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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Tea Talk with Astro Joe

Sometimes, it's just nice to relax with a cup of tea.

I have always found tea a nice respite and used to enjoy reading the Sunday morning papers with a hot cup of tea and Mozart. But somewhere along the way, things get pushed aside...only to be rediscovered again.

Of recent, I have found myself prepping some evening tea and have been enjoying the drink whilst watching me some Star Trek: The Next Generation along with some Mexican pastries. It is also a nice drink to go along with post-observation sessions - coming in from cold evenings and early mornings. And certain recent developments have me looking into the health benefits of Green Tea with high concentrates of EGCG and other goodies.

I thought to approach this as cleanly and unbiast(ly) as I can and document the various teas that I have enjoyed and will experiment tasting.

Assembling the implements...

I will use what I have on hand

From bottom right:

Tea bag tongs

2 strainers, one fine mesh and one coarse

one tea infuser spoon

One custard 2 oz cup - (Somewhere, someplace I have a pretty neat white Tea set...but dunno where it's at. So for now, custard cup.

Three favored cups from life's defining activities of the Chicago Astronomer - My Chicago Public Schools - Benito Juarez Local School Council Cup, My Adler Planetarium cup & my Chicago Police Dept - 012th District cup...all have served for my special tea times

One Infrared digital thermometer

One 4oz graduated beaker glass

...and a kitty tea pot...just because

The custard cup will serve as my tasting vessel. At 2oz, enough to discern the characteristics of the teas and will show the hue of the drink. Also no sweeteners to be included in the initial tastings, (although I do enjoy my teas rather on the sweet side.)

I measure off 2oz in the beaker and heat it up...

I don't have a Bunsen burner and feel that a torpedo heater is over kill, so into a regular pot on top of the stove. While that's heating up, I pack the infuser spoon with my first tea of the series...

It will be Japanese Green SenchaTea.

$20.50 a pound - I got 1/8th @$3.50

Sencha is an interesting tea, as the growing and especially the harvesting & processing is very specific, intensifying the flavor and it's beneficial compounds:

The process by which sencha and other Japanese ryokucha (緑茶, green tea) is created differs from Chinese green teas, which are initially pan-fired (and could probably, therefore, more accurately be called "roasted" teas). Japanese green tea is first steamed for between 15–20 seconds to prevent oxidization of the leaves. Then, the leaves are rolled, shaped, and dried. This step creates the customary thin cylindrical shape of the tea. Finally, after drying, the leaves are fried to aid in their preservation and to add flavor.

Japanese green teas are famous for their umami taste, a flavor best described as the natural sweetness of the tea leaf, tasting like ocean and refreshing spring greens. This pronounced taste, occurring at different intensities depending on the tea, is directly related to how the tea was cultivated and processed. Generally, high grades of matcha, gyokuro and sencha teas have the strongest, sweet umami flavor.

The leaves are indeed dark green and tightly curled. Aromatic, almost like a light incense.

Measuring the water at 121 degrees, this tea does not like extremely hot liquid. Softer temps make for a mellower drink.

Leaving the infuser spoon in the hot water for three minutes and agitating - the color is a yellow w/ slightly green.

Slightly bitter, and astringent, reminds me of strong Dandelion or Chamomile tea - heavy on the grassy side. Sensed mostly on the side of the tongue, it has a cleansing affect. A slight aftertaste, but not offensive.

A full cup of the tea, with ample Stevia sweetener, (regular sugar is horrible for the immune system), it's not a bad drink. Not one of my top favorites, but ok.

It will have a place for it's concentrated anti-oxidants at the estates.

Next on the list: Pu Erh Tea.

[cathy]

Haha! You are hilarious!
That's what I love about TCA - there's stuff you wouldn't see on any other space blog.

I drink cold tea infusions - stinging nettle, chickweed, burdock root, oatstraw... many different kinds. Stinging nettle and oatstraw in particular are so good for you it's just about ridiculous.
They are so stupid-high in things like iron (so important for women) and calcium (ditto) that it's crazy not to drink them.
As far as hot tea, I drink rooibos (red tea) --- did you know it has FIVE HUNDRED TIMES the antioxidants of green tea?
I like green tea, too, but rooibos tea has the most delightful hint of spice in it - no sweetener needed.

