My Tea Break

Rediscovering Tea around the world

Monthly Archives: May 2011


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Direct from the Tea garden to the Teapot!

Lipton is currently a worldwide Tea brand owned by Unilever. However, like most things, it started with an idea and a lot of hard work!

Sir Thomas Lipton, born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1850, became a wealthy business man after starting his business as a grocer. By 1890, Sir Thomas decided to explore the world’s finest teas. He bought a cheap coffee plantation and transformed it into a Tea plantation in the Uva region, Sri Lanka, establishing a Tea brand that is still very well known all over the world. Sir Thomas started by selling his Teas in Europe and then in the USA, where he had previously lived for 5 years, learned and developed a lot of his commercial/advertising skills, helping him to relaunch what was a quite expensive drink at the time.

Sir Thomas became a world famous Tea merchant. His success involved the privilege of supplying Tea to many well known personalities, like the Queen Victoria and other European royal families. Sir Thomas was also able to reduce the costs of his Tea production, making Tea available to the middle classes.

Lipton Teas are more popular than ever. Nowadays there are many and many varieties of Lipton Teas. You can find them available in over 150 countries. Lipton is most fashionable in Europe, North America, Middle East, parts of Asia, Australia and New Zeeland.

Mariana!


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The chemistry of Tea – Polyphenols

The Tea leaf is composed by a number of different elements and components, which are responsible for the beneficial effects of Tea, and can be extracted since they are water soluble.  The three most important chemical substances in the fresh Tea leaf are caffeine (which we discussed before), essential oils and polyphenols. Polyphenols can also be divided between natural polyphenols and oxidized polyphenols (those resulting from the oxidation process).  The polyphenol level vary depending on how the Tea was harvested, handled, processed and brewed. Polyphenols include flavonoids and tannins, two of the most important substances found in Tea.

Tannins is what give Tea the bitter aftertaste. The length of the brewing process determines the amount of Tannin in your Tea cup. Tannins are also said to have an antibacterial effect.

Flavonoids are responsible for the antioxidant power of Tea while also boosting immune system, preventing inflammations, strengthen blood vessels among other beneficial health.  The mean flavonoid content in a 150 ml cup of green Tea is approximately 200 mg, while it is 42 mg in the same volume of red wine and around 22 mg in an apple. That means one cup of green tea has the same flavonoid content of almost 5 glasses of red wine or 9 apples. 

Very  impressive!

Happy Tea Break.

Tania


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Why should we drink Tea?

Hey all,

There are many different reasons why we should drink Tea – the smell, the colours, the taste, the experience, how much you can learn about each different Tea and, of course, how good it can be for your health.

There can be some confusion about the health benefits of Tea. So I thought the link below might clarify some of your doubts.

http://www.tea.co.uk/tea-4-health

Happy Tea Time!

Mariana


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Whisky and Tea

The first time I went to China, I came across with the Whisky and Tea tradition. This probably seems like an odd combination but it is a very popular alcoholic drink in China.

Like in most clubs in London, when you sit in a table you order a bottle which usually comes with coke,tonic,…. Well, in China you´ll often see whisky bottles coming with a jar of cold greenTea. I am not a whisky fan but following the famous say “When in Rome do what Romans do” and being a Tea lover I  tried it straight away and really enjoyed.

It is quite refreshing and you get quite a nice balanced flavour from the two drinks. If you want to try this at home you can add two parts of cold Green Tea to one part of whisky and serve it with ice.

The main problem will be the morning after but that´s another story.

Happy Tea Break. :)

Tania


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Interview with Juyan from The Chinese Tea Company

When I started working in West London, I discovered this amazing Tea shop/house at the end of Portobello Rd. Here you can travel in time and find excellent Chinese Teas! Juyan, the owner, was very kind to do this interview and to give us the pictures used in this post. I hope you enjoy it!

M&T. Could you tell us about your story with Tea?

