Like Rooibos, Naturally caffeine free Organic Honeybush fits that niche perfectly for me because of soothing and calming qualities.

Since I have been sampling tea to so many tea lovers each week I have come to realize that no two people are alike, regarding their taste in tea. Selby Select is by far our best selling tea and people absolutely love it. Though some people do not care for the flavor of this amazing Rooibos, no matter how high the praise.

MY POINT IS? There is a favorite tea out there for everybody. There is no good excuse for not drinking tea. As I have said before, find what you like and drink lots of it.

Cheers,
the Tea Lady

 

Multi-Steeping

We have broken down the details of brewing a fine cuppa with our post “Infusion Confusion” now let’s put the record straight on multi steeping your tea.

We are talking about loose leaf tea rather than tea bags which are designed for one use only. See “Think Out of the Bag” post. Depending on the type and quality of loose tea, you should expect to make several steeps or infusions.

Follow your usual procedure to make the first cup of tea. If your preference is strong tea I suggest increasing the amount of tea, rather than the time you allow the tea to infuse. Make only the amount you require or decant into another pot to preserve your leaves and stop them from over infusing or tasting astringent.

This is an important step. It’s not the fault of the leaves as they simply carry on doing what YOU put them there to do!

Add more water to start the second infusion, releasing another round of flavor. Allow more time; I usually double my original infusion time. You may enjoy this cup more than the first; it has a roundness or smoothness which is most pleasing.

At Local Coffee + Tea we add the first and second infusion together making what we believe is the perfect cuppa. We call this multifusion!

Go ahead and infuse your leaves once again. You can continue this process until the leaves offer you no more surprises. If you are infusing a rolled leaf you will certainly be rewarded with many infusions, a cut leaf not so many. Our oolongs offer at least 4 steeps, and my personal favorite for beautiful multifusion flavors is Flowering Pomegranate.

Multi-steeping is also one of the reasons we love using tea makers with pressure release bottoms to brew loose leaf tea. The lid keeps the leaves moist and fresh if you are away from your tea making duties. You can also place the tea maker in the refrigerator if not using till later in the day or even the next day.

Experiment, play around with each tea. You will notice after the first steep, it is hard to overstep the tea and you should not experience any astringency. This is one of the reasons some people prefer the second or third steeps to the first. And remember it is suggested that oolongs are washed, basically discarding the short first steep or rinse. If you read our “Oooolongs” post you will note that I drink this batch and love it!!

Enjoy multi infusions as you drink loose leaf tea and keep in mind the great value loose leaf tea offers long after a tea bag is discarded.

Cheers,
the tea lady

 

America’s Only Tea Plantation

Last month I vacationed in South Carolina where I had the opportunity to visit Americas only Tea Plantation in Wadmalaw Island. It was a brilliant visit with my family joining and one of the highlights of our trip.

After leaving Charleston we approached the Charleston Tea Plantation, on tree lined roads dripping with Spanish moss feeling as though we were entering some bygone time and era. An unassuming plantation gateway leads to a welcome centre lined with rocking chairs, an abundance of butterflies and absolute quiet.

Breathtaking!

The entrance led us to the gift shop (of course) for some iced tea (delicious!) and to browse tea gifts before we walked through the factory area. TV screens explained how the machines process the tea taking only 20 hours from bush to finish!

A withering bed removes 12% moisture from the fresh leaves. A rotovane machine tears and ruptures the tea leaf exposing millions of cells to the air starting the enzymatic process. The oxidations process now begins.

Black tea is oxidized for only 50 minutes and oolong for 15 minutes. Green tea is lightly steamed and dried only, with no oxidation occuring. Each batch of tea leaves is dried for 25 minutes sealing in the properties of each type of tea.

Finally, all the teas are graded to remove any unwanted stalks or off bits. That completes the miracle process which is all done by one man!

Next the trolley bus took us out onto the plantation of 127 acres. All the 150,000 bushes are Camelia sinensis varietals which originated in China and India. The heat, humidity, well drained sandy soil and 75 days of rainfall here provide ideal growing conditions from April through September. Spring sees the first flush of leaves and harvest begins with 3-5 inches of new growth. Every bush will yield 7 to 10 cutting each season with new growth taking from 14-20 days depending on weather conditions.

