White tea is delicate, sweet and fresh, it comes from a very rare and healthy variety of the same plant as the green one (Camellia sinensis). It is mainly produced in the Fujian region of China, only the tender shoots covered with a silver down are harvested from the plant and only for three days a year, in early spring.
It has three times the antioxidant content of green tea, is processed very little and is the healthiest of teas. Its delicate and sweet flavor is smooth like velvet and has no grassy aftertaste as is sometimes the case with other varieties. Follow the instructions here to make sure you appreciate all the qualities of this tea.
Steps
Step 1. Buy white tea
This is a more expensive variety than the others, so chances are you won't be drinking it every day, but it's worth buying as a weekend treat or to serve on special occasions. Also, since you're spending a lot of money, you need to be sure you're getting the best quality possible.
- It comes in two versions: the traditional one consisting of buds (Fujian Silver Needle, Anhui, and so on) and the modern one consisting of leaves. They are not interchangeable with each other and are very different.
- White tea is produced in several varieties that differ greatly in price. The best and most popular are the Silver Tip, the Jasmine Silver Tip, the Pai Mu Tan (white peony) and the Silver Needle. You may be forced to order it even in advance in your grocery store to be sure you have it at the beginning of each spring.
- If you've never tried it before, you can start by purchasing a tasting kit from an online retailer. This way you can sample a small amount of different tea varieties and find your favorite.
- It is available both in sachets and in loose leaves. However, if the container is opaque and there are no labels, be very careful as you may end up with a leaf product when you only want the sprouts and vice versa.
- Do some research in the shops to make sure you get the best deal. Since white tea is relatively in short supply, online shopping could be the solution.
Step 2. Make sure you buy the fresh one
Ask the retailer to guarantee that this is the most recent harvest in the Northern Hemisphere spring.
Make sure it's packed in an airtight container. Store it in a dry, cool and dark place to avoid oxidation. White tea does not keep for years like black tea and must be consumed within six months of purchase
Step 3. Choose the water
It must be of good quality. If you live in an area where it is very hard (rich in limestone), filter it before using it for the infusion. Hard water can ruin tea which has a very delicate flavor.
Step 4. Bring the water to a boil and then wait for it to cool for 5-8 minutes
Alternatively, heat it up to the "first boil". This is the point where the water begins to emit some bubbles but does not simmer yet. The temperature is around 70 ° C. If the water is too hot you will get a bitter infusion, so opt for longer infusion times but at a low temperature.
Step 5. Check the water temperature
Before adding water to the tea leaves, check that it is between 70-75 ° C or at the limit between 71-77 ° C.
If the water is too hot, the tea leaves will burn and the infusion will be bitter and astringent
Step 6. Choose the infusion method
You can use a basket, a filter ball or a teapot.
Step 7. Add two teaspoons of leaves to each cup of drink you need to make
Put them in the basket, filter or teapot.
Step 8. Prepare the infusion
White tea leaves take longer than other varieties to release their aroma. Usually the infusion time varies between 7 and 10 minutes. However, you can experiment with short infusions (1-3 minutes) and then gradually wait longer and longer until you find the one that best suits your tastes.
Use the same leaves to make several cups of drink, increasing the brewing time as needed. Some recommending leaving the leaves in hot water for 90 seconds to 2 minutes if you plan on reusing the same leaves multiple times
Step 9. Serve the tea
It should be served plain, without any additions. You can choose to add milk or sugar, but the already delicate taste of this infusion would be completely masked.
Step 10. Finished
Advice
- Use only fresh water for tea and not what has been left in the kettle for days. In this way the flavor of the infusion will be better.
- It is best to use fresh leaves that are not packaged in sachets. In fact, the leaves give the infusion a better flavor, making you fully appreciate the experience. However, the sachets are more practical to use if you don't like to "handle" the loose leaves. It is still better to drink infused tea from sachets than not drink it at all!
- 'Awaken' the tea leaves by first pouring boiling water then, after a few seconds, remove the water.
- Drink the tea in a clear cup to make the most of its delicate color.
- Traditional tea that comes from the buds of the plant is so expensive because it is prepared exclusively from the leaves that have just sprouted in spring: 10,000 hand-picked buds translate into 1 kg of tea.
- White tea appears to block the DNA mutations that trigger tumor formations.
