Tea is not just a thirst-quenching drink. For the Chinese, tea drinking is a real ceremony, which is given great attention. Everything is important here: from the very selection of the container for brewing, to the choice of the type of loose tea, which is desirable to use on this particular day. It is worth paying tribute to the old-timers of the Celestial Empire, who know a lot about this divine drink and preserve the ancient traditions of its brewing. They are not ready to share all the knowledge, but some information has become publicly available. We want to introduce you to it, as well as tell you about the best varieties of flavored tea.
Content
According to the legends and beliefs that have come down to us, the tea leaf was discovered as early as the third millennium BC. That Chinese man was a doctor and traveled to collect medicinal herbs. The young man always carried a pot of water with him, where he prepared decoctions.
Quite by chance, a few tea leaves got there. After drinking the elixir, the young man felt a surge of strength and vigor, his mood rose, fatigue disappeared. After this interesting incident, tea began to be revered throughout Asia. At the very beginning, drinking was taken as a medicine, and only decades later they began to use it simply to quench their thirst, while receiving pleasure.
Centuries passed, and people learned how to breed new varieties of tea, came up with ways to process it, even added it to rice during the frying process. Some nationalities use tea leaves not only to make a tonic drink, but also add them to salads, marinate, and eat them raw.
The drink came to Russia only in the 17th century, but today our country ranks fourth in terms of its consumption, only behind China, India and Turkey.
It is worth noting that green tea retains its beneficial qualities with minimal processing. After picking, drying and rolling, the oxidation process of the leaves is quickly stopped so that they do not reach the stage of black tea.
Some believe that tea should be drunk in its natural form, while others choose flavored options.Fortunately, there is no shortage of them. The best manufacturers are readily engaged in their release and annually offer their admirers unique novelties in their composition, differing in price, taste, list of herbal supplements, release form, and packaging.
Although true gourmets claim that it is the fillers that spoil this divine drink, it is worth noting that even in the good old days, tea with all kinds of additives was very much appreciated. It was used not only by commoners, but also by the nobility. And the list of additives was impressive. Basically, these were herbs and dried wild berries, which, according to experts, not only enhanced the aroma of the drink, but also gave it additional healing properties.
There are two main types of flavors:
To natural include dried herbs and fruits. Useful because natural. But it is impossible to say with absolute certainty that synthetic ones adversely affect the body. Much depends on the production technology and the integrity of the manufacturer. Those firms that lead the ranking of quality products will never produce low-quality products, thereby harming their image.
How to choose a popular variety of good quality? You need to pay attention to the inscription on the package. If the manufacturer wrote "identical to natural", then the chemical composition practically does not differ from its natural counterpart, although it is produced artificially.
It is worth noting that synthetic extracts, of which there are a great many varieties, are subject to strict control at all stages of their production, so the quality of the product is high.This product, as a rule, is budgetary, since a large amount of expensive raw materials is not used for its manufacture.
There is an erroneous opinion that flavors are added to low-quality or inexpensive teas in order to increase their purchasing power. It's all about the integrity of the manufacturer. Although, according to buyers, it is worth paying attention to high-quality flavors, as additives only spice up an amazing drink.
Here are the most common ways to flavor tea:
There is no consensus on which brand of tea is better to buy. It all depends on the individual preferences of the person. There are many popular products. The best one costs a lot of money. The selection criteria are as follows: quality and naturalness.
Before answering the question of which product is better to buy, you need to figure out for yourself what varieties are, review the ratings, study the description and reviews. Today, there are a huge number of options where to buy quality products. In each locality, specialized stores of one or another manufacturer or multi-brand tea shops are open. There, the sales manager will answer all your questions, give advice and help you decide on a purchase based on your preferences, help you avoid making mistakes when choosing.
More advanced compatriots prefer to order goods online in an online store. At the same time, the average price will be lower, since there is a direct delivery from the manufacturer’s warehouse and there are no extra charges and related costs.
Black tea connoisseurs know that the taste of drinking is tart - spicy, with a rich aftertaste and a fruity - honey bouquet that has absorbed the amazing depth of Ceylon and Chinese tea. For the perfect combination, pieces of dried or dried fruits, berries, flower petals are added to it, which further emphasize the aroma and taste. To make the drink more tender, caramel or cream are used as additives.
Amazing wild black tea with strawberry flavor is made in China.Large tea leaves are mixed with fragrant berries. The added milk caramel gives the drink a pleasant creamy taste. To properly brew a wonderful drink, you need to pour 2 teaspoons of the mixture with boiling water, insist for 7 minutes.
