Oolong, or Wu Long as it is also known, Tea is grown in the mountainous Fujian Province of China and in Taiwan. This is definitely tea for the connoisseur, being handpicked, lightly fermented, hand rolled and then dried with great care.
The resulting tea is more akin to the green teas of china than the black teas, with the advantage of having a less ‘vegetal’ and more flavorsome taste than green tea.
History
It is said that Oolong Tea goes back 400 years, to the end of the Ming Dynasty, a time of great cultural development and invention in Chinese History. It was first grown in the area of Mount Wu Yi Shan in Fujian Province and later spread throughout Asia.
Nutritional Aspects of Oolong (Wu Long) Teas
Oolong tea is rich in enzymes that help break down foods so that they are more efficiently metabolized. For this reason it has been claimed by some to be a slimming aid.
Oolong is rich in minerals, including Potassium, Phosphorus, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Selenium, Copper and Fluorine. In addition, it contains Carotene and Lutein, powerful anti-oxidants. It is a source of ant-oxidising vitamins A, B and, C and contains detoxifying alkaloids such as Theine, Theophyline, Theobromine, and amino acid Theanine which is reputed to be calming.
All this makes Oolong tea beneficial for the digestive health, for detoxification and it is also reputed to be a natural anti-carcingoen.
How to Make Ooling Tea
- Choose filtered water if possible
- Boil the kettle and then leave for 2 minutes (Oolong needs 95° ideally)
- Place 1-2 teaspoons of Oolong tea in your warmed cup
- Leave to infuse for 3 – 4 minutes
Don’t throw away the leaves when you have finished your cup. You can make 2 or three flavorful cups of tea from the same leaves
The Chinese Wedding Tea Ceremony
This charming ritual takes place after the wedding ceremony, and is a way of giving thanks and showing respect to parents and other members of the bride and groom’s families. Starting with their parents, the newlyweds invite each of their relatives in turn to drink tea, addressing each one by their formal title (e.g. Mother in Law, Third Aunt, Elder Brother, etc).
Kneeling before their seated relatives, bride on the left and groom on the right, the ceremony begins. After serving their parents, the rest of the family are served proceeding from the oldest to the youngest. In return, the newlyweds are presented with lucky red envelopes containing either money or jewellery which are placed on the tea tray. Those who are assisting in the ceremony also receive red envelopes.
References
Chinese Tea Ceremony: L.K.Yee
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