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TEABy:- Himanshu Sharma
The classic definition of tea is the brew made from the infusion of water and the leaves of an evergreen plant of the Camellia family.In the tea industry, tea is defined as the dried processed leaves of Camellia sinensis, or Thea sinesis. Commercially, there are three major varieties of Camellia sinensis: theChina type, the India (Assam region) type, and the Hybrid type (a cross breed of theChina and India types). The China type tea plant has small leaves and usually grows wellat higher altitudes. The India or Assam type has larger leaves and cultivates best at lower elevations. The Hybrid falls somewhere in between the China and India types.There are four major types of tea:
White, Green, Oolong and Black
. Interestingly, allthese teas come from the raw leaves of the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. Whatdistinguishes each category is the method used when processing the tea leaves. The waythe leaves are processed-steamed, fermented (oxidized), dried, or bruised-gives the teathe special characteristics of its category.Tea spin offs, such as scented, flavored or blended teas, are produced using one of thefour major types of tea as a base. Tossing jasmine flowers with either black or green teamakes a scented tea such as jasmine tea. A flavored tea such as Earl Grey is mainly thecombination of bergamot oil and a strong black tea. English Breakfast tea is usually acombination of different black tea leaves from India and Sri Lanka.One term that has become part of our everyday lingo is "herbal tea." Since you now knowthat tea only comes from the tea plant Camellia sinensis, you may be wondering how atea can be herbal. It can't be. A product has to be either herbal or tea-based. In the teaindustry, beverages made with herbs or flower parts instead of tea are often referred to astisanes, or herbal infusions.The evergreen tea plant, also known as Camellia Sinensis or Camellia Assamica, comesfrom the genus Camellia, which dates back before the great ice age. If left wild, the teatree can grow as tall as 60 feet, depending on the climate. There is even a1700-year-oldtea tree in the Yunnan Province of China that stands over 100 feet tall.Today, the tea plant, also known as the "tea bush," is pruned and harvested, and itsheight is maintained at about three feet. This tea bush is the standard for most of today'stea cultivation due to its richer and fuller leaves. There are even some people who saythat tea is the oldest cultivated plant, having been nurtured for over 1000 years.Affecting the thousands of varieties of tea are variables such as soil, altitude and weather.
 
Some teas crave high mountains and cool mist, while others grow better in lower terrain.Most premium quality teas grow at higher elevations, where mountain mist and dew shieldthe plants from direct sunlight. This humidity helps protect the leaves during the cycle of each day, maintaining a temperature that allows the leaves and buds to develop andmature at a slower pace.Besides factors such as geography and climate, the fate of tea is also dependent onhuman touch. Since all tea comes from one plant, the way it is processed is the artistrywe taste in the final cup. If the leaves are immediately dried and then heated (steamed) or fired, the tea leaves remain green, retaining the distinctive flavors and health benefitsgreen teas are known for. If left to wither, the leaves are transformed through a processknown as oxidation (also known as fermentation) into black tea, of which there arehundreds of varieties.
Accidental Discovery of Tea
In 2737 BC, legend has it that leaves from a tree dropped into Emperor ShenNung's cup of boiling water. The servant had boiled the water for hygienicreasons before the emperor was to drink it. But this time the water was turnedbrown by the wayward leaves. Being a scientist, the emperor was curious anddecided to try some of this new liquid. He found the liquid aromatic andrefreshing. Since that serendipitous beginning, tea has been part of manyculturesThe most common misperception is that the different types of tea come fromdifferent tea plants. Black, Green and Oolong teas are all derived from theCamellia sinensis evergreen plant. The difference comes from how the plant isprocessed. Common processing terms are withering, rolling, oxidation, anddrying or firing.
Withering:
Newly picked leaves are thinly spread to dry during this process. Heated air isforced over the leaves if the climate is not suitable. The main goal of this processis to reduce the water content. By the end of this process, the leaves should bepliable enough to be rolled.
Rolling:
From the withering racks, the leaves are now twisted and rolled so that the leaf cells are broken up. Sometimes shaking is done as well. Oils are released withthis rolling process that give the tea its distinctive aroma. The leaves can berolled with machinery or by hand. The juices that are released remain on the leaf;a chemical change will occur shortly.
 
Oxidation:
This is the chemical process where oxygen is absorbed. This process beganonce the leaf membranes were broken during the rolling process. Oxidationcauses the leaves to turn bright copper in color. This process is the main decidingfactor whether we have Green, Oolong or Black tea.
Drying or Firing:
In this stage the leaves are dried evenly and thoroughly without burning theleaves. Firing the leaves stops the oxidation process.Although tea is consumed everywhere, it is produced only in certain regionswhere the climate and the soil are ideal. The foremost tea regions are in
China,Japan, Taiwan, India and Sri Lanka
. China and Japan produce some of thefinest green tea in the world. Taiwan has some of the best oolongs. India and SriLanka are the home of some of the best black tea found anywhere.
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