Monday's Green tea -- Longjng

Longjing

西湖龙井

Long ago, around 250 AD, in the Hangzhou region of the Zhejiang province of ancient China, a small town of poor tea farmers was feeling the tense grip of a great drought. With no rain, the leaves of the ancient tea plants began to yellow and fall to the cracking soil. Days went on -- no sign of rain. A town meeting was held to discuss their fate.

A Taoist priest selected a young man to climb to the top of a nearby mountain. They were told by their great-great grandparents that an old water dragon had once built a nest. Prayers to the dragon would deliver the town from sure ruin.

For three arduous days the young man climbed the precarious incline, sleeping only enough to shake off the drowsiness. Early on the fourth day he climb one more peak and then it saw it! He rushed to the top of the mountain, excited to have finally found the dragon! His town would now be saved! But alas, all he found was an collapsed ancient shrine made of rocks he had not seen before, and a dark empty well.

No dragon was to be found.

Overwhelmed by disbelief, the disheartened young man fell to the ground, kneeling to the shrine. All day and all night the young man lay upon the broken altar praying that his town be saved from the clutches of the drought. Soon he could keep his eyes open no longer. His dreams held the images of a great beast that swirled in the clouds, gathering them together and swirling them in a frenzy. The clouds change from a pillowy white to a dark, gloomy gray.

Soon he was awoken by the heavy drops that quickly soaked his clothes. He climbed to the highest peak and saw that both the mountain and his arid town below were drenched with a life-saving rain. He walked to the well beside the altar and noticed that it was now full, and he was delighted and mystified to see the different layers of water seeming to swirl round and around each other, like a dragon chasing his own tail.

He returned to his village to find that his prayers had saved the tea crops.

He never spoke to any of his fellow villagers of his dreams or what he witnessed on that high mountain peak, but every year he returned to the summit to pray at the broken altar. Every year he noticed, even as his bones grew brittle and his body weak, that the well next to the shrine never seemed to lose any water, and the swirling layers moved endlessly as the dragon endeavored to catch that tail.

As he became on old man, and he knew he time on the earth would be soon ending, he passed his story along to his many grandchildren. Annually, they would take the trip up the mountain to pay homage to the altar and the well with the water dragon, which became known as the Long Jing, or Dragon Well.

Other legends hold that:

1) When locals were digging the well found a stone shaped like a dragon and so they named the well Dragon Well. (kinda boring, huh?)

2) The well’s water is particularly dense. After rainstorms, the lighter rain water floats on the surface of the water and exhibits a twisting pattern which resembles the long and sinuous bodies of Chinese dragons. (a little more exciting, but I like the longer story better...)

And now ... about the tea!

First ... where is it grown

There are a lot of non-authentic Dragonwell teas available on today's market. Authentic Long Jing or Dragon Well tea comes from the area around West Lake in the Hangzhou regions of the Zhejiang province in southern China, an area held in the embrace of many hills and mountains peaks. This area is celebrated as ‘paradise on earth,’ a water wonderland, and a favorite imperial retreat. These high peaks keep cold air sweeping from north from reaching the tender and delicate Longjing tea growing in low-lying areas. So your Longjing green Chinese tea matured in a warm climate with a pleasant average temperature of about 61°F. The best Long Jing is from Lion Mount.

Throughout the year, the warm weather brings almost 5 feet of rainfall to the area. And almost 100% humidity makes clouds and fog that keep the burning sunlight from destroying the tender buds of the Longjing Chinese tea.

There is also a unique sandy soil on these hills. The white, porous earth is excellent at draining water and contains rich amounts of vital minerals like silicon and kalium for this special Chinese tea. Luxurious silks also come from this region, as the soil and climate are perfect for growing mulberry, the sole food of silkworms.

What does it look like?