The plantation has a custom designed harvester called the “Green Giant”. This machine and one man are able to harvest fields which would take 500 manual workers to pick.

Cuttings are taken from selected varieties which take 6-12 months to develop mature roots. After planting it will take up to 4 years to mature. No pesticides are ever used in the plantation and the plants all looked so healthy and well cared for!

After the trolley ride we sat on the porch and chatted with Bill Fernandez, founder of the plantation and a 3rd generation tea taster! He has 42 years of experience in the tea industry and is one of only 28 professionals in the USA.

We really started to connect when discovering his grandfather was from Yorkshire. His Canadian/American accent with hints of time spent in London soon reverted back to those roots and we had a blast! Needless to say he drinks only the freshest tea.

For me it was very special to see Camelia sinensis growing, to see and touch tea leaves. I may never get chance to visit China, India or Sri Lanka so this experience will always remain with me and add another special dimension to my personal tea journey.

I hope you enjoyed this whistle-stop tour through the Charleston Tea Plantation but most of all I hope you too will visit and celebrate this most amazing of local treasures.

Cheers,
the tealady

 

Think out of the Bag

You may have noticed our new mantra, “THINK OUT OF THE BAG”. We have tried it on for a few weeks and think it may be time to provide some details about what we are trying to do at Local Coffee + Tea.

During the course of a typical week we sample teas to many visitors at Selby Gardens and the Downtown Farmer’s Market here in Sarasota. We talk tea, and find many tea drinkers thrilled to engage us with their favorite tea tales. Yes, we love our job.

It comes as no surprise that many people use tea bags. But shocking is how many people have never tasted loose leaf tea. Sad to think so many people are missing out on the wonderfully unique experience of loose leaf tea.

And so, “THINK OUT OF THE BAG” our campaign to encourage people to choose loose leaf tea in place of tea in tired old bags. The sub heading is, “Loose leaf tea is fresher, hipper and just darn better for you”. Our intent is to convert tea bag users to loose leaf tea drinkers through tasting, educating and advocating loose leaf tea one sip at a time.

There are several reasons to choose loose leaf over tea bag tea, and we offer them here. If you, our fellow tea lovers have other reasons we failed to mention, please share…

TASTE
There is absolutely no comparison. Most bag tea is the lowest grade of tea (dust or fannings) that comes out of the production area. There are of course some exceptions but generally the tea is very small particles and holds little flavor. Every step in the processing of loose leaf tea is designed to enhance the flavor and taste.

QUALITY
There are also some exceptions and just because you buy loose leaf tea does not mean it will be excellent quality. We, and all of our fellow tea enthusiasts search for teas with exceptional freshness, quality and taste, and you should to. We call this our “tea journey”. Loose leaf tea allows you to examine, smell, listen and sample for maximum quality.

VALUE
Despite what you may assume when first exploring the loose versus tea bag conundrum, loose is more economical. Tea bags are created for one time use! Nearly all varieties of loose leaf tea should be steeped at least twice and some loose leaf teas can be steeped many more times. Work out the math and you will be surprised how little loose leaf costs you per cup.

SOCIAL
Loose leaf tea is perfect for brewing a pot of tea to share with others, the starting point for a meaningful conversation. Offering a cup of properly steeped loose leaf tea is a wonderfully kind gesture, hard for anyone to refuse.

ECO FRIENDLY
Just think how much packaging and bits of string you would save!

HEALTH BENEFITS
Whilst you may still gain some health benefits from tea bags you will gain many more from loose leaf tea. My theory is that you will like the taste better and will WANT to DRINK MORE therefore giving yourself the gift of good health.

Lastly, and for us one of the most important reasons to drink loose leaf tea is the sheer enjoyment it brings into your life. Brewing a pot of tea for one is relaxing and contemplative, watching such majesty. Sharing a pot of tea with a friend is a nod to a more civilised era. The leaves gracefully dance in your pot and tantalize your taste buds with their fresh and fragrant bouquet.

