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Earl Grey is a tea blend scented with the oil of the fruit called citrus bergamia.
Varieties
All true teas (infusions made from herbs are technically called
tisanes) start from the fresh green leaves of the tea plant, Camellia
sinensis; the way they’re processed accounts for the differences in
color and flavor.
BlackWhat it is: Accounting for 80 percent of all tea sold worldwide (90 percent in the United States), black tea is brisk and full-bodied enough to stand up to milk and sugar. Like oolong, it has half the caffeine of coffee (green and white teas have about a third).
How it’s made: It’s fully fermented, meaning the leaves are dried long enough to oxidize fully, which produces that dark color and flavor.
How to brew: Bring the water to a rolling boil. Steep one teaspoon or bag per cup for three to five minutes.
GreenWhat it is: Popular in Japan and China, and the tea most studied for it’s potential health benefits, this yellow-green brew has a light, earthy, sweet taste.
How it’s made: It’s unfermented. Leaves are heated to destroy the enzymes that cause oxidation.
How to brew: To avoid bitterness, heat water to just below the boil, or let it boil, then set it aside for 10 minutes. Steep one teaspoon or bag per cup for one to two minutes.
OolongWhat it is: A cross between black tea’s strength and green tea’s freshness, oolong is medium-bodied, smoky, and a bit fruity. Some connoisseurs believe that adding milk or sugar to oolong masks its particular appeal.
How it’s made: It’s partially fermented - the leaves oxidize for a shorter period than with black tea.
How to brew: Bring the water just to the boil. Steep one teaspoon or bag per cup for three to seven minutes.
WhiteWhat it is: The rarest of teas, and expensive, this usually comes from two regions in China and has a very brief picking season. It’s a fragrant, almost colorless brew that’s lighter-tasting and sweeter than green.
How it’s made: It’s unfermented, made from the unopened silver buds and outer leaf tips, which are simply air-dried. Since white is the least processed of all teas, it preserves the most antioxidants.
How to brew: Heat the water as you would for green tea, then steep one teaspoon per cup for 3 to 10 minutes.
History
Over the centuries, through countless experiments, people have found way to derive the most pleasure and benefit from herbs. Usually that meant blending them. Although some people prefer a single herb’s flavor alone, most enjoy the synergistic effect of several in a blend.
Simples and blends. That said, the first herbal teas were almost certainly made from one herb at a time. A single herb was known as a simple; the process of experimenting with it was called simpling. Simpling is still the best way to appreciate the flavors and effects of each herb and to understand how blending enhances them.
Some herbs, such as chamomile or peppermint, are frequently enjoyed in their unblended form. Others, such as valerian and goldenseal, have a bitter taste best disguised by the addition of other herbs and spices. Certain combinations blend so happily that they are classics; linden blossoms and peppermint, for instance, or rose hips and hibiscus.