J.  I grew up with tea. I grew up in a small village in Zhejiang Province, south east of China. We used to produce everything ourselves, such as rice, wheat, vegetables, chickens, ducks, gooses, pig, of course teas too. I started working alongside my mother from very young age from little things to big things. Tea Mountains used to be my playground, and then when I grew a bit older I had to give my mum a hand to pick tea leaves that started at 6 in the morning. We would always keep the first harvested teas which they are the best for ourselves as well as for the guests, and then sold the rest of tea to tea factories. It was this upbringing that shaped a passion for tea and her vast knowledge of production.

M&T.  When did you decide to come to London and when did you decide to open a tea shop?

J.  I came to London in 2002 for studies, and in the university I met my husband, Chris, so I decided to live in London after my graduation. It was originally his idea to have a Chinese tea shop back many years ago. I used to say to him no, it won’t work; people will not be interested in loose leaf teas. Chris used to take tea to work and offer it to his colleagues. Many of them became curious about the weird looking leaves and the wonderful tastes, aromas and relaxing states of mind each would achieve when drinking the brew. Pretty soon people were asking to purchase the teas for themselves and asked for advice on the world of Chinese tea.  So the Chinese Tea Company was born out of our desire to share our personal selections and knowledge with others.

M&T. What is the concept behind the Chinese Tea Company?

J.  The real passion is to bring all these wonderful Chinese teas to England so that everyone can also enjoy and have access to the best teas China has to offer.  We are very practical with our teas which they are traditional and handmade and bought directly bought from the tea growers and tea masters in China. The Chinese Tea Company is also dedicated to promoting Chinese tea culture.

M&T.  Why did you choose West London?

J.  Portobello road is a world famous market and there is a such a diverse range of people who visit the area. I thought it would be a good idea to have a tea shop here as I think it would fit in very well with the eclectic range of products that are available to buy there. I think a lot of people visit the market as they can find a lot of things that may not be available to buy in the high street and I think it would be a nice surprise for people to find a tea shop that sells a wide range of good quality tea and unique tea ware tucked away in the corner.

I found a place for rent, got in touch with the landlord and they were immediately very interested in what I wanted to do.

M&T.  How do you explain the path of your success?

J.  First of all, it is the quality, the uniqueness of our products and our service. We have a lot of customers returning and become good friends and also lots of people come in because of recommendations by others.

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M&T. How do you balance the blend between tradition and innovation?

J.  I am more focused on the traditional side both in the products and the decoration of the shop. I always search for teas that made by hand in the traditional ways. I think it is important to preserve our traditions. The tea house is decorated in a very traditional way, especially the furniture that is specifically bought from China for the shop. Including the music we play in the shop.

M&T. What are the most common mistakes that people do when making Tea?

J.  Making tea can be very simple for some people, pouring boiling water into a pot with some tea leaves or teabags can be enough. People have been making themselves tea for years and they know how they like it – so when they make themselves a drink of tea how they like it they are not making any mistakes at all.

However, on the flip side of this, tea making can be very a intricate process to achieve a desired taste and aroma result of a chosen kind of tealeaves by dissolving a certain proportion of the tea materials into water. This is done with an according combination of teaware, water temperature, water to tealeaves ratio and steeping process.

M&T.  From your experience abroad what do you think are the main differences between drinking Tea in China and abroad?

J.  Tea originates from China, we are so lucky to have so many different type and quality of teas to choose from. The selection is very limited in Britain especially for the high quality loose leaf teas. People in China have better understanding – tea is not just a beverage in China it is engrained deep within our culture, is drank for pleasure and used for medicinal purposes.

M&T. Finally, what do you want people to feel when they go to the Chinese Tea Company?

J.  From all the different types of tea that we stock I want people, who are new to tea, to realize that there is a whole big world of tea they might not know about that is open and ready for them to explore. I want them to enjoy tea as much as I do. When people come to our tea ceremony, I want them to feel relaxed and comfortable and inspired by the surroundings that they find themselves in.

You can get more information on: http://www.the-chinese-tea-company.com/               The Chinese Tea Company, 14 Portobello Green, 281 Portobello Rd, London W10 5TZ  Phone: + 44 (0) 208 9600096
Phone: + 44 (0) 7990 898549

E-Mail: info@the-chinese-tea-company.com

Mariana!