I should do a "Potent Potables with the Astronaut Garrett Reisman Fan Club" at my blog... LOL!
I look for potent potables with space themes - like Gemini beer, which I bought from a liquor store in my former 'hood, Rogers Park.
There are also scads of recipes online for Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster - but I'm too chicken to try that myself.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Cathy,

Other than the Nettle, I have never partaken in any of the aforementioned teas. But I am very interested in the Rooibos.

Space teas will catch on.

[RobbW]

I, too, enjoy a nice hot cup of tea now and then, Joe. Of late, I've become a convert to loose leaf tea (as opposed to tea bags; hate them) and have tried several green and white teas including Ancient Emerald Lilly Green Tea, Silver Needle Premium White Tea, Sencha, and Geisha Green. I bought a great tea mug from Rishi Tea. It is a clear glass handle-free mug with an infusion insert and a lid. I love using this mug as it allows the tea to steep in its unencumbered loose-leaf form. You put the infuser (basically a slightly smaller version of the mug with drain holes at the bottom) into the mug. Place loose leaf tea in the infuser, pour hot water over the tea into the mug, and cover. After your preferred steeping period, you remove the cover, place it upside-down on the counter, pull out the infuser and let the tea drain back into the mug, and then set the infuser into the inverted cover for later use. Makes for quite a tasty mug of joe, er... java... I mean, tea. Whatever!

Speaking of java, don't even get me started on the joys of home-roasting your own coffee. OMG, you've never had gourmet coffee this fresh and good, and for such a low price, too!

[RobbW]

Cathy, I must look into this red tea. I've never heard of it before. I was under the illusion that green and white teas packed the biggest antioxidant punch. Thanks for the heads up!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Robb,

Post a pic of your infuser device please.

I just may go all in on this new indulgence.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Pu-Erh Tea - The living Tea

Prepared in a similar fashion as the earlier Sencha...

It's a darker tea and robust. Very robust and let's you know it's in the house.

It smells like....entering the amphibian house at the Zoo. Very earthy and humid.

And...it tastes the same.

Not that it's bad, as it's like a deep, very deep tropical rain forest in your mouth...not the green part, but the lower root level area...with the mosses, rocks and tree bark. Gnomes, elves and trolls would especially dig this leaf.

It's not an entirely bad tasting tea, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. I'm sure being so raw in flavor, that it's chock full of elemental goodies.

Here is what is written about it:

In ancient times of China, Pu-erh Prefecture (now Pu-erh County) included Xishuangbanna, Simao and Lincang areas of Yunnan, where many famous tea mountains were located. Pu-erh was an important town in southern Yunnan and also the largest market for tea trade. Tea produced in these areas was therefore called “Pu-erh Tea”.

Pu-erh tea is made by using the tender leaves of large leaf tea as its raw material. This variety of tea has large leaves and grows high. Its inner quality is the best. Pu-erh tea can be picked almost all the year round. The best ones are those picked in the spring and autumn.

The brewed tea is darkly red, and has a bold, earthy taste. For optimum brewing, use boiling water. Unlike most other teas, Pu-erh is usually purchased in a compressed state rather than loose leaves.

The restorative and medical properties associated with Pu-erh tea is truly astonishing. Often referred to as the “Wonder Tonic” and the “Medicinal Tea”, Pu-erh tea has been hugely popular in China for over 1700 years. For centuries it was given as a tribute to the Emperor and high ranking officials within the Imperial Courts of China. Its high value and many health benefits lead to high demands and the frequency of the tributes gave it the title “Tribute Tea”.

Accounts on the health benefits and medical use of Pu-erh tea has been documented in various ancient scripts and famous books throughout Chinese history. Pu-erh tea is strongly believed to have wide ranging health benefits from anti aging, prevention of heart disease and cancer, diabetic control, removal of toxins to curing dysentery, inflammation, aiding digestion and weight loss, improving the eyesight, blood circulation and reviving those who are overly intoxicated with alcohol.

