2017年7月31日星期一

片，片茶；日本茶種類多一片通曉

【知識片】日本茶種類多一片通曉

2017年08月01日

同樣是茶，日本茶跟台灣茶的風味可是差了十萬八千里，你知道其中的差別嗎？
日本茶是在茶葉採收之後，先以高溫蒸汽進行｢殺菁｣，令茶葉中的酵素停止發酵，也就是所謂的未發酵茶，與經過發酵的台灣茶最大的差別就在這邊。
經過殺菁的茶葉，再透過反覆揉捻或是使用機器整形、烘乾，就成為常見的煎茶。而煎茶再經過經過高溫焙炒，令茶葉帶有烘焙香氣，就是所謂的焙茶。而日本茶中最高級的玉露，則是在茶葉採收前20天搭設棚架隔絕陽光照射，並以人工採收一心二葉的嫩芽，減少兒茶素產生，因此價格不僅高昂，且少了苦澀味，更多了甘甜的旨味。若是將玉露的茶葉研磨成粉，就是日本茶道常用的抹茶。學會了嗎？下次看到日本茶，就不會再霧煞煞囉！(石永豪╱綜合報導)

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片

片茶。古代的一種餅茶，相當於後來的磚茶或沱茶。唐白居易《謝李六郎中寄新蜀茶》：“紅紙一封書後信，綠芽十片火前春。”五代徐夤《尚書惠蠟面茶》：“武夷春暖月初圓，採摘新芽獻地仙，飛鵲印成香蠟片，啼猿溪走木蘭船。”宋梅堯臣《王仲儀寄䏁鬥豆寸㗱茶》：“白乳葉家春，銖兩直錢萬……宜言難購多，串片大可寸。”

2017年7月12日星期三

ALGERIAN GREEN MINT TEA

公視"看見阿爾及利亞"中，談到喝薄荷茶時，前三杯/道，味道多不同。

ALGERIAN GREEN MINT TEA

July 4, 2015

Mint tea can be referred to by many names; Saharan, Maghrebi, and most commonly as Moroccan Tea. All the same, they are served in most North African countries in the Maghreb region. The serving of tea is a sort of ceremony especially when prepared for a guest. Typically three glasses are served and each glass will vary in taste because of how long the tea has steeped. It is also considered impolite to refuse which is hard since the first glass will always be the most bitter. Both dried and fresh mint can be used to infuse the tea. The tea to be used is a special Chinese green tea called gunpowder which refers to the leaves that are rolled tightly into pearls and explode like gunpowder in the water. Watching the tea being poured is truly a delight. How they grasp a piping hot copper tea pot and able to pour it into a glass two feet away is beyond me. Pouring it from that height aerates the tea, improving its flavor. Using my recipe your tea will be just as good as being prepared like the natives. With more practice you’ll be pouring like them too!

Special Tools Needed:

Tea Pot
Small Strainer (most teapots have one in the spout)
Oven Mitt (I can’t grasp my handle without one)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons gunpowder green tea
1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar
handful of mint leaves (fresh or dried)
10 cups water

Directions:

Place tea pearls inside teapot.
Bring water to a boil, then immediately pour half of it into teapot, subsequently pouring the water from the teapot out. (this washes the tea, let the water sit for more than a few seconds and it will cause the tea to become weak)
Put mint leaves into the teapot, the heat from the pot will sweat the oils from the leaves.
Bring the remaining water back to a boil and add in sugar.
Pour the sugared water into the teapot.
Let sit for a few minutes.
Serve with cookies.

*The tea and mint should be left in the teapot and at times it does get into the tea glasses but it adds a different flavor with each glass. Most times candles are lit as well to create an ambience.