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Learning Column |
Sensors
ON! Tea is not only meant to be enjoyed through taste. We were given many senses to enjoy life and tea should be no different. Because tea is like life it can be bitter, sweet, hot, cold, but in the end you realize how wonderful it all is. In fact, after calling up touch, scent, sight, and sound to join in on the fun, your taste buds will wonder where they were the rest of the time. Touch: Play around with some of the selected tea leaves and botanicals. What do they feel like before and after brewing? Feel the warmth of the water temperature. While a thermometer is an excellent resource to have in you tea toolbox, here is a tea bit that will help you get “in touch” with your tea; Gently place the back of your hand on a pot of hot, not boiling, water. Try to determine when the pot feels like the same temperature as your hand. Since our bodies are naturally around 98 degrees Fahrenheit, when the water and your body temperature feel the same, the water should be around 98 degrees. With practice, you will be able to determine warmer temperatures for the appropriate tea. Not only will this impress your friends, but you will begin to get “in touch” with your senses. Speaking of getting “in touch” that is one of the great benefits of tea. It allows you to get in touch with your self (mind, body and soul). It helps calm the mind while relaxing the body and soul. If you are feeling sluggish and need to recharge tea each sip of tea will give you what you are looking for. As you feel each sip of tea slide down your throat you can feel yourself slowly letting go of the days worries and start to live in the present moment and enjoying everything around you. Scent: Sight: Sound: Taste: Tasting Terms / Astringency (PUCKER UP): Not to be confused with bitterness, astringency is attributed with the thirst quenching characteristics of tea. Astingency is the dry, refreshing sensation caused by tannins, just like various red wines. Briskness and bite can also be grouped in this category. / Biscuity (FRESH FROM THE OVEN): A sweet malted flavor with a velvety body, reminiscent of baked bread and often present in black teas. To keep things simple, Smoky and Toasty will be grouped in this category. / Citrusy/Fruity/Flowery (FLAVAHH): A citrus fruit flavor such as orange, lemon, grapefruit, or tangerine—a sweet fruit flavor such as lychee, raspberry, or mango—a floral flavor such as jasmine, rosebuds, or lavender. These flavors can be directly attributed to the tea leaf and/or from combining essences. / Complexity (DRAMA): If this tea was a relationship how confusing would it be… one moment its sweet, than there’s a little tart. And before the taste is through, bam! An astringent aftertaste. Some teas are complicated. For the interest of simplicity, Finish, Balance, and Body will be grouped in this category. / Strength (SUPER HERO EFFECT): Refers to the intensity of flavor, aroma, and color. Qauntity of tea, temperature of water, and steeping time of tea can all attribute to the strength of the tea. / Vegetal (HOW DO YOU, DEW): A characteristic of green teas that include grassy, herby of marine flavors. Tastes can be compared to a fresh cut, morning dew grass… who would have thought this is an amazing flavor note! |
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