Make time in your life for loose leaf tea and join Local Coffee + Tea in helping all tea lovers to “THINK OUT OF THE BAG”

Cheers,
the tea lady

 

Van Wezel Anniversa-Tea

This week we launched a signature rooibos tea for the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Our Van Wezel Anniversa-Tea celebrates 40 years of fabulous performances at the Sarasota landmark by the bay.

On Wednesday evening the line up of performers for this season was announced along with a signature dessert by Michael’s On East and our stunning Rooibos blend with black and red currants. Tony Bennett is the big star headlining the 40th Anniversary party on January 5th.

Local Coffee + Tea will sample and sell Van Wezel Anniversa-Tea at performances this season, as well as serve the caffeine free tea at selected events for sponsors and patrons. Van Wezel Anniversa-Tea will also be available at our shops in Siesta Key Village and at Selby Gardens, on Saturday mornings at the Downtown Farmer’s Market, and online at http://www.localcoffee.com/index.html

The Van Wezel Anniversa-Tea is the second in our “Celebrating Sarasota” series of teas, the other being our best selling Selby Select in honor of the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

The initial response to the iced version was very positive, though it is hard to compete with a cold pinot grigio on a gorgeous summer evening at the bayfront. Special thanks to Julia Mays for spreading the word all evening long and to the entire team at the Van Wezel for putting all the details together so quickly.

Cheers,
md

 

Oooolongs

We love oolong teas and find the flavors so incredibly unique. They say no two oolongs are alike, and that may be what we like best about oolongs, always a surprise.

Oolong means “Black Dragon”. The Chinese tea growers thought the complex character of Oolong tea was similar to the spirit of this mythical creature.

The crafting of Oolong is an art form and the growing areas limited. Conditions have to be exact and great care is taken to maintain the surrounding environment of the tea plants. Like wine growing regions, the soil and humidity levels definite impact on the taste and complexity of the finished product.

Oolongs are referred to as semi-fermented or semi-oxidized teas. (see earlier post on oxidation / fermentation) They follow a similar process to black tea but with up to 60% less oxidation. This results in a tea with characteristics of both black and green tea.

Fujian province in China is the home of Oolong varieties of tea but production began in Taiwan during the 1850’s when tea planters from Fujian immigrated to the small island nation called Formosa. The Dung Ti Mountains in central Taiwan have very fertile slopes where some of the finest tea plantations produce excellent Oolong tea. Both of our Oolong teas are from Taiwan.

Our Dung Ding Oolong is entirely hand made and has a stunning rolled leaf producing a taste which is smoother than black tea but not as grassy as green. The result is a very well balanced tea with orchid like aroma and taste. Steep the leaves multiple times and give your taste buds an exciting journey along the way. Examine the leaves and you will see the oxidation that has occurred around the outer part of the leaf leaving the inside quite green. We highly recommend this tea which is easy to drink. Don’t forget that Oolong teas are great for raising your metabolic rate.

Our Orange Blossom Oolong produces quite a different taste profile. This is also a Taiwan Oolong which is wiry and lively with characteristics that are much closer to black. The addition of some Sri Lanka black tea gives added depth along with jasmine flowers and dried orange for a delicate floral finish. This tea is also very easy to drink and can be steeped multiple times giving a lighter color and flavor each steep.

Brewing Oolong Tea
It is recommended to rinse or flush Oolong leaves, that is pour water over leaves and immediately remove the hot water. We cannot bear to throw this lovely liquor away, and usually add it to a later steep. Then start with a 1-2 minutes steep and add additional steeping time after each infusion.

When preparing Orange Blossom we actually brew as a black tea, using boiling water, steeping for 4 minutes, then steeping a second time for 8 minutes and combine the two steeps for a multi-fusion.

For Dung Ding Oolong we use water around 194 degrees, steep for 2 minutes and drink! This is way too good to flush away in our opinion. For the next steep add 2 minutes and continue adding extra time till the entire flavor has been released.
As with all teas there are personal preferences so be playful and enjoy the process of discovering how you like your Oolong tea.

Cheers,
the tea lady

 

Selby Select Reviewed at Teaviews.com

We are a bit humbled here at Local Coffee + Tea. We think our Selby Select is the best rooibos ever. And we were thrilled to submit our baby for review at Teaviews.com.

