An avid gourmet tea drinker, I enjoy brewing a pot of Chinese green tea and relaxing in a comfortable executive office chair. It is a welcome 20-minute tea timeout from research and writing. I love the taste of green tea and the way it makes me feel. While listening to classical music, I close my eyes and fill my mind with my granddaughter’s beautiful laughter, the loveliness of words spoken in kindness, and the excellence of God’s creation.
My office is equipped for just such an occasion. On top of an oak file cabinet I have placed a well-used Chinese tea set I purchased on a business trip to Hong Kong. The red colored tea set is covered with Chinese characters that offer best wishes for an eternal life with good health. Its exact placement on the file cabinet motivates me to stop and drink, and since this month’s Tea World focus is on China and the many teas produced there, what a great excuse to drink Chinese tea all month long.
Since everyone who meets me knows that I love tea, I am often presented with gifts of tea from around the world. One of my clients recently gave me a large box of Chinese green tea along with a short history lesson. Green tea has existed for thousands of years. In fact, many people believe that it was the first tea to ever be invented. It is produced by steaming fresh-picked tea leaves before drying, which produces a more delicate taste and pale green to golden color.
Because I drink tea all day long, I use an electric hot water dispenser to brew and prepare pots and cups of tea. It is quite handy if you like to always have hot water available at a moment’s notice. Just simply add drinking water, plug it in and the dispenser will automatically heat to boiling and maintain a constant temperature.
Why not enjoy a refreshing cup or two of Chinese green tea with me? You select a time that fits your schedule and we’ll commit to a 20-minute tea timeout together at least once a week. Let me know what you decide.
[...] Green tea is unoxidized because the leaves are steamed shortly after having been picked. This stops the oxidation process causing the tea leaves to retain their green color after drying. Oolong tea is partially oxidized as the leaves are exposed to air for several hours and then the oxidation process is halted by roasting.Black tea is fully oxidized which allows the tea to have a stronger flavor and deeper color. The Chinese consider black tea undesirable and of a lesser quality; as a result it is exported. Keeman and orange Pekoe are well-known black teas. [...]