The art of the tea ceremony is popular not only in the countries of the East, where it originated, but also in a number of Western countries. The traditional Chinese tea ceremony, Gunn Fu Cha, is performed exclusively with oolong teas. To make the oolong as tasty and healthy as possible, it must be brewed correctly.
Oolong tea, or as it is also called turquoise tea, is a semi-fermented tea that occupies an intermediate position in the Chinese classification between green and red (i.e. black).
Reliably accurate information about the appearance of this tea is not known, however, quite interesting legends are associated with the appearance of certain varieties of oolong. So, according to one of the legends, the world owes the appearance of one of the most popular varieties of oolong, Tie Guanyin, to the tea grower Wei Qin from Anxi County, who for ten years every morning and evening brought three cups of green tea as a gift to the goddess Guanyin. One night he had a dream about a tree standing on a cliff, which exuded an extraordinary aroma. Imagine his surprise when the next day he found this tree in the same place. He planted a stalk of a tea tree in an iron pot at home, and when the tree grew, he collected the leaves and gave his friends an unusually tasty drink. According to another legend, this type of tea was first found under the Guanyin rock in the city of Xiping by a scientist from Ancient China, Wang. Another famous oolong variety, Huang Jin Gui or Golden Cinnamon, spread in the 19th century thanks to a peasant who found a beautiful yellow tree on a mountain ridge, which he transplanted closer to his home and carefully looked after it. Once, having collected several leaves and brewed tea from them, the peasants admired the prepared drink and gave it the name Golden Cinnamon.
Oolong has gained great popularity not only due to its excellent taste and aroma characteristics, but also for its beneficial properties. Regular intake of this tea helps prevent aging, improve digestion, lower blood pressure, increase immunity and improve heart function. It contains more than 400 nutrients useful for the body, including: caffeine, L-theanine, polyphenol compounds, vitamins of group B, C, D, E, K, magnesium, calcium, iodine, iron, phosphorus, etc.
Depending on the degree of fermentation, the brewing process for oolong will vary. So, for less fermented varieties, water with a temperature of 60 ° -80 ° is suitable (brewing time - 3 minutes), and more fermented varieties will take a little longer to brew and the temperature should reach 90 °. Yixing clay teapots are best suited for these purposes, because their thick walls will create the most optimal conditions for the full disclosure of the taste and aroma of tea. To prepare tea, fill one third of the teapot with tea leaves, and fill the rest with water. On average, different varieties of oolong can withstand up to 7 brews.
