Serving Tea
Manufacturing tea and coffee products remains a key component in Canadian industry. Tea, as we know it today, has undergone several changes throughout history. For coffee, the food service industry reports a growth rate close to double digits in 2005.
Recognized for its health benefits, 15,000 cups of tea are consumed per second by people all around the world. It is the second best health beverage, second only to water.
A few products
for serving tea
Etymology of "Tea"
The word "tea" takes us back to seaways and roads. In fact, some European countries, except for Portugal and Russia, use a word that begins with "t" to refer this drink. They were introduced to tea by seaway from the Fujian region, where native spoke the Amoy dialect and used the terms "tay" or "t'e".
Others use sounds such as "tch" or "ch" because they were introduced to tea by land where Cantonese "ch’a" or Mandarin "tchaï" vocabulary was spoken. This is the case for Russia, Turkey, Iran, the Middle East and Tibet to name only a few.
History of Tea
The history of tea is found around the world, but originated in China. The symbol used was pronounced "tê" and signified "bitter herb ".
After a few years of development in China, tea crossed the Sea of Japan and made its way to the Japanese island. Tea was imported from China to Japan with Buddhism in the VIIIth century. It was only at the end of the XIIth century that a true tea culture was established. Upon their discovery, the English, replaced their favourite beverage at the time, coffee, with tea!
In short, the tealeaf can actually claim that it had an influence all around the world. It is grown in South America, Africa, Georgia, Turkey, Iran, Indonesia, Vietnam, Mauritius, Azores Islands, Malaysia, etc. Britain, Paris and Corsica also made some not very conclusive attempts to grow the plant!
Properties of Tea
All teas result from the same plant, the Camellia Sinensis. What distinguishes them is simply the environment, soil, altitude, time of harvest and method of transformation.
Teas have many beneficial properties, particularly against cancer and cardiac diseases. Green tea has a reputation for preventing cancer while white tea is even more so.
Why is white tea one of the most expensive teas in the world?
Researchers believe that its method of preparation explains the difference: it undergoes few changes after the harvest and thus preserves a maximum of aromas and all its qualities.
Health researchers claim that teas that have been slightly transformed are better than those that undergo more changes. Thus, white tea is superior to green tea, which is superior to black tea.
An excellent antioxidant
Tea leaves contain a powerful antioxidant, which acts against free radicals and protects our cells from daily stressors.
Free radicals are cell parts, which roam and damage our cells. Scientists believe that these "wounds" caused by the free radicals are at the root of certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases and strokes.
According to the American scientific magazine Free Radical Research, the amount of antioxidants found in 2 cups of tea would equal the amount found in:
- 7 glasses of orange juice
- 20 glasses of apple juice
- 6 apples
- 3 and a half glasses of black current juice.
The majority of antioxidants found in tea (85%) are released within the first three to five minutes of infusion. This antioxidant ability from tea is four times as powerful as from vitamin C. Gallate Epigallocatecl-3, one of the tea's constituents, is alone 200 times more antioxidant than vitamin E!
Positive Health Benefits
Regular consumption of tea is a great health benefit. It can reduce the risks of:
- Cardiovascular diseases: tea (slightly) stimulates the heart, softens blood vessels, prevents the arteriosclerosis and dilates the blood, which reduces blood clots from forming.
- Cancers: particularly those caused by tobacco (lung, pancreas, mouth, oesophagus, larynx, kidney, bladder) and dietary habits in the western world (colon, rectum, prostate, breast, ovary, endometrium).
- Strokes: tea has an antithrombotic effect.
Other tea properties:
- Increases attentiveness
- Stimulates the intellect
- Dilates capillary vessels
- Reduces stress
- Haemostatic agent
- Anti-infectious dysentery agent
- Diuretic agent.
How to Prepare a Good Cup of Tea
There are eight golden rules:
- Prepare your teapot and your teacups by preheating them with boiling water. This will avoid a thermal shock when serving the tea and will then keep them warmer for much longer.
- After a few minutes, remove the water from the teapot. Then add the amount of tea you will be serving, which is kept in a tea canister or as tea bags.
- Leave the leaves in your empty teapot for a few minutes. You can also use a tea infuser to avoid having to fish the leaves afterwards. At this point, the remaining steam left behind by the boiling water will enable the tealeaves to open and release their flavours
- Pour the water that is heated to the adequate temperature into the teapot. Be careful not to pour boiling water as it could break your tea.
- Let the tea steep for the recommended time according to its type. When you reach the perfect time, stop the infusion by removing the leaves from the water using a tong. If you skip this step, your tea will overflow.
- Do not stir your tea. Tea has its own dynamics: it lives and evolves. Thus, every cup has a different taste. Every cup is unique with its own differences, character and structure. Drinking several cups from the same teapot becomes an initiatory journey that is never identical.
- Empty the warm water from the cups and serve the tea.
- A cup of tea that is too hot does not completely express itself. Savour it when it is warm, or slightly hot, when its bouquet will be in full bloom. Then, while waiting for your tea to reveal itself, inhale its delicate and ephemeral aroma.
Water Temperature
The tea's water temperature is very important. It varies according to the type of tea that is being served.
You can take the water's temperature by simply using a thermometer, which you can find in a basting set.
The following table presents a summary of the names given to the water according to its temperature as well as the teas associated to these temperatures.
| Name of water | Temperature (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Standing | 50 | |
| Heated | between 55 and 65 | Green Teas (let steep for 1 to 5 min) White Teas (let steep for 7 to 20 min) |
| Simmering | between 65 and 75 | Green Teas (let steep for 1 to 5 min) White Teas (let steep for 7 to 20 min) |
| Boiling | between 75 and 85 | Green Teas (let steep for 1 to 5 min) Wu Longs (let steep for 7 min) White Teas (let steep for 7 to 20 min) |
| Gentle boil | between 85 and 95 | Green Teas (let steep for 1 to 5 min) Wu Longs (let steep for 7 min) |
| Rolling boil | between 95 and 99 | Black Teas (let steep for 3 to 7 min) |
To accompany the tea ...
When serving tea, it is recommended to offer guests milk and sugar. There are milk and sugar sets that will add some charm to your service. It is also common to serve dark chocolate with tea. Cut small pieces of dark chocolate and place them in a dessert plate.
What if you served tea with some bubbles?
Bubble tea has become the new trend! Invented in Taiwan in the 1980s, Bubble Tea is a fusion of tea, ice cubes, fruit aromas, milk and tapioca, all mixed in a blender.
The name Bubble Tea comes from the bubbles and froth that is formed on the beverage's surface during the mixture.
The beverage can be consumed cold or warm, several flavours can be added and several teas can be used. Very popular in Asia, the trend is slowly being introduced to the United States in California. It is easy to prepare and children will love it.
Let your imagination run wild, try every flavour and serve it with a big straw in order to completely savour your refreshing beverage!