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Oolong Tea - Sampler, Background, and Gift
Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, second only to water. It is an infusion of processed leaves, buds, or twigs of a tea bush steeped in hot water, to offer a multitude of subtle medicinal benefits and comfort. Originating in southeast Asia, tea has an array of creation myths, including Chinese Emperor Shennong's serendipitous consumption of the mystic beverage in 2737 B.C.
Containing more than 700 chemicals, tea possesses proven health benefits like antioxidants, heart disease prevention, blood pressure normalization, and aid for digestion. Whether drinking for spiritual fulfillment or medicinal aid, tea is a comforting beverage enjoyed hot or cold, green or black, sweet or earthy.
Oolong is a category of tea possessing a variety of oxidation levels. It can range anywhere from 10 to 70 percent oxidation. This allows oolong to be one of the more versatile teas. There are literally hundreds of different kinds of oolong tea each with a unique taste. Depending on altitude, processing and packaging, oolong tea may be bitter or sweet.
Oolong tea is basically the leaves of the camellia sinensis that have been processed a certain way. It is one of the four types of teas (white, green, oolong, and black).
Oolong teas are the most difficult of the four types of teas to process. The best way to describe oolong tea is that they are somewhere in between green and black tea. This is because they are only partially oxidized during the processing.
Oolong tea is the tea that is usually served in traditional Chinese restaurants. This tea is almost always brewed to be very strong in taste. It gives the tea drinker an aftertaste that will remind them of something sweet. Some people say it is more like green tea but without the vegetable taste, while others say it is far removed from the fragrant odor that can be counted on with black teas. The truth is that oolong tea, when properly prepared, has an aroma and taste that sets it apart from both green tea and black tea.
When teas are categorized they are broken down into the classifications; odor, taste and aftertaste. Oolong tea, because of the process of roasting, the leaves removes most of the odor. This process appears to diminish any potentially sour aftertaste. Many people feel that this process of roasting makes the tea easier on a person's stomach. Like the white teas this one should not be prepared in boiling water and should steep no more than a few minutes.
Perhaps one of the most common mistakes that people make when preparing oolong tea at home is they allow it to steep far too long, resulting in a bitter aftertaste. The easiest way to prepare the tea properly is to boil the water then let it cool to about one hundred and eighty five degrees and then make the tea, setting a timer so that the steeping time does not exceed three to five minutes at the most. Many people feel that if it is made in boiling water than it will lose its flavor.
If you are ready to enjoy something new in the taste of teas, then give oolong tea a try. It is available in many tea sampler gift baskets.