Chinese Tea Ceremony

[Guest guest]

I thought this sounded intriguing...

Be Well,

Misty L. Trepke

http://www..com

 

Chinese Tea Ceremony

 

I have a friend who enjoys doing Chinese (and Russian) Tea

Ceremonies. I attended a ceremony recently and it lasted several

hours. We drank several dozen rounds although I passed on the last

half dozen or so. The ceremony ends when all have had all the tea

they want. I believe there were about 8 people in this ceremony. The

following material describes the ceremony. The conversation is light

and egoless. We used small cups. The tea is slowly sipped. The tea

is expensive but very fresh. Little cakes and cookies were

available. ~ek

 

 

The art of drinking and serving tea plays a major cultural role in

China. It inspires poetry and songs. Mutual love of tea cements

lifelong friendships. For centuries, the ritual of preparing and

serving tea has held a special place in the hearts and minds of

Chinese aristocracy, court officials, intellectuals and poets.

The Chinese tea ceremony emphasizes the tea, rather than the

ceremony -- what the tea tastes like, smells like, and how one tea

tastes compared to the previous tea, or in successive rounds of

drinking. Ceremony doesn't mean that each server will perform the

ritual the same way; it is not related to religion. Each step is

meant to be a sensory exploration and appreciation.

 

Most teas used in the Chinese tea ceremony are grown in the

mountains of Taiwan at around 4,000 feet. These teas are

particularly refined, such as oolong teas which are lightly

fermented and red teas that can be moderately to heavily fermented.

This style of tea-drinking uses small cups to match the small,

unglazed clay teapots; each cup is just large enough to hold about

two small swallows of tea. These tiny cups are particularly popular

in Fujian and Chiujao, in southern coastal China above Canton. In

Shanghai and Beijing they use large cups.

 

To Brew Tea Chinese-style

 

After heating water to boiling, the teapot first is rinsed with hot

water. Using chopsticks or a bamboo tea scoop, fill teapot

approximately 1/3 full with tea leaves and then pour boiling water

into the pot. Hold the teapot over a large bowl, letting the

overflow run into the bowl. Give the tea leaves a rinse by filling

the pot half full with hot water, then draining the water out

immediately, leaving only the soaked tea leaves. Now fill the

pot to the top with more hot water, cover and pour additional water

over the teapot resting in the tea bowl. Do not allow bubbles to

form in the pot. When mixed with the tea, bubbles form a foam that

is not aesthetically pleasing. Be sure to not let the tea steep too

long; the first infusion should be steeped for only 30 seconds. In

less than a minute, pour the tea into the cups by moving the teapot

around in a continual motion over the cups so that they are filled

together. Each cup should taste exactly the same.

 

After steeping, the tea can be poured into a second teapot or tea

pitcher to be served at leisure. More water can be added to the

teapot, and up to five infusions typically can be made from the same

tea leaves. Be sure to add 10 more seconds for the second brewing

and 15 additional seconds thereafter.

 

Each pot of tea serves three to four rounds and up to five or six,

depending on the tea and the server. The goal is that each round

taste the same as the first. Creating consistent flavor is where the

mastery of the server is seen.

 

Importance of Water

 

The water used in the tea ceremony is as important as the tea itself.

Chlorine and fluoride in tap water should be filtered out as they

harm the flavor of the tea. Distilled water makes flat tea and

should be avoided. High mineral content in the water brings out the

richness and sweetness of green tea. Black teas taste better when

made with water containing less Volvic. Ideal tea water should have

an alkaline pH around 7.9.

 

Green teas are ruined by boiling water; the temperature is best

around 170-185 degrees F. Oolongs made with underboiled water are

more fragrant, which enhances the tea-drinking experience.