Here in the West, we’ve transformed the act of tea-making from a slow and ritual-led artform into a two-minute process requiring little more than a squeeze and a stir, and in speeding up the process, we’ve lost a lot in quality and taste. How can you rediscover a true appreciation of tea?
In China, the tradition of tea is rooted in Daoism, and emerged from a philosophy that honoured living a life of grace and gratitude, balance and harmony, fulfilment and enjoyment — what the ancient Chinese called Cha Dao, or the Way of Tea.
We are now rediscovering this more subtle appreciation of tea here in the West, and tea-tasting is now considered a serious skill, on a par with wine-tasting. If you’d like to retrain your taste buds, there are plenty of ways to become an expert in the art of distinguishing the delicate tastes.
One way is to take part in a ‘tea masterclass’; an enjoyable, educational journey through the many different infusions and blends. Tea specialists Jane Pettigrew and Tim Clifton run day-long classes at the Chesterfield Mayfair hotel in London, covering everything you’ll ever need to know about tea, from its history and introduction in Britain to how it’s made, how best to brew it, how to tell the difference between varieties and its possible health benefits.
If you want to teach yourself, simply arming yourself with the right equipment (a strainer and pot are the only real essentials, but you might want to treat yourself to some new china, too) is your first priority. The Tea House in Covent Garden is an excellent place for Londoners to find traditional tea-making tools, along with hundreds of different blends.
As a general rule, tea should be clear and sparkling with a bright rim around the edge. When selecting leaves, you should carefully examine their appearance to check they don’t look dull, lifeless, old or musty. If you want to learn a bit more about which teas match best with which foods (notably biscuits, sandwiches and cakes!) Twinings have put together some helpful tasting notes, here.
Once you’ve developed a real taste for fine teas, the ultimate teatime treat has got to be a visit to the Lanesborough Hotel in London, where the UK’s first ‘tea sommelier’ is now in residence. As you enjoy mouth-watering finger sandwiches, pastries, toasted teacakes, scones with Devonshire cream and more, tea expert Karl Kessab brings teas to complement every course. If that sounds like the perfect treat for a special occasion, be sure to book well in advance as places book up quickly.
Image: Tea tasting with Tim Clifton at the Covent Garden Hotel.
