Did you know that world-wide, tea is consumed second only to water? Approximately half of all Americans drink tea in one form or another and it is our 6th most popular beverage, after soft drinks, milk, coffee, beer, and fruit juice.

Black Tea—To make black tea, the tea leaves are picked and then withered to reduce the moisture content. They are then rolled or twisted and placed in a cool, humid room where they undergo an oxidation process for one to five hours, depending on the tea. The final step is firing (pan heating), which stops the fermentation process. This causes the leaves to turn black and reduces the moisture content to 1%. The oxidation process results in teas with strong, rich, complex flavors.

Green Tea—Immediately after picking, the leaves are steamed or pan-fired, a process that destroys the enzymes that lead to oxidation in black tea. The leaves are then rolled and fired to complete the drying process. Green teas have a subtle, more astringent flavor than black teas.

Oolong (Wulong) Tea—Oolong teas (sometimes also called 'Wulong' teas) are processed like black teas but their shorter withering and oxidation process produces a tea with color and flavor somewhere between a black and green tea. Oolongs, depending on the tea and processing times, can have some very interesting, complex flavors with elements of both green and black teas.

White Tea—White teas are top leaves and buds which are steamed and then dried without being rolled or fired. (Leaf hairs give them a whitest cast from which the name is derived.) Although similar to green, white teas are more delicately flavored.

How do I brew the perfect cup of tea?
Start with good water, such as bottled spring or filtered tap water (avoid distilled water). Heat cool water until it just reaches a full boil. For green and white teas, allow the water to cool to 160-180°F before pouring over the tea. A preheated ceramic teapot is best - avoid using any metal. Use two to three grams of loose tea per cup—usually one to two teaspoons, depending on leaf size. Steeping times vary with the tea type and leaf size, but a rule of thumb is two to three minutes for green and white teas and five minutes for black and oolong teas.