The long term consumption of Pu-erh tea is believed to help reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels and play an important role in preventing heart disease and cancer. Pu-erh tea made from wild old tea trees are reputed to be more potent, containing strong Qi (translated as "life energy" or "life force") that boosts the blood flow and helps the body's circulation. This as a result aids the removal of toxins and can cure minor aches and pains.

In many traditional Chinese restaurants especially those serving dim sum dishes Pu-erh tea is the customary drink served. Its ability to break down oily and fatty food and aid digestion makes it an ideal drink to have alongside delicious Chinese dishes that are often high in fat. After a heavy meal drinking Pu-erh tea is said to help clean the intestines and stomach. In some quarters Pu-erh tea is used as a slimming tea and consumed to assist with weight loss

I read that this tea goes for exorbitant prices for the very old stuff, circa 1930's and even older. sold in blocks...much like cheese.

I think it's a good part of my growing tea collection, but as a blend with other more delicate teas and have them fight it out in my mouth...drinking both the victor and the vanquished.

A good kick in the Qi is always good...

[cathy]

Robb, I buy mine from Starwest Botanicals. A pound of the rooibos bags is huge, and has lasted me months.
That's also where I get loose nettle, oatstraw, etc.

Joe, that tea is pretty, if nothing else.

[patrickm]

Todd and Holland (Forest Park)
www.todd-holland.com/

Tea Embassy (Austin)
www.teaembassy.com/

Argo Tea (Chicago) sells only organic tea
www.argotea.com

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Wong Lo Kat - The China Coca-Cola - (Or....what is swept from the forest floor)

This bag was laying in a large basket near the front door in the Chinese tea shop and at 95 cents, what the hell.

Opening the bag, I find what I sweep from my backyard sidewalk on a late summer day. Twigs, seeds and other detritus from gardening that I have raked up...

It's a very light hue of yellow with a slight scent. The taste is also light, and impacts the rear of the mouth and back of the tongue...which I really don't like. It reminds of heavy metals I taste from time to time while metal working, (grinding, welding etc...). It has sweet undertones and could be ingested without any added sweetener.

What I have found:

Wong Lo Kat (simplified Chinese: 王老吉; traditional Chinese: 王老吉; pinyin: wanglaoji) is a Chinese herbal drink, and one of the most popular soft drinks in China. Wong Lo Kat is the Cantonese transliteration of its name in Chinese characters. Wong Lo Kat originated in 1828 during the Qing Dynasty in Guangdong (Kwangtung) and Guangxi (Kwangsi) provinces of China, founded by a doctor Wong Chat Bong (simplified Chinese: 王泽邦; traditional Chinese: 王澤邦; pinyin: Wang Zebang).

Because the Wong family was the inventor of herbal tea brewing in southern China, the brand is synonymous with this type of drink and enjoys great value. The Wong Lo Kat brand is estimated at 2.244 billion RMB and sales at 12 billion RMB in 2008. In Mainland China it is available in red cans or small (250ml) cartons in most convenience stores.

Wong Lo Kat" (herbal drink) is a traditional herbal drink, a remedy to cool your body, if you have fever, sore throat, ulcers, etc...

Some one on Wikicommons said:

" Wong Lo Kat Herbal Tea is a famously bitter Chinese herbal tea. According to the packet, the contents should be simmered with five bowls of water for 2 hours.

I think the contents looks like garden mulch!"

It's quite the popular carbonated soda I understand:

But, it just isn't doing it for me. I understand it's not a causal tea drink, but more medicinal and specific. The manner of the aggregate of leaves, twigs and branches brings me suspect on quality control and purity.

I will keep it around - perhaps plant the seeds - and brew it up some in case of high temp conditions or raging lust...whichever applies.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Pouchong Tea - A smile in a cup

The leaves are very aggressive and coarse...and I expected a robust tea.

Not so.

It's a light delicate tea. Very bright, sunny and almost like a clear spring day. With a very light slight aroma of "green" it's not sweet at all, but rather leafy, leaving the earthy tones behind. There is nothing overpowering with this drink and cleansing.

