|
Flowering tea,some say, developed during the 1980s in a Chinese province. Given the ancient history of tea, it would be really amazing to think that flowering tea (or blooming tea as it is also known) was such a recent innovation. A lot of claims to the making of this 'artistic tea' although hard proof seem to be thin on the ground. This leaves many to the imagination and assumptions! But there’s no denying that artisans produced flowering tea buds or balls, and that this craft originated in China – some say the Anhui Province, others say the Fujian Province. For most of us, it actually does not matter where it came from; suffice to say that it has become a strong export for China to the western world and therefore, we have a beautiful selection of flowering tea products. Artisans, trained workers who produce items by hand, make the flowering tea buds. Loose green tea, together with loose white and black teas are combined with flowers tea and petals in unique techniques to create flowering tea. As soon as the combination of teas is picked, the buds are hand sewn, covered with material, put in a kiln to dry out, packaged separately and then despatched. As the procedure is labour intensive, the price of these buds is consequently relatively high. Watching the first flowering tea is an astonishingly enjoyable experience. As the bloom appears from a tight ball, to become something totally different and quite indistinguishable from that grey lump of tea, there is a sense of wonder that something like this can be formed. With immersion of more or less three minutes, the tea bud will be transformed into a blossom. Other buds will be more astonishing than others, varying from a lump of long green leaves, to incredible blossoms with wafting tentacles such as "Touching Dragons". The names alone are enough to create much anticipation - "Jasmine Silvery Strawberry Ball", "Double Lion Pearl", "Seven Sons Congratulating". After the initial visual impact, it seems somewhat of an anti-climax to drink the tea. But that is exactly what the flowering tea is aimed for. Again, there are varying levels of quality of tea. Various blossoms are made from quality white tea, but the majority are made from loose green tea. It is usually true that you get what you pay for. A cheap product is likely to be made of inferior products and may not have the desired pleasant taste - or any taste at all. Not all teas are borne equal! A satisfying blooming tea is absolutely a trial and error process, and even more so when the quality of tea is taken into account. But it is not difficult to find great flowering teas these days. Most tea stockists provide pictures so you can be assured of seeing a beautiful unfolding of handmade tea buds. About Jedda Kelly - Having been brought up in a tea drinking family has given me no credentials whatsoever for writing about tea. Reason? We just drank the same stuff, day in and day out. I'm now on a journey of discovering tea and its variety and purposes. To learn more about flowering tea or blooming tea, Visit her site at http://www.bloomingteasite.com
Related Articles -
blooming tea, flowering tea,
| 