It is easily recognized by it's The present-day flat shape of Dragon Well Tea is said to have something to do with Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. Legend has it (Yes ... another legend!) that on one of his inspection tours to Hangzhou, Emperor Qianlong disguised himself as an ordinary man and came to the Hugong Temple at the foot of Shifeng Mountain near Dragon Well Village. An old monk served him some Dragon Well Tea of the West Lake. After drinking it, Emperor Qianlong instantly felt refreshed and fell in love with the sweet-smelling tea. “Sparrow-shaped leaves and subtle aromas, trickling down my throat like a pleasant breeze'' he noted in one of his poems. And so he personally picked some tea leaves and hurriedly placed inside his pocket to bring them back to the capital city.

After the long journey, the tender tea leaves were pressed flat but still greatly praised by the empress dowager. Emperor Qianlong therefore deemed the tea to be "imperial tea" and ordered the annual supply of tea leaves be baked flat exclusive enjoyment of the empress dowager. Or so the legend goes ... The flat shape of Dragon Well tea is generally believed to be influenced by Dafang tea of neighboring Anhui area in the late Ming (1368-1644) and early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

And how does it taste?

It is said to be known for its four wonders ... its emerald green color, aromatic flavor, sweet taste and beautiful appearance. It's taste is mellow, refreshing, slightly sweet and perhaps finishing a bit nutty. It has an exquisite lingering fragrance.

Monday's Green Tea -- Jing Mai

Jing Mai

Origin: China

Description: Jing Mai is from an ancient tea growing region of China's Yunnan province. This tea has the scent of rain and damp leaves and a smooth sweetness that is unique to the green teas of this growing area. 185°F 1 level teaspoon tea per 8 ounces water; steep for 1-3 minutes. Organic and fair trade.

This is a green tea made from the same leaves hand picked from the ancient tea treas of the Jingmai Mangjing region of China in the Yunnan Province, the birthplace of tea.

Monday's Green tea -- Assam Fatikcherra Green

Assam Fatikcherra

It's unusual to find such a nice green tea outside of China or Japan. However, this Assam beauty is smooth and mild with very little astringency. Outstanding choice for a nice light iced tea. 185°F 1 level teaspoon tea per 8 ounces water; steep for 1-3 minutes. Organic and Fair Trade.

Yesterday, I talked a bit about the Assam region of India and the dark, bold black teas that hail from those lands.

Well, this tea is a tough one to figure. I get it from an Indian importer. He calls it Assam Fatikcherra, so that's what i called it. Research since naming the tea, though, indicate that the Fatikcherra estate is located in Tripura, a small Indian state that is bordered on three sides by Bangladesh and can only be accessed in India by passing through the state of Assam. The estate can, though, be considered of the Assam region, and so I'm leaving the name as is. The landlocked state of Tripura has hilly terrains (about 15 ft. to 3100 feet above see level), rich, fertile soil and climatic conditions that are optimal for growing tea.

Literature shows that there were large populations of rhinoceros, elephant, tiger, leopard, langurs and monkeys in Tripura, but many species were facing extinction. These also include some of the highly rare, endemic and endangered species -- including the Hoolock gibbon, slow loris, capped langur, Phayre’s langur, stump-tailed macaquae and pig-tailed macaque. The other endangered and threatened mammalian species in Schedule 1 of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 are elephant, sloth bear, Indian wolf, Binturong, leopard, marbled cat, leopard cat, Chinese pangolin and serrow, etc. Progress is being made, and numbers are slowly increasing. Tripura also boasts over 300 species of birds. (Sorry ... shouldn't go on like that but the wildlife fascinates me ... now you're starting to learn how I got all the knowledge about all the weird things I know about).

Always try to read something while enjoying a nice cup of tea ... read something nice. The world is full of too much nastiness.

Monday's are for Green teas!

All for One
White tea from China, Green tea from China, Green rooibos from South African and Green Yerba Mate from South America.

An anitoxidant powerhouse and great little pick-me-up for the afternoon. 185° 1 level teaspoon tea per 8 ounces water; steep for 1-3 minutes. Organic.

Green Tea Helps Children Ward Away Flu

Green Tea Helps Children Ward Away Flu
15 Nov 2011
By World Tea News

Research published in the October edition of the Journal of Nutrition demonstrates drinking green tea helps children keep from catching the flu.

Dr. Patrick B. Massey, M.S., M.D., Ph.D writes this week that the flu vaccine fails to protect us 30 to 40 percent of the time (sometimes more).

