White tea has caught the imagination of several western tea drinkers due to its unique and delicate flavour and organic image.
The organic image comes from it being one of the least processed teas, there being only two easy steps in its production – ‘withering’ and ‘dehydrating’. The processes found in production of Green, Oolong, Black tea are usually extensions or additions of the primary process to include ‘rubbing’, ‘shaping’ or ‘baking’. The almost ‘unprocessed’ nature minimises the break down of the enzymes and oxidization.
By reason of its simpler and common production process, some historians think that White Tea was one of many very original Chinese teas, its use dating back at the very least two thousand years. The simple process of its production has been honed into an art form over time practiced by skilled and experienced exponents.
White tea’s production is almost exclusive to the FuJian province of Southern China, its natural environment being particularly fitted to the plants’ cultivation. Production is focused in areas such as FuDing and ZhengHe, characterized by a hilly terrain, mild temperature and abundant regular rain. FuDing, for example, has a year conditions of 18oC and rain 1660mm. The soil in these areas is predominately a red or yellow colour.
All teas (excluding herbals) are made from the same plant called “Camellia sinensis”. There are some premium species that are cultivated specially for making premium white tea, for instance, FuDing Da Hao (Big Fur), ZhengHe and FuAn Big White. Premium tea leaves have fuller/stronger bodies in comparison to their closest sibling green tea. The leaf tips are usually covered by rich silvery white fur, which forms the ‘silver’ appearance of the final product such as Silver Needle.
The FuJian province of Southern China is really a traditional tea country, famous for Oolong and some Green Teas – as well as its White Tea Production. Despite the Chinese tendency to preserve trade secrets, over two thousand years of tea production and export to other lands has led to leakage of skills and knowledge necessary for processing many Chinese teas. For example the processing knowledge for green and black teas has eventually been exported to foreign countries. The specialist skills connected with White Tea production have up to now remained in the Fujian region.
Imitation products are sold available on the market. The plants found in these imitated products are color-lightened (whitened). The manufacture can be different. A processing step ‘Sha Qing – traditionally used in green tea extract production is added rather than the ‘withering’ step – the distinctive process in making authentic premium White Tea.
White Tea is not as widely consumed in China as other styles because of the highly localized production. livro um curso em milagres pdf gratis has contributed to its value. Premium silver needle is specially treasured and associated with gift giving. Outside of China, and amongst Chinese expatriates, White Tea popularity keeps growing.