And now the results are in, a review by Laura giving us a 7.5/10. See full review here. We were hoping for a perfect 10, but Laura makes really good points about our rooibos tea, Local Coffee + Tea and our Sip Locally motto. She is very serious about reviewing tea and we can only respect her opinion. Thanks Laura!!

Please read, comment and share with others.
Cheers,
The tealady

 

Oxidation vs. Fermentation

I have been puzzling this one for some time!
Why do some tea texts refer to Oxidation and others to Fermentation?
I found an exceptional description of this process on Wikipedia, The link for this tea lovers article is here. The processing chart for the different teas is brilliant.

Here you go…
OXIDATION is a process where the chlorophyll in the tea leaves are enzymatically broken down and its tannins released or transformed. Referred to as FERMENTATION in the tea industry, though no true fermentation happens since this oxidative process does not generate energy or is not driven by micro-organisms; in other steps of tea processing–aging for example–microorganisms might be used to actually carry out fermentation. The tea producer chooses when the oxidation should be stopped. For light oolong teas this may be anywhere from 5-40% oxidation, in darker oolong teas 60-70%, and in black teas 100% oxidation.

FERMENTATION (tea). The term used for the aerobic treatment of tea leaves to break down certain unwanted chemicals and modify others to develop the flavor of the tea.

I am not sure if this clarified anything, I guess it all boils down to the same thing…Keep Sipping.
Cheers,
the Tea Lady

 

Cloudy tea in the sunny summer?

Summer is here!
In case you have not visited us at the Sarasota downtown Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings, we have had some stunning teas available.

White Mischief - a beautiful China tea which is flavored with Guava,
Cochin Masala Chai - a very traditional, authentic chai which has superb iced,
Red Hat Rooibos - a red bush tea with pomegranate and cranberry, always light and so refreshing,
Selby Select - another bush tea honoring Selby Gardens with juicy orange peel and a creamy finish ($1 off in August at our online shop),
Strawberry Smile - strawberry, lychee, rosehips and jasmine blended to perfectino with a sencha style green tea. (also $1 off in August at our online shop)

Every week we brew three teas and make them available for samples or for sale iced to beat the heat as you shop locally.

If you are making iced tea using our premium loose leaf teas or any other tea for that matter, do not be alarmed if your tea goes cloudy. This is a natural occurrence due to the high flavanoid/polyphenol levels in the tea. It will still taste delicious!

Happy sipping and don’t forget to ’sip locally’.
Cheers,
the tea lady

 

Tea Reviews – Wow!!!

We have been submitting our teas to a few web sites that review teas. Basically a panel of tea enthusiasts brews, tastes and reviews teas, and then post comments and opinions.

At Local Coffee and Tea we are confident that our teas are great quality and have exceptional taste but it is always good to hear what your peers have to say, right? This is what they do, taste A LOT of tea.

We were a bit reluctant, uncertain just how we might compare to teas from the industry giants or the specialty tea companies. Well, we are happy to report here that Local Coffee + Tea is holding our own, and even impressing some folks.

We were very excited to hear the comments and of course would like to share them with you. Not that we are bragging you understand but if you have not experienced these teas, check out what they are saying and please feel free to chime in with your own thoughts

Goji Green - “One of the best green teas in the world”

Flowering Pomegranate…”This tea makes me think of sandy beaches in exotic locations. Another summertime winner from Local Coffee + Tea”

Strawberry Smile…”The aroma of the leaves is also extremely strong and juicy, making your mouth water before you even taste the tea! The perfect drink on a summer’s day!”

Chocolate Honeybush…”My roommate who isn’t a tea drinker even commented on how good it smelled”

Sweet Orange Mate… “nice, mellow mate base, which leaves a slightly smoky note in the fragrance and taste”

Selby Select…”The aroma of the dried leaves is extremely strong and smells just like freshly squeezed orange juice!”

Thank you for allowing us to enjoy this moment of glory.
Congratulations to us!!!

We have submitted other teas and will continue to keep you posted. If you need more information, please visit our website or send an e-mail to talk tea.
The Tea Lady