The Yunnan Province is located in the south of China. This region is not only known for its cultural diversity, the beautiful mountain landscapes and the delectable cuisine; the famous pu-erh tea also finds its origin in Yunnan. Be sure to read this blog to learn all about it!
What kind of special tea is this?
In the world of tea, we distinguish six tea categories; green tea, yellow tea, black tea, oolong tea, white tea and pu-erh tea. These teas all come from the Camellia Sinensis tea plant. The difference in teas is therefore not due to the raw materials, but due to the difference in the processing method of the tea leaves.
Pu-erh tea usually has the same tea base as green tea. The difference is that the tea leaves are fermented, which creates nice deep and aromatic flavors. Originally, this fermentation process is quite time consuming and can take up to ten years in some cases. Of course, something clever has been invented! The tea leaves are kept in a warm and humid rooms after picking, so that the fermentation process speeds up. Besides several health benefits, the fermentation provides delicious aromas and a somewhat sweet aftertaste as well!
How to recognize good quality
First of all, the origin has a major influence on the quality. The tea comes from the Yunnan province and the leaves are picked from trees instead of tea bushes. These trees are sometimes even more than a hundreds of years old!
Also the taste is an important quality factor; it should be sweet, intense and even slightly fruity. This makes pu-erh tea a perfect match with roasted meat, dim sum and heavier meals.
Did you know that you can drink pu-erh tea the Kung Fu way? This means, among other things, that many leaves are used and relatively little water. You can then make tea several times from these tea leaves.
Besides the taste and origins, you can also recognize good quality pu-erh tea by the somewhat thicker tea leaves and its firm body, all of which are still intact.
A healthy drink
In general, several health benefits are associated with drinking tea. Pu-erh tea is also said to be healthy to drink, because it stimulates digestion and blood circulation due to the oxidative properties.
Try it our yourself!
The tea sommeliers of Zheng Tea Room also have a selection of beautiful pu-erh teas! Via our webshop we offer both the Pu Erh Royal Palace and the White Pu Erh.
White Pu Erh
A white tea that has been aged a bit longer than a normal Silver Needle white tea, which makes the tea smooth and soft in taste. The tea is made from only the top of the tea plant and comes from Yunnan.
Pu Erh Royal Palace:
The picked leaf is placed in a pile under controlled conditions. The room is kept moist and warm for a few months so that the leaf ferments. The tea has earthy notes.
