"ALWAYS FIND AN EXCUSE
TO BREW TEA"
There is a chinese
proverb saying: "Drink a daily cup of tea will surely starve the
apothecary"there is truth in this proverb for tea has been tested
under modern scientific methods and has been found to be beneficial
to health.
Tea contains caffeine
which is not harmful if drank in moderation which is 200 to 250mg a
day,equivalent to the caffeine in two cup of coffee.caffeine
stimulates movement of the intestinal tract and increases the flow of
digestive juice.This help to dissipate the fat in our
body.
Tea contains vitamin C
and also a substance known as vitamin P,.These two vitamin combines
strengthen the walls of the capillaries.
Drinking tea regularly
may improve blood circulation,reduce hypertension and heart
problem.It plays arole in controling blood fats and preventing blood
fats and preventing accumulation of cholesterol in the
artries
On the psychological
side drinkings tea with friends is a healthy pratice for it allows a
short escape from our troubles."It is not surprising that people
claim to feel recharged after a cup of tea.As we sit and chat with
friends over a cup of tea,our defence mecanism (lymphatic system and
antibodies) are actively working for us" And when we are relaxed, we
have time to enjoy our surroundings which goes along the saying
"Beauty for the eyes and music to the ears.
ANYTHING BAD ABOUT TEA
?
Does tea have any any
bad effects on healthy people?.As far as reserch show,the answer is
no.but one must remember never wash down their medication with
tea,Some of the chemical compounds in tea might cause adverse reation
when combined with certain drugs.Over two cups a day is not
recommanded for prenant woman and nursing mothers.Person with
irregular heartbeats are advise to be cautious,as should those with
stomach ulcer,for fear of stimulating too much stomach
acid.
"NOT JUST ANY TEA BUT
PU'ER TEA"`
PU'ER is viewed as a
mild tea but,suitable for young and old, and for person with strong
or weak constitution.Many people,including old folk and woman
(espacilly pregnant mothers),are not encouraged to take tea because
of its acidic effects(tannin).However,they can take pu'er as they can
take pu'er as the acid is eliminated over the long periods it is
kept.
There are two types of
pu'er:Green pu'er & black pu'er.Green pu'er which has to be kept
for about 40 years before serving,refers to coarse tea that turns
into prepared tea by natural tranformation,over five to eight
years,without airtigth heaping.When totally mature, the prepared tea
possesses a vigorous lingerling scent, keeping the original fragrance
at the same time.Black pu'er, Which can be served rigth after
production, is fernented artificialy by putting coarse tea into water
for three to four days or a week to ferment and let the leaves turn
brown.Finally it is compressed into mould pu'er after steaming,when
it is fully fermented.
Must of the pu'er tea
were in pressed form named for the shape in which a block is
molded.These include Tuocha,bowl tea, shape by pressing into a
bowl.Bingcha(beeng cha), cake tea.It come in large and small stack of
seven layers,thus sometimes called qizi(seven
son).Fangcha(square),Zhuancha (rectangular)
Pu-er tea, unlike
anyother tea, is the only tea which has historical value.Among all
chinese teas, pu-er has a pedigree that represents the highest
refined in the the shape of chinese culture.It is retained in the
shape of the original chinese tea, a round mould.besides the
components and process of making pu'er,its storage period is also
important-the longer it is kept(in dry & without airtight),the
stronger its internal fragrance.(pu'er tea tea is normaly packed with
bambo leaves to preserve its fragrance).
HOW TO BREW "A CUP OF
NICE PU'ER TEA"
To get a cup of good
pu'er ,the thing that needs consideration is not only the tea leaves
but utensils of tea -making .
First,the
teapot.Currently there are two types of teapot in the market.one,
baked in high temperatures, is called hard pot and the other, baked
in lower temperatures, is soft pot.
Pu'er tastes best when
brewed in a soft pot as it an old tea.The best purple clay pot is
from Sian Tou, follow by Yee Xing which is the second.
Beside the teapot,cups
also influence the enjoyment of the tea.A wide cup will dissipate the
fragrance of the beverage whereas a small cup will confine the
fragrance to the nose and mouth.
The heat source plays
an important role in brewing pu'er.Normally,people use electrical
stoves or kerosene as source of heat but charcoal give gentle heat to
the water.
After getting the rigth
utensils, the act of brewing tea is essential as well.In a tea
ceremony,bolling water must be poured into the pot and cups - to warm
them - before the tea can be brew.
Tea leaves - 8g to 10g
or one - third of the teapot of pu'er - are then place into the pot,
follow by boilling water.The leaves are rinsed, and the water is
quickly emptied in 10 seconds.
Fresh boilling water is
then poured into the pot, in a clockwise motion, and the tea is
brewed for two to three minutes.
It is then poured into
the cups, in a back - and - forth rolling motion, so that the tea
will be equal strength.
After that, the tea ia
ready to be served.if you just gulp it down, you can't feel the
'oomph' of the tea,You sip it like wine and feel it spreading all
over your tougue,then you inhale its aroma and let it flow to your
palate,relish its flavour and finally, taste its
sweetness.Satisfaction is when the taste starts to expand and
"explore" in the mouth.
a pot of pu'er tea
leaves may be used five to six times.After the first or second
brewing, the time of steeping should be longer as the aroma of the
tea become less but the flavour is still good.-SUN
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