Real white tea grows and is sold only in China, while it is not cheap in its homeland. In Russia, as a rule, under the guise of this amazing drink, high-quality varieties of green tea are sold, which are produced in India and on the island of Sri Lanka.
The only way to purchase fragrant and healthy white tea is to go to his homeland yourself and there, among the many tea shops, find the desired drink. Only in this way, it would seem, you can truly enjoy its divine taste.
However, this is not all. Real white tea fully reveals its flavor bouquet only for those who can not only brew it, but also drink it correctly.
Before brewing
In order to brew white tea as required by centuries-old Chinese traditions, it is necessary to use only pure, spring water. Chlorinated tap water and even purified, bottled water are not suitable for making white tea.
The temperature of spring water, which is optimal for brewing white tea, should be exactly 80 ° C - no more and no less. The dishes should also be very specific - a miniature open teapot (the Chinese call this pot a "teapot of justice") and tiny bowls.
Brewing white tea
Before brewing tea, the dishes must be doused with boiling water. The first infusion that rinses the tea and revives the tea leaves should be drained every single drop. This part of the tea ceremony should last no more than two minutes. Interestingly, tea is considered to be of high quality and fresh only if its leaves have a beautiful, uniform color and the same size.
Re-brewing the drink should take no more than one to two minutes. It is important not to overexpose the brew, as the drink may acquire a bitter and not quite "correct" taste.
The brewed tea is poured into a miniature "teapot of justice" by filtering it through a special strainer that is part of every Chinese tea set. Only after having passed all the necessary stages of a leisurely ceremony, you can pour white tea into bowls and start enjoying its incomparable taste.
The art of drinking white tea
Eastern traditions are peculiar and not always understandable for a Russian person. However, in the case of white tea, they should be observed, since this drink is the embodiment of the thousand-year wisdom of the Chinese people.
White tea, in accordance with tradition, should be drunk slowly, because this process should symbolize peace of mind and connection with the outside world. And it doesn't matter at all that a tiny bowl is enough for only three or four sips - it is important to be able to enjoy every moment.