“However, a recent medical study indicates that simply drinking a cup of green tea every day may prevent influenza infection, especially for school-age children,” says Dr. Massey, medical director for complementary and alternative medicine for the Alexian Brothers Hospital Network.

Japanese researchers surveyed 2,663 pupils attending elementary schools near Kikugawa City, a tea-growing area. Children, ages 6 to 13 years, who drink tea daily were 40 percent less likely to get the flu. Those who drank up to five cups a day were the least likely to become ill.

“Those who drank the most green tea (about one cup per day) also had significantly fewer sick days from school. The results were so conclusive that the researchers concluded that the regular consumption of green tea is protective against influenza infections during the influenza season,” says Dr. Massey.

There are a number of studies demonstrating the benefits of drinking tea as a preventive measure against influenza in adults. Now it can be strongly suggested this may also be the case with school-age children. Although green tea contains caffeine, none of the children in this study reported side effects commonly associated with too much caffeine.

Protecting yourself against influenza is much more than simply getting vaccinated, he says. And drinking a daily cup of green tea is just what the doctor ordered.

Source: ProHealth.com and Alt-Med.org and the Journal of Nutrition, Oct 2011;141(10):1862-70. PMID:21832025, by Park M, Yamada H, Matsushita K, Kaji s, Goto T, Okada Y, Kosuge K, Kitagawa T. Department of Drug Evaluation and Informatics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka; Department of Pharmacy, Kikugawa General Hospital, Kikugawa, Japan.

EGCG in green tea

Scientists from the UK and Spain have discovered a compound found in green tea that inhibits the growth of cancer cells. The joint in vitro study confirmed that naturally occurring polyphenol, EGCG (epigallocathecin gallate), prevents cancer cells from growing by binding to a specific enzyme, thereby stopping this enzyme from making DNA. According to scientists, this helps explain decreased rates of certain cancers in regular tea drinkers. Concentrations used in the test are equivalent to those found in the blood of people who drink 2 or 3 cups of green tea a day. Researchers hope that this breakthrough will lead to new anti-cancer drugs based on the structure of the EGCG molecule.

It's National Hot Tea Month!

January is National Hot Tea Month!
I think Joe Simrany, President of the Tea Council in the USA summed it up nicely by stating:

``This January is the perfect time to consider tea as part of a healthy diet. As a new year and new millennium begin, people are making resolutions to eat and live healthier, and there’s no better time to celebrate tea’s healthy attributes than National Hot Tea Month.''

Naturally I agree ...

It's also National Soup Month!

And January 1-7 is Resolution Week. Such a good time to work tea into your healthier-for-the-past-four-days lifestyle. Perhaps paired with a great bowl of soup.

Here's a nice recipe that pairs soup with tea ... the tea is in the soup! Nice vegetarian soup or even vegan with the right pasta choice.

GREEN TEA SOUP

Ingredients
5 cups vegetable stock, broth, or bouillon
4 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 tsp dried thyme, lightly crushed
3 cups chopped broccoli
8oz. small shells or other macaroni shapes
1 cup prepared green tea
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice (about one lemon)
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Combine the stock, garlic, and thyme in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the broccoli and macaroni, reduce heat, and simmer until the macaroni is just at the al dente stage of tenderness, about eight to twelve minutes according to package instructions. Stir in the tea and heat through for about a minute. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and pepper, and adjust the salt if necessary. Serve immediately and piping hot.

Need a little different?
Substitute other chopped cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi) for of the broccoli.

For a main dish soup, add 1/2 pound firm tofu or chicken, diced

Enojy with friends, perhaps some awesome hot bread, and of course, a cup of awesome tea.
Namaste!

Green Tea Has Role in Prostate Cancer Prevention

A clinical trial whose results were published this month concluded that green tea has a potential role in the treatment or prevention of prostate cancer.

A team of researchers from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, La., conducted the study, which sought to determine whether high doses of the polyphenol found in green tea could reduce the levels of serum biomarkers associated with poor prognosis in prostate cancer patients.

