Anji white tea gallery

'High' tea in the Bavarian Alps - Anji white tea

Tea drinking has always been a source of excitement for my taste buds. When we celebrated my birthday on 11.11.11, we decided to make a trip to the mountains where we can enjoy the breathtaking view that the mountains have to offer. Needless to say, there was tea. A sort of tea and view pairing.

Food for the senses and definitely the best therapy for my weary soul. The alpine air reminds me of freshness and vibrancy. So I decided to brew Anji White tea for the occasion. It is a relatively new breed among famous teas in Zhejiang Province.

Anji tea is processed like a green tea, but it is termed "white tea" because the tea buds harvested in early spring appear to be so. The higher the grade, the whiter the tea buds. Anji white tea also has a deceivingly light-coloured infusion.

For this reason, I'll take the liberty of coining Anji white tea as the champagne of teas. The brew is pale in colour, yet very aromatic with a vibrant and grassy flavour that isn't as overpowering as low-grade green teas tend to be. Sounds just like the perfect flute of bubbly.   
 
Once again, the characteristic leafy green colours confirm that Anji white tea is in fact a product of the green tea processing method. This shade of green is a vivid reminder of ornamental jade. The leaves are beautifully slender and smell elegantly perfumed, leaving you wishing for more like a savoury dish does to your appetite. The smells of the opened leaves become heavily accentuated.

The amino acid content of Anji white tea is higher than most teas, resulting in a mild and slightly sweet flavour that gives you an overall feeling of calmness.

This tea contains at  least 6-8% amino acids, of which at least 2.5% is theanine. This roughly translates into 3-4 times the level of theanine found in other Chinese green teas.

Tea has four basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. L-Theanine contributes to the fifth element, which is termed unami or broth-like. Tea tasters often rate the unami taste most highly, as this is considered to be the single most important determinant of tea quality.

Blogeintrag auf Deutsch: Hochland Tee in den bayrischen Alpen - weißer Anji-Tee

One drink, different meanings

I came across this short piece of text today as I was going through a catalogue from Germany:

"Tea, one of the world's oldest beverages, has many different meanings for people. In China and Japan, drinking tea provides inner cleansing - in England, drinking tea is an expression of a certain quality of life, as well as an indispensable part of everyday life. .."

Immediately, I thought, "inner cleansing", bull's eye! An aptly put expression that described my initial perception towards tea. I started drinking Japanese green tea on a regular basis some ten years ago. Affordable, great for quenching my thirst and certainly kept me awake during lectures in school as a more beneficial alternative to coffee, Sencha always gives me a sensation of physical inner cleansing each time I took a sip from my cup. I feel healthier, stronger, and better.

Today, tea isn't just a health beverage for me. The cleansing process that comes to mind has transcended the limits of the body and entered my mind, soul and most importantly my heart. My perception of tea has certainly evolved over time.What began as a simple thought of "tea for health" has come a long way.

Longjing Tea 龙井

It has been too long since I visited Hangzhou, China. Whenever I miss this place, I would help myself to a warm and comforting brew of  Longjing tea "龙井". This chestnutty, fragrant, green tea is Hangzhou's gift to the world. I bet the gods must be thirsty now!

In their dried form, Longjing tea leaves are flat and broad, almost like sabre blades . They have a fresh and slightly nutty and seductive waft to them. It's absolute pleasure to own a "piece" of Hang Zhou in this way. 

To begin, I brought water to a boil and warmed my three-piece cup set also known as a Gaibei. Next, I discard the water and my warm cup is ready for the first infusion. Add just enough tea leaves to cover the base of the cup and steadily add boiling water to the leaves. Replace the lid and let the infusion do its magic as the leaves unfold and release warm and strong scents reminiscent of the lush tea plantations on the hillsides of scenic Hangzhou. For a brief second, my camera lens was slightly fogged up as a result. The sight and smell of this mini tea ceremony are simply divine.

Good tea serves also as a very effective thirst quencher. I have no doubts about this one. Nutty, fresh and long lasting fragrant notes sum it up for me!