Here's what I find:

Pouchong (Chinese: 包種茶; pinyin: Bāozhŏngchá) is a very lightly oxidized tea somewhere between green tea and what is usually considered Oolong tea (Chinese: 烏龍; pinyin: Wulong, 'Black Dragon'), though often classified with the latter due to its lack of the sharper green tea flavours. It is produced mainly in Fujian, China, and in Pinglin Township near Taipei, Taiwan.

Its name in Chinese, literally "the wrapped kind", refers to a practice of wrapping the leaves in paper during the drying process that has largely been discontinued due to advancement in tea processing. At its best, Pouchong gives off a floral and melon fragrance and has a rich, mild taste. Usually around the end of March, begins picking of this famous Taiwan "spring tea" (Chinese: 春茶).

Pouchong tea is a type of fermented tea that was originally grown in Taiwan. This type of tea is mild in flavor, though it is often mixed with other teas in order to produce a strong smell and taste. Many people often refer to this tea as "Chinese green tea" this is a misnomer, since green tea is not fermented, and pouchong tea does go through a slight fermentation process.

While teas labeled "pouchong tea" often come from various parts of the world, authentic pouchong tea is only grown in one specific area. The Pinglin Township, located near Taipei, is the only place in the world where true pouchong tea is produced. When picked, this type of tea is not compacted into a ball as most teas are. Instead, this type of tea is rolled into long strips that are then left to dry in the sun.

Together with green tea, oolong tea, and black tea, Pouchong tea has been shown to have antioxidant activity and antimutagenic properties. Catechins are important antioxidants in tea, and one study found Pouchong tea to have over three times the amount of these compounds relative to black tea, although it was found to have less than green or oolong teas. Pouchong is also known as Chinese Green tea by some. However, it is a slightly fermented tea (10%-20%), which differs from Green tea, a completely unfermented tea. When brewed, it produces a light yellow hue, a mild aroma, and a delicate flavor

Pouchong is a popular choice with producers of scented tea, with rose pouchong a particular favourite.

I like this tea and will blend it with others to develop a comfortable and satisfying tea.

[RobbW]

Okay, here's some pics of my tea infuser in action. The infuser consists of three parts: mug, infuser insert, and lid. The infuser insert has drain holes in the bottom and is inserted into the mug. The lid goes on top and can also be inverted and used to hold the infuser insert between uses.



On this night, I decided to brew up some Silver Needle Premium White Tea purchased from Rishi Tea. I store my tea in these nifty copper and stainless containers.





For hot water at the ready, I use the Keurig single cup brewer my wife got me for either my birthday or Christmas last year. It's a very handy device!



This is the loose leaf tea immediately after pouring in the water.



Halfway through the infusion.



And just at the end. As you can see, the loose tea has plenty of room to expand and come into full contact with the water.



Once complete (after 5 minutes in this case), you just pull out the infuser, let it drain and then set it into the inverted lid to rest until the next infusion.




White teas are very light, both in color and in taste.



If ever you need extra sweetness in your cup, I always recommend grabbing Mr. Bear!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Robb,

Excellent!

I dig your prep and documentation of the teadom.

(We got to do something during these cloudy, cold and dreary nights.)

I have something similar somewhere, in which one dunks a cage into the hot water filled with the leaf of choice, into a glass bottom part thingy. Now you are gonna make hunt it down.

But....very cool.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

With Robb's display of his infuser, I had to search for mine that I had for many years...and then just packed it away.

Only to be re-discovered again.

I like kitchen gadgets.

Blenders, food processers, specialty implements & machines, grinders, choppers, extruders etc... Most of them packed away from a kitchen remodel that never got finished.

But, I did find it...

Making a pot now as I post. Thowing in some Pouchong, Pu Erh and some loose leaf herbal blend.

Everything old is new.

[RobbW]

Hey Joe, are you a coffee drinker at all? If so, ohhhh boy, have I got a lot to talk about. I'm a fan of tea and all, but coffee is my true liquid passion of the caffeinated non-alcoholic variety! I love to roast my own beans and use multiple brewing methods that simply blow away today's "hurry up and instant brew it" offerings. You wouldn't believe the taste experiences that await you in the home-roasting world!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Robb,

I am not a coffee drinker and sorry I can't share the pleasures of it with you.