The study was based on previous work indicating that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the polyphenol in green tea, has possible benefits for patients with prostate cancer, which leads to the death of some 27,000 men in the United States each year.

Twenty-six men ages 18 to 75 took 800 milligrams of EGCG daily over an average of six weeks. The EGCG was contained in Polyphenon E pills, and the patients all were scheduled to have their prostates removed.

Before and after the surgery, researchers measured the levels of several tissue markers that have been shown to indicate the worsening of prostate cancer. They found that, "men diagnosed with prostate cancer who take 1.3 grams daily of green tea catechins (800 milligrams EGCG) show a significant reduction in" several of these markers, stated a report published in the June 19 issue of Cancer Prevention Research.

Further in vitro study of cells also indicated that EGCG blocked the production of two of the biomarkers – hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) – in "at least two different prostate cancer-associated fibroblast cell lines." This is significant because HGF has been demonstrated in other research to promote cancer progression, the report noted, and lower levels of VEGF is predicted to increase a patient's overall survival time.

The study also looked at the possible detrimental effects on the liver of the high doses of EGCG, and found none.

The report concluded, "These data support a potential role for Polyphenon E in the treatment or prevention of prostate cancer and suggest that these findings should be verified by larger, placebo-controlled clinical trials."

Dr. James Cardelli, professor of microbiology and immunology and co-director of the LSU Cancer Center said, "The work will continue, and in fact we have opened a clinical trial to begin to determine if tea extracts can increase overall survival of lung cancer patients when combined with the targeted agent Tarceva. A lot of work still needs to be done."

Friday, 26 June 2009
by Heidi Kyser

The obvious birthday ...

George Washington’s first recorded tea order included a request for six pounds of the finest Hyson tea England. His breakfast at Mount Vernon was routinely three cups of tea, no cream or sugar--the correct way to drink green tea, and three hoecakes made from Indian cornmeal with honey and butter.

According to Tea with Presidential Families by Beulah Munshower Sommer and Pearl Dexter, orders for tea were placed for both Mount Vernon and his Philadelphia residence. These orders included requests for Gunpowder green tea and Young Hyson. George Washington drank tea regularly before the American Revolutionary War, after the Boston Tea Party, while he was the commanding general during the war, and during his presidency, as did most Americans.
It is estimated that Americans at the time of the American Revolution drank more tea per capita than any other nation on earth, at times averaging ten pounds of tea yearly for every man, woman, and child. (One pound of tea makes about 200 cups of tea, so that’s 2000 cups of tea yearly!) He loved the best gourmet green tea and continued to buy highest quality teas throughout the war (Dutch ships carrying tea and supplies were allowed in). In the book George Washington’s Expense Account, by Marvin Kitman, records show that he purchased tea costing over $20 a pound (calculated to 1970 prices). I wonder if American Revolutionary War re-enactors know of George's love of tea ...

After he became the first American President, tea was always served for state occasions.
George and Martha Washington brought with them to the Presidency several complete tea sets as well as tea boards, tea tables, tea chests, silver teaspoons, and a silver-plated tea urn.

In honor of George's great love for green tea, particularly gunpowder green tea and Young Hyson, I'm placing both on sale through the end of the month (02/28/09) at 10% off. If you are placing an online order, please make reference to ``blogspot 022209'' in the Special Comments section of the online form. If you are making an in-ship purchase, please remind me of the sale. The highlighted words oin the articles I write are links to either my website or other sites of interest and/or relevance.

Green Tea Shows Promise for Smoking-related Lesions

A study published last month in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism suggested that liquid green tea extract may be able to lessen the harmful effects and disease-related lesions caused by a carcinogen linked to tobacco.

According to an abstract, researchers set out to study the effects, if any, that green tea and/or licorice aqueous extracts would have on the thyroid function of male albino rats intoxicated with Dimethylnitrosamine, a carcinogenic compound that occurs especially in tobacco smoke.

The team split 40 rats into several groups to control the administration of green tea, licorice, and a combination of both substances, then measured results over a period of four weeks.

The results indicated that "aqueous extract of green tea may be effective in amelioration of biochemical effects and histopathological lesions induced by DMN," stated the abstract.

(Did you know that underlined text in my posts may take you to the actual abstracts or related links?)

Drink your tea and eat it too!

When I was a kid, I loved most vegetables, but not all of them. I happily ate corn, green beans, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, turnips, parsnips – more vegetables than most kids I think – but I hated peas and carrots. American Kitchens put out some frozen French fries that contained the vegetables I hated. They were called ``I Hate Peas”’ and ``I Hate Carrots’’. They weren’t on the market for long as I believe most kids saw through the trick. I must have been a little slower on the uptake, or perhaps a little more trusting. But I loved them!

So I thought … I don’t like green tea much, but I do eat oatmeal. So what if I made the oatmeal with green tea instead of plain old water. Hmmm… get the health benefits of the tea while I’m eating my breakfast? Sign me up! So I tried a recipe provided to me by a friend and it was fabulous! Now it’s my favorite breakfast! Here’s the recipe in case you’d like to try it. (She said I could share it!)


1 cup brewed green tea
1/2 cup quick oats
1 TBSP or so diced apricots
1 TBSP or so of dried berries (cranberries, craisins, cherries [my favorite], or a mix)
1 TBSP of toasted almonds
1 tsp almond extract (vanilla extract is nice too)
honey

Make the tea. Remove the tea leaves from the brew. Reheat the tea to boiling. Add the oatmeal. Let it sit for a few minutes. This is when you can dice your apricots, and maybe cut the berries into smaller pieces if you wish. Add the toasted almonds to the fruit mixture.

Mix the almond extract into the oatmeal. Top with the fruit & nut mixture. Drizzle with honey.

Want to make it vegan? Omit the honey. If you want it sweetened use agave nectar or brew the tea with stevia leaves. Or sugar … there’s really nothing wrong with sugar used in moderation!

Don’t have toasted almonds? Plain slivered almonds are fine too. But almonds are easy to toast and they are so much tastier when they are toastier. One pound of slivered almonds equals about 4 cups, so toast a whole bunch one day and have them on hand. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. spread nuts in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden OR stir in a heavy ungreased skillet over medium heat until brown.

Now, though I haven’t tried it I would bet this recipe would work just as well with rooibos or honeybush or just about any tea you like. Think of the variations! Maybe oatmeal made with chai, or a fruit tea. Maybe you could get the kids to eat oatmeal! Gotta get your omega-3 fatty acids? Try adding some flax seed or walnuts. Ooooo … Banana Green tea with bananas and walnuts and a little dab of cinnamon. The ideas just keep coming! Why does breakfast come only once a day!

Today’s Birthdays

Albert Schweitzer – Born on January 14, 1875 Schweitzer, a philosopher, theologian, missionary and musicologist, was one of the most remarkable people of the 20th century. His life and work were governed by a great humanitarianism and a reverence for the natural word. In 1952, he was award the Nobel Peace Prize, and used his $33,000 award money to open a leprosarium (home for those with leprosy) in Lambaréné in Gabon. From the early 1950s until his death in 1965 he spoke tirelessly of his opposition to nuclear tests and nuclear weapons. And yes … he was a tea drinker.

LL Cool J – Hip hop artist LL Cool J was born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968 in Bay Shore, NY and raised in St. Albans, Queens NY. He adopted the stage name which stands for Ladies Love Cool James. LL Cool J's Platinum Workout: Sculpt Your Best Body Ever with Hollywood's Fittest Star, he states: “Drink 2 cups of green tea every day. It gently boosts your metabolism and is loaded with cancer-fighting antioxidants. The most potent among them has demonstrated 100 times the antioxidant power of Vitamin C and 25 times the power of Vitamin E.” While his music is not my cup of tea, and tea hasn’t done much for his humility, you have to admit the man is in pretty ripped shape for 41 years old.

Celebritea quote of the day:
Never say there is nothing
beautiful in the world anymore.
There is always something
to make you wonder in the shape of a tree,
the trembling of a leaf.
Albert Schweitzer (01/14/1875-09/04/1965)

Do you hate green tea?

