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As your customers begin to understand and enjoy the
myriad taste sensations tea can offer, help them also gain a greater
understanding and appreciation of some of the lesser-known teas. Offer
teas that are truly special to those who can appreciate their quality.
For the more sophisticated and adventurous palate, suggest a Pu-erh
tea. A class of teas from the Yunan Province of China, there are more
than one hundred varieties. Pressed in small balls or bricks and individually
wrapped, Pu-erh teas have a very earthy, somewhat musty flavor and
produce a clear dark brown brew. Several current scientific studies
extol their effectiveness in lowering cholesterol, while others report
they help deter indigestion. If your customers are not totally sold
on their taste, enhance their flavor by blending them with other teas
or flowers and herbs.
Oolong means “Black Dragon” and is also known as partially
or semi-fermented tea. Oolong teas have some of the qualities of both
black and green teas and at their best are beautiful, full-bodied
teas with sweetly fragrant, fruity aromas. The vast majority of oolong
teas emanate from China and Taiwan, where the finest varieties are
still hand-rolled. Ti Kuan Yin is an oolong tea that has a different
character – pure and clean, the tea is less delicate and sweet
than other Taiwanese teas. Known for its promotion of digestion, its
shiny dark leaves are tightly twisted.
White teas are comprised of tiny buds and extremely tender leaves;
they are the most subtle and delicate of all teas. In ancient China,
exquisite varieties of white teas were utilized as tribute teas, reserved
only for dignitaries and royal personages. White teas are very mild
and low in caffeine. For something truly special, offer Pi Mu Tan,
a smooth, flowery white tea with a sweet, mellow taste. A rare tea
produced only in China, Pi Mu Tan is made from the buds of a special
bush; the tea is steamed.
A deliciously delicate and tender cup is
created as Pi Mu Tan is 100-percent
tip.
Green teas have good digestive properties – they are gentle
enough to be consumed throughout the day. They have a high Vitamin
C content and are believed to lower the risk of cancer and reduce
the risk of cardiovascular disease among other things. While many
U.S. customers consume green teas for health reasons, once they grow
to understand and enjoy their unique flavors, green tea often becomes
their tea of choice for flavor as well. Of the various green teas
produced in Japan, the most highly prized is Gyokuro. China also produces
good green teas such as Dragonwell. Of the Chinese varieties, Dragonwell
has been honored since the 8th century Tang Dynasty. Dragonwell is
said to be at its best when brewed with water from the nearby Tiger
Run Spring, which is high in natural minerals, thereby imparting to
the tea a sweeter taste. Hand firing the leaves in large woks leaves
them flat, shiny, and with a yellow jade color. There are many grades
of Dragonwell tea; its clear, yellow-green infusion with an aromatic
earth flavor is reminiscent of roasted chestnuts.
Also from Japan is Sencha, a tea with flat, long green leaves. Consumed
daily by the Japanese, the infusion is low in caffeine and offers
a sweet and sharp grassy aroma and a light flowery taste. One Sencha
variation is a mix containing cherry blossoms signals the coming of
spring. Therefore, this sweet, fragrant tea is perfect for the promotion
of spring’s arrival. And, don’t forget to offer your customers
organic teas. More and more organically grown and processed teas from
all over the world are becoming available, much to the delight of
those health-conscious consumers.
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