The composition is rich in antioxidants. Its regular use improves the immune system, prevents viral and colds. Caffeine and tannin will relieve fatigue, give you the opportunity to feel a surge of vivacity, normalize the nervous system, help get out of a depressive state, cheer you up, and activate the brain.
How much the product costs: by weight in specialized stores it can be purchased for an average of 70 rubles (50 g).
Black leaf tea grown in Sri Lanka. It is a high-quality collection from the tea bush. Large whole leaves are twisted around the axis. After proper brewing, you can taste the unique tart aroma of a dark brown drink, with an unsurpassed velvety taste. It is necessary to brew in such a way that the liquid is completely transparent, without turbidity. Connoisseurs recommend using it for those who suffer from vitamin C deficiency.
The average cost is 123.50 rubles for 50 g.
Belongs to the category of elite varieties. Its second name is Puer Gong Ting. Truly a "royal drink". They have been treated for the last few centuries by high-ranking officials, ambassadors of different countries, diplomats, and prominent figures. For its production, the highest quality buds of bushes are selected, which have absorbed the clean mountain air, the gentle sun, the whisper of the breeze. Bushes grow in the Chinese province of Yunnan. The presence of a humid climate and clean mountain air give the leaves a unique taste.
The brewed red-brown drink has a rich aroma, where there are subtle notes of prunes and woody tones. It has a long aftertaste, nutty flavor. Tones, invigorates, increases activity, concentration and mental activity. The presence of a huge number of useful qualities makes it an excellent remedy for inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases.
Connoisseurs of beauty brew this divine drink in a glass, porcelain or clay container. Cooking method:
The purchase price for 50 g is 250 rubles.
Flavored tea assortment based on red oolong tea and black tea grown on Chinese plantations. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that cocoa beans, carob pieces, truffle flavor and Brazilian pink pepper act as additives, thanks to which the drink has a pleasant bitterness. The brewed tea is not dark in color, but orange.
As soon as a new pack is opened, a chocolate smell spreads throughout the room. Truffle notes are clearly felt, the aftertaste is slightly sweet. It is consumed without sugar even by those who are accustomed to everything sweet. Quality ingredients, clean. In it you will not find any debris, no dust, no impurities.
For a product weighing 50 g, you need to pay 150 rubles.
At one time, green tea was flavored only with jasmine.Today, a large number of different additives are used, which give the drink an unsurpassed aroma and taste. Their characteristic features are a refined aroma, amazing astringency, and high quality. The collected leaves are immediately dried, which makes it possible to preserve all their useful qualities. Additives are used only natural (fruit, berries, cream, citrus, exotic).
High-quality branded drink, the mixture of which is packaged in bags. Melissa and mint act as flavors. The main feature is a tart taste and a refreshing aftertaste. Melissa gives the tea a delicate lemon flavor. The mixture consists of:
To avoid depressurization, all bags are packed in individual sachets. Brew the drink should be no more than one - two minutes.
100 bags of 1.5 g can be purchased at a price of 339 rubles.
The second name of the product is "White-haired monkey", and this is no accident. The tea leaves of this variety have white villi. In a twisted form, they resemble the tails of white-haired monkeys. To obtain a light and pleasant taste, only young leaves and buds are used. The aroma is filled with fruity notes, a hint of subtle fruity sweetness. You can brew several times, and the first turns out to be golden in color, and the second - emerald. It is not recommended to pour them with boiling water.Water should be heated to a maximum of 80 degrees. The drink is infused for about two minutes.
This brand is very popular among connoisseurs of tonic and invigorating drinks. It is advisable to use it after waking up in the morning to get a charge of vivacity for the whole day. It perfectly quenches thirst and without a pronounced aftertaste, which makes it possible to use it for quite a long time, without losing interest in it.
According to experts, the leaves can be brewed three times. But it should be borne in mind that with each subsequent time the number of useful elements decreases, and if there are 50% of them in the first cup, then only 10% in the last one.
Expensive goods can be purchased at a price of 500 rubles per 100 g.
A well-known worldwide company for the production of fine quality tea has a full cycle at its disposal: from fields for collecting tea leaves to factory buildings where finished products are packaged and stored. The company is famous for its natural ingredients and high quality. Production is concentrated in Calcutta - one of the most tea regions of the planet.
Newby products have received the English GTA award many times, the number of titles is countless. Five-time recipient of gold awards, out of 65 in total. Since 2011, the company has won the North American Tea Championship, winning 34 prestigious awards.
Mint is added to this variety of green tea, which corresponds to the ancient Moroccan tradition. Its use is like a ritual.Sold in pyramids at a price of 530 rubles for 25 pieces.
The name suggests that this is a high quality organic drink. It is very popular among modern tea lovers. For packaging, heat sealable filters are used, in which it is convenient to carry out brewing with full preservation of taste. The absence of a polyethylene component in the packaging makes it quite easy for people to recycle them without harming the environment.
Tea has an amazing taste of cinnamon, almost 100% consists of natural ingredients, only 3% is pomegranate flavor. Manufactured by a Dutch company.
The product can be purchased at a price of 420 rubles per package (25 bags).
In the production, semi-fermented oolongs are used, which are collected from specially bred tea bushes that differ in the size of the leaves. They are twisted by means of a special technology, which makes it possible to end up with a strong and deep taste of tea. The leaf gets an intricate shape, most often in the form of a ball. There are options when tea leaves are covered with gruel from ginseng and licorice. At the same time, they visually become similar to small pebbles.
The most popular is the milk oolong. Its main feature is the presence of milky taste and aroma.This effect is obtained by processing the leaves with a special milk extract.
If it were a product of Russian production, then it would be called the "Big Red Robe". The variety is considered one of the oldest in the Middle Kingdom. Traditions that have come down to us tell us that a sick mother of one of the emperors of the Tang Dynasty, whose reign falls from the 5th to the 8th century AD, was cured with tea made from this variety. High-quality oolong can only be obtained from old-timer trees. Mature leaves are subjected to a long fermentation, then rolled, dried, heated for a long time over coals in wicker baskets. After all these manipulations, the tea leaves are obtained with a birch tint.
The product can be purchased at a price of 200 rubles per 50 grams.
The literal translation is "Iron Goddess of Mercy". The variety is famous for the divine aroma of lilac, so it was named after the Chinese goddess, the patroness of the weaker sex. Anxi County is considered the birthplace of Tie Guan Yin, and also the famous tea province. Tea plantations are located at the 1000 mark, where there is a large amount of solar heat, clean air and red rocky land, in which a huge amount of minerals is concentrated.
Fermentation is carried out in a short time, thereby preserving the floral and sweet aroma and delicate freshness.There is a fruity-herbal aftertaste and a slight milky aftertaste. The peculiarity of the variety is that it can be brewed 10 times, constantly enjoying the drink.
The cost of the product is 136 rubles per 50 g.
The relatively “young” drink, which was born in 1980, had the original name Jin Xuan, which means “Golden Flower”. He became famous for his taste, having won universal recognition among lovers of the beautiful and unique. The milky aftertaste was the reason for the appearance of its second name - "Nai Xiang" (Milk tea). Demand for a long time exceeded supply, so manufacturers sold tea with flavors under the Milk Oolong brand.
Fermentation takes a long time, resulting in a soft, delicate and sweet aftertaste, which brings back memories of childhood. You can buy such a divine drink at a price of 165 rubles per 50 g.
The unique oolong is made in Taiwan using Japanese technology. Alishan is the name of the area where tea plantations grow. Gaba is the short English name for gamma-aminobutyric acid. This substance helps to slow down nerve impulses, protecting the brain from overstrain. If a person feels such overloads every day and from year to year, then by the time he reaches adulthood, his nervous system is loosened, he becomes quick-tempered, unrestrained, aggressive, or lethargy, lifelessness appears, falls into depression.
In order for tea leaves to be able to accumulate a large amount of this acid, special containers are used for their fermentation, from which air is pumped out, and nitrogen is pumped in instead. The result is a golden drink with a barely perceptible sourness.
The manufacturer offers its customers goods at a price of 990 rubles per 50 g.
The East cannot imagine itself without the most famous plant in the world - Ginseng. His positive qualities can be described for hours. No wonder it is considered the elixir of longevity. Everyone knows that it restores strength, helps to minimize the negative consequences of past ailments, and restores the body's working capacity after a surgical intervention. The miracle drink is made in China, Fujian province.The product has the appearance of gray-green balls, which, after being poured with boiling water, open up, captivating the people present nearby with a sweetish aroma.
The average price for a product is 714 rubles per 50 g.
Tea is not just a tonic drink. It gives pleasure to those who eat, helps to maintain a conversation, spend time usefully for business, strengthens family ties, helps lovers to explain themselves. No wonder the Chinese elevated tea drinking to the rank of ceremony. And to this day, there is a saying in the Celestial Empire: "If you want to make peace with a person, invite him for a cup of tea."