I kill all my coffees, (what little I have), with criminally insane amounts of cream & sugar.

[Paulie pchris00]

Dec 20, 2010 0:10:53 GMT -6 Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe said:

I kill all my coffees, (what little I have), with criminally insane amounts of cream & sugar.

I don't have a problem with criminally insane amounts of cream and sugar. Any beverage with caffeine and sugar is a friend of mine.

[patrickm]

The list of teas is from highest amount of EGCG to lowest per Foods to Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau.
Sencha-uchiyama
Gyokuro #1
Sencha #1
Sencha #2
Gyokuro #2
Pilo chun emperor
Gyokuro
Gyokuro
Matcha

EGCG content falls off drastically after Matcha, and for anticancer benefit, it's all in the EGCG. See the attachment from the book.

We buy it in loose leaf form from Todd and Holland out in the burbs or from the Tea Embassy in Austin.

I do not know if there is a difference between loose leaf vs. ground.


How to make a great cup of green tea with plenty of EGCG
Add 1 tsp green tea leaves for every 6 oz of liquid.
Fill kettle with filtered water from refrigerator and bring to a boil and then let sit for 3 minutes. Green tea is better at a slightly lower temp.
Fill the tea cup with hot water from the sink to warm the cup.
Discard tap water then pour hot water over loose tea leaves in strainer
Cover and let steep for 8-10 minutes. This drastically increases the amount of helpful polyphenols in tea.
Add lemon, lime, berries or a dash of juice along with 5-6 drops of agave nectar, which is five times sweeter than sugar and low in glycemic index. (Cancer feeds on sugar.)

Caffeine
First, tea contains 25% less caffeine than coffee and green tea contains less than regular tea. Good, young green tea, like the ones on the list, also contains a compound called theanine that apparently offsets the effects of caffeine, so that decaffeination is not needed. Mom and I have been drinking three cups a day, as recommended, and one of them is usually right before bedtime and neither of us has had any problem sleeping.

I have done some reading and also talked to a chemist friend, and I have learned that, generally speaking, decaffeination is a chemical process that strips out much of the good stuff in anything it touches. The leaves are put into a chemical solution that removes everything from the leaves, then the caffeine is chemically separated out from that, and then the leaves are soaked in the new solution to reabsorb whatever they can. This process takes out everything from the leaves, not just the caffeine.

My friend John, the chemist, made a bad crinkly face when I first talked to him about decaf and confirms the info on the link following. You can read more about it here.

So, that's all I know. Some green tea is better than none, but to get a therapeutic dose, you need it in your diet all day long, so 3-4 cups is recommended.

Dr. Servan-Schreiber recently spoke at UT MD Anderson and they posted his talk here.

It's the Cliff's notes to the book. Plus he is cute and funny and has a great accent.

[patrickm]

Here is the attachment from the book Foods to Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau with amounts of EGCG by tea type.

It is an excellent book and the diet is really easy to incorporate into your regular rotation if you eat anything close to a well-rounded diet. I highly recommend it.

www.amazon.com/Foods-Fight-Cancer-Essential-prevent/dp/0756628679

Attachments:

[patrickm]

How To Make a Decent Cup of Tea with George Orwell by Christopher Hitchens from Slate magazine

It's quite common to be served a cup or a pot of water, well off the boil, with the tea bags lying on an adjacent cold plate. Then comes the ridiculous business of pouring the tepid water, dunking the bag until some change in color occurs, and eventually finding some way of disposing of the resulting and dispiriting tampon surrogate. The drink itself is then best thrown away, though if swallowed, it will have about the same effect on morale as a reading of the memoirs of President James Earl Carter.

From what I have learned personally, the above is best for black tea. For green tea, the tea containing highest concentrations of anti-cancer EGCG, you want to serve it slightly below boil. I let the kettle set 3-4 minutes.

To get the most polyphenols out of your tea, you also need to let it steep for eight to ten minutes. This is well past the proper point for genteel tea, but as you can see from the attachment, the amount of polyphenols rises considerably.

Attachment from Foods to Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau.

Attachments: