When we’re immersed in a culture of convenience, it’s easy to feel disconnected from the food and drinks we consume.A quick meal or coffee can be great when we’re on the go, but sometimes, tending toward exercises that require patience, like making and drinking tea, can keep us grounded.The connection to the leaves unfolding in the bubbling water, the earth, the sweet smell and the act of preparing it in a traditional Chinese tea maker gaiwan is all about this simple but effective way to pause, focus and sip a part of.meditative state.
To learn more about tea, its health benefits, and how to incorporate the ancient Chinese practice of drinking tea into our daily habits, Food Today interviewed Teng Shunan, founder and CEO of Tea Drunk, a teahouse in New York City.
Teng, as a tea expert goes, is one of the best.In her airy, wooded store in New York City’s East Village, she sells dried tea leaves that she has meticulously picked and harvested with Chinese growers.Teng has taught tea at Yale University and hosted a pop-up educational tea shop at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Chinese tea comes from a plant, the camellia flower.Similar to wine from grapes, there are many varieties that taste, smell and are produced differently, resulting in different types of tea.
China had a monopoly on tea until 187 years ago, when Britain abolished the East India Company in 1833, according to the British Library.Teng explained that China has the only terroir of Old World tea.These are the teas that Teng sells in her shop.Some teas, priced at $369 an ounce, come from historic tea trees tended by generations of farmers in China’s Tea Mountains, with whom Teng maintains a close relationship and harvests them together on her annual trips (though last year was delayed by the pandemic). ).
There are a variety of teas, with different varieties from different regions and countries.Many cultures have their own unique tea ceremony.
In Japan, the tea ceremony is a spiritual journey through which the masters have been trained over the years.It requires careful preparation before the ceremony, including bathing and a special diet.
“The tea room is very specific in its design to remind people to be humble, to live in the moment and to share with others,” explained Teng.”It can take a whole day or an entire afternoon. It’s like a spa for your mental health.”
There is no tea ceremony in China, but there is a specific way of brewing tea that is often imbued with kindness, consideration, and appreciation for the tea and the people who make it.Teng explained that drinking is a very social act, similar to American pub culture or Italian coffee shops.People come together to drink tea, share stories, laugh or do business.Some people are just social tea drinkers, rarely making tea at home and enjoying friends while drinking it.
In Chinese medicine, camellia is not considered an herb, but is prized for its ability to keep the body and immune system in balance.Teng explains how the body loses its balance when we are sick.This is reflected in our internal temperature, which can get too hot or too cold.On the other hand, tea is neutral.
“Usually, women have naturally cooler physiques. Vegetarian-based people, who are thin, benefit from dark tea. When I’m menstruating, black or black tea helps,” Teng said.”Men’s physiques are generally hotter. It’s thought that people on a protein-fat diet [should] drink lighter colored teas.”
Because in many modern cultures it’s more common for people to eat heavier, less nutritious foods, drinks, or to smoke, white and green teas are well known for their health benefits.They can help the body return to a cooler, more balanced state, she says.
Teng said there have been some studies where injecting catechin compounds into cancer cells at a concentration level causes the cells to shrink.When this concentrated injection of catechins was given to mice with cancer, it inhibited cell migration or growth beyond the site of malignant growth, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and Institute of Health.Green tea catechins are also considered a “non-toxic” cancer preventative for humans, and have been found in many studies to reduce the risk of those prone to diseases such as breast cancer.
“I always say, ‘Tea can’t cure cancer. If you’re sick and eat an apple, it can’t cure the disease. But if you eat some every day, it can help prevent it,’” Teng said.”It’s about the habit of drinking tea, it helps the immune system, neutralizes body odor. We’re clean inside and out. Overall, tea drinking, if a habit, is very healthy.”
“It’s a very fulfilling journey for those looking for a refined connection with nature or craftsmanship,” Teng said.
Similar to the practice of collecting and tasting wine, pinpointing the origin of the tea and deciphering what it is can inspire intellect.There is a complete structure to learning and brewing various types of Chinese tea, especially old world types.Here are some of the main ways that drinking tea as an immersive experience can feel enriching:
Spiritual Journey: “The pleasure we get from drinking and eating something really delicious — when we enjoy our senses, it improves our mental health,” Teng said.”Seconds matter when we brew. It’s very important in mindfulness. We lie in the ultimate present. We want time to be finer and finer. In this very, very moment, time becomes so fine that you can feel it Passing by. This is the essence of making and drinking tea very beneficial to our practice.
Philosophical Journey: Considering the plant itself and where the tea comes from is an important part of the tasting experience.When determining the quality of tea leaves, three main factors should be considered: location, how the tea tree was grown, and the age of the tree.
Human factor: The processing technology of tea is extremely meticulous, and every step and minute can completely change the tea.It’s also important to consider where it grows (slope, sun exposure, age of the plant, etc.).The whole process is an art form.
“Everyone develops their own daily tea brewing habits. Taking time out of the day to focus on tea helps eliminate daily worries,” says Teng.”Whenever possible, brew it and share it with others. It’s also a very fine-tuned connection to something outside of us.”
“Going through a complicated process forces you to do something in the moment. Especially with a gaiwan that can burn your hands,” Teng said.”Your dedication is directly reflected in the taste of the tea. Tea is not a means to an end. Tea is an end. Everything in a ritual is for the tea.”
Erica Chayes Wida is an award-winning journalist, food writer and recipe editor who ran a local newspaper before joining TODAY’s team of freelance writers.As a mother of two, she enjoys singing, collecting old vinyl records, and of course cooking.Erica is forever searching the globe for the best ham and cheese croissants and brainstorming through a pot of bubbling pasta sauce.Her work has appeared on BBC Travel, Saveur, Martha Stewart Living and PopSugar.Follow on Instagram.
Post time: May-17-2022
