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The history of tea is steeped in oriental traditions in more ways than one.
Sometimes when you reach for a cuppa, you are searching for
a robust or bright tea or cuppa with substance. This is
what I describe as a man’s cup – something with body that enlivens the spirit and reawakens
the senses. You might enjoy this cup if
you’ve been on your feet all day or had a particularly busy day and just need a
moment or two to regroup and recharge.
You know what type of tea I mean by this once you’ve taken
your first steaming sip. You lean
forward, drink from your trusty every day cup and then you relax back into your
chair and go “aaah, that’s better”.
Sometimes you’ll even hold the cup to your body and allow your hands to
encompass the full expanse of it as you enjoy its warmth and take in its strength
and aroma. This is what I call the
invigorating cup – or a cup full of yang.
If, on the other hand you feel like you need a soothing or gentle
cup of tea because you feel vulnerable, or weary of soul or in need of some TLC,
then through instinct you will probably choose a tea which I describe as having
female qualities. Tie Guan Yin or Kuan Yin for instance
is a wonderful example of a yin tea – it personifies the very essence of yin –
it is sustaining but at the same time is receptive and giving. Kuan Yin’s western name is the “Iron Goddess
or the Goddess of Mercy” and is type of oolong grown on the highest mountain
in the Anxi region, in the Fujian Province of China. It is said to be one of the few teas created through divine inspiration. It is shares similarities to
green tea but offers a buttery floral finish which you can tell has been
processed in a way that brings out all its femininity. It particularly complements desserts and
fruits. Not only does it offer a beautifully
well rounded, smooth but light cup full of delicate flowery notes, the leaves
fully open again. As the leaves unfurl
they reveal themselves in their full glory - strong, intact, juicy, pliable and
rich in colour. We drink in its quiet
strength.
Hint: Next time you reach for a cuppa – take note of the
energy of tea. Each tea offers you so
much by way of how it has been processed, its delicate or robust flavour
profile, its colour, its depth and even the cup you choose to drink from. Enjoy and appreciate the very essence of the
tea.
Words
and image contributed by Tea Master, Suzi van Middelkoop from Tea by the Sea.