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Theine or Caffeine?

Does Tea contain theine or caffeine? This is a question that occurs quite frequently.

Caffeine is called Theine when it’s found in Tea but it’s the same molecule (C8H10N4O2).  The only difference is in the name which indicates that caffeine comes from the coffee plant while Theine comes from the Tea plant. Caffeine is also the general overarching term and is found not only in coffee and Tea but also in chocolate, guarana, beans, fruits and plants.

This molecule acts as a stimulator on the central nervous system, reducing tiredness and the sensation of fatigue.

According to the UK Tea council, the average daily caffeine consumption should be 300mg.

Compared with other caffeinated drinks such as coffee or coca-cola, Tea contains proportionally less caffeine/theine and its absorption rate is slower, resulting in a more revitalised feeling instead of an agitating effect.

For comparison purposes, please find below the approximate caffeine/theine content per cup in different drinks:

Coffee: 80 mg

Coca-cola: 45 mg

White Tea: 15 mg

Green Tea: 20 mg

Oolong Tea: 30 mg

Black Tea: 40 mg

Rooibos: 0 mg

Please note that these might vary according to the preparation method (for example, an espresso contains more caffeine than filter coffee).

In addition, when combined with Teanine, an amino acid exclusive to Tea which favours relaxation and concentation, Tea give us energy and vitality.


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Grande Noite! – Great Night!

Este sábado, dia 14 de Maio, o My Tea Break esteve presente no Museu da Música Portuguesa Casa Verdades de Faria e no Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga. Esta iniciativa foi integrada como parte da celebração do dia Internacional dos Museus.

Gostariamos de agradecer ao Museu da Música Portuguesa Casa Verdades de Faria e ao Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga por nos darem esta oportunidade. O nosso agradecimento vai também para a Joana Monteiro Grillo do Boulan Tea Room que gentilmente nos forneceu os vários chás que foram servidos e à Maria Costa pela sua ajuda no MNAA.

Esta iniciativa foi uma excelente oportunidade de partilhar o nosso conhecimento e provar vários chás.

Obrigada a todos os participantes!

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Last saturday, 14th of May,  My Tea Break was at the Museum of Portuguese Music Casa Verdades de Faria and National Museum of Ancient Art. This initiative was part of the International Museum day Celebrations.

We would like to thank both Museu da Música Portuguesa Casa Verdades de Faria and Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga for this great opportunity. We would also like to thank Joana Monteiro Grillo from Boulan Tea Room for the lovely Teas that we served and Maria Costa who kindly help us serve many many Teas at MNAA.

This was a great night for My Tea Break, because we were able to share our Tea Knowledge with many other people, discuss many ideas while experiencing some lovely Teas.

Thank you all for attending!

Happy Tea Time :)


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Noite nos Museus

Caros Amigos,

É com muito alegria que anúnciamos o primeiro evento do My Tea Break em Lisboa, Portugal. O evento irá decorrer no dia 14 de Maio de 2011, como parte da comemoração do Dia Internacional dos Museus.

Museu da Música Portuguesa - Casa Verdades de Faria, Monte Estoril

O Museu da Música Portuguesa –  Casa Verdades de Faria no Monte Estoril abre as suas portas entre as 17h00 e as 17h45 onde o My Tea Break irá apresentar a história e processos de cultivo que dão origem à bebida e à cultura do chá. Todos os participantes são convidados para uma prova de chá como parte desta experiência. Recomendado para todos os entusiastas de chá…. A partir das 18h00 poderá também participar num concerto de Piano com Ana Claúdia Assis e conhecer o som e swing da Big Band Júnior, orquestra de Jazz às 21h00. O museu convida-o também a participar num programa diversificado com dança, subida à Torre de S. Patrício e outras surpresas musicais. Tudo isto acompanhado de excelentes chás servidos pelo Boulan Tea Room.

Para mais informações veja o programa.

Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Lisboa

A partir das 19h30, o My Tea Break estará no Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (MNAA) a servir chá. A colecção do Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga integra o mais vasto acervo de obras nacionais e estrangeiras existentes no país. No dia 14 o MNAA convida-o para a inauguração da exposição  “M & M. MUDE no MNAA”, com visitas guiadas nos espaços intervencionados, a partir das 22h00. Para mais informaçõe sobre a programação do MNAA visite o website.

Contamos com a vossa presença!

 Happy Tea Time :)

Mariana & Tania


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Night at the museum

Dear friends,

We are happy to announce that My Tea Break is having its first event in Lisbon, Portugal. It will be on the 14th of May 2011, as part of a series of activities to celebrate the International Museums Day.

Portuguese Music Museum, Casa Verdades de Faria, Monte Estoril

 My Tea Break will be at the Portuguese Music Museum – Casa Verdades de Faria – in Monte Estoril, between 5pm and 5.45pm. In a nice and relaxed environment we will be conducting a presentation about the different types of tea, its origins,  how they are processed and its health benefits. There will also be a Tea Tasting as part of this experience. Highly recommended for all tea enthusiasts… After this you can participate on a Piano Concert from Ana Claúdia Assis (6pm) and also enjoy the sound and swing of Bing Band Júnio, a Jazz orchestra (9pm). From 9pm the Museum also invites to visit the museum, dance and go to the tower of St. Patrício along other musical surprises, and you can also some exquisite Teas offered by Boulan Tea Room.

For more information about their program click here.

National Museum of Ancient Art, Lisbon

From 7.30pm onwards, My Tea Break will be at the National Ancient Art Museum  (MNAA) serving Tea! The museum contains 14th to 20th century European works from different artists. On this day a new Art and Design exhibition will open – M&M – MNAA& Mude / Mude&MNAA.

We hope to see you there!

 Happy Tea Time :)

Mariana & Tania


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Tea Tasting @ Tea&Coffee Festival – part 2

At the Chinese Tea Ceremony, all Teas tasted were spring Teas, picked 4/5 weeks ago. They were all very fresh.

Edgar Thoemmes, director of specialist Chinese Tea supplier Canton Tea Co., started by introducing the Ye Sheng Wild White Tea from the Fujin mountains. The Tea was very delicate, smooth, creamy and soft in taste.  Edgar told us that this Tea comes from an abandoned farm that was once owned by the government. “The tea bushes were left to grow wild. Our producer recognised the potential in the farm, the natural tea bushes, the excellent terroir and particularly the yellowy, rocky soil – perfect for giving the tea a delicious mineral note. He bought up the estate and produced this great tea from the first, small harvest of all the tea bushes that had been left untouched, in a natural state for decades.”

white tea

This Tea was followed by a fresh Dragon Well, green Tea. The Tea was picked just before the rain and it is variety #43, which is a top grade and therefore it is quite expensive – 50g for £26.  The Tea felt smooth, fresh and I could also taste a nutty flavour.

Green Tea

The third Tea we´ve tasted was the Mi Lan Dang Cong (Honey Orchid). This is an extraordinary Oolong Tea. “Dan Cong is the champagne of oolongs: ripe with intense fruit and sweetness. This high grade example comes from a plantation on the lower slopes of Wu Dong Mountain, Chao Zhou. The leaves are thoroughly fermented and baked to produce a rich liquor with unique flowery and honeyed notes that can be enjoyed through multiple infusions.” I found this to be an amazing Tea. I highly recommend it!

Oolong Tea

Last but not the least, the fantastic Bai Lin Gong Fu Black Tea. This is Tea is fully oxidised and it is quite robust. You get a long mellow after taste. I found it sweet, with no need to add milk or sugar! “This Bai Lin Gong Fu is made from young wild white tea buds, twisted into tight elegant gold-streaked curls. The liquor is reddish-brown and tastes naturally of caramel and cream so needs absolutely nothing added. This is a wonderful example of whole leaf black tea.”

Black Tea

This was a very good experience. All Teas were of great quality. You can get them online:

. Canton Tea Co. http://www.cantonteaco.com/

Have a great week, Mariana!

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