Many people refuse to embrace the health benefits of green tea because they claim to hate green tea. What a shame!
While green tea is not my favorite cup of tea (I'm a real black tea/oolong/rooibos fan), I have found several green teas I can truly enjoy. The trick to finding a green tea you can enjoy is defining what you hate about it. Not all green teas are created equally.Talk to me about it and I'll walk your through the vast selection of green teas we carry.

• Have you had green tea from a tea bag? Loose leaf tea is far superior!
• Have you only had bottled green tea? Well, that's a lot more about water, high fructose corn syrup and citric acid than it is tea. Read the ingredient label.
• Did you hate that it was bitter? This might not have been the tea at all. It may have been the preparation. Most people don't know that the water temperature should be lower (185º) than boiling. Also, the steeping time must be carefully watched. Most green teas will not tolerate steeping beyond three minutes without releasing bitter-tasting tannins.
• Did you hate that is was too light? Though green teas aren't known for their boldness, but there are some in stock at SensibiliTeas that are a little bolder, a little more full-flavored.
• Did you hate that it was grassy? Not all green teas are grassy.
• Maybe you are a flavors person? You can get all the benefits of green tea from a flavored green tea as well. Are you fruity? Minty? Spicy? We have all those options available.

http://www.sensibiliteasonline.com/teagreen.html

http://www.sensibiliteasonline.com/teafsgreen.html

Come tell us why you hate green tea, and we'll see what we can do about finding one you'd like. All we are saying, is give greens a chance!

Green tea and weight loss

Green tea can be a great part of a healthy weight management diet. It is calorie-free, fat-free and carbohydrate-free with no added sugar and no artificial sweeteners. Like oolong, pu-erh and yerba mate, it boosts your metabolism. Green tea is the perfect complement to meals of fresh fruits and vegetables, which should be a large part of any weight loss regime.

Green tea more popularly used for weight loss, because green tea is what has been marketed as the right tea for weight loss. More of the tea harvest is allocated for green tea production. Green tea is less expensive than oolong and therefore more profitable for a big company to use green tea for the ready-to-drink market. Once it hits the ready-to-drink market, it’s the cure-all. Personally, I think the effects of green tea weight loss combined with its superb health benefits (that will be discussed at another time) make it a good adjunct to any weight loss program. However, I have personally seen better results with oolong and Pu Erh. Drinking five cups of green tea a day will burn between 70-80 calories daily.

How about a nice hot toddy?

How about a nice hot toddy to finish off the year?
Naturally, the recipe found here will contain green tea, but it's only one of countless variations of this drink.
You'll need:2 slices fresh ginger
8oz freshly brewed green tea
1 TBSP honey
1.25 oz brandy
Peel the ginger slices (easier than peeling the whole root) and place in the bottom of a 10-12 oz cup or mug. Add 8oz freshly brewed green tea. Dissolve the honey and add the brandy. Garnish with the lemon slice (I float it in the tea for maximum lemon flavor)
Yield: one toddy
The best green tea for the job? Hard to say exactly because there are so many fine choices in my shop. I think Makaibari Green or Young Hyson would be good choices to start with. Both are affordable and delicious.
Available here:
http://www.sensibiliteasonline.com/teagreen.html
For a 10% discount on your next green tea order (limit one use only) mention that you saw this recipe on this blog (or add blog123108 to the online order form for online orders)
Where did the term hot toddy come from anyway? Most folks don't know (or really care, I guess) but having spent many years in the entertainment industry, often researching the sordid lives of celebrities, I know the answer to this one. The hot toddy was named for silky Hollywood actress Thelma Todd. Perhaps you've seen her in ``Horse Feathers'' or ``Monkey Business''. Thelma, recently divorced from reputed mobster Pat DiCicco, was found face down in her Packard in Hollywood, the victim of an apparent accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Pat is reported to be one of the last people to see her alive that night. Some say murder, some say accident while others maintain suicide. Perhaps we'll never know. Some say her ghost still haunts Hollywood today. So bottoms up and hats off to Thelma Todd, the original hot toddy!

``Life isn't worth the candle. While we're here we should laugh, be gay and have fun.''