15th Ave Coffee & Tea

It’s been months since I’ve posted anything about our fabulous teas so I’d like to dedicate this week’s blog post to one of my personal favorites, Bai Hao Silver Needle. Before I get carried away I must first make the distinction between this delicate white tea and a similar sounding tea on which I’ve previously blogged, Bai Hao “Oriental Beauty” Oolong.

On the tea menu at 15th Avenue Coffee & Tea, we feature five different categories of teas; white, black, green, oolong and herbal. Dependent on the method of processing and oxidation, tea, scientifically known as “Camellia Sinensis”, can be classified as green, black, white or oolong. The fifth category, “herbal infusions”, refers to the tea-like beverage yielded by the combination of various herbs and spices. Free of Camellia Sinensis and therefore, by definition, not truely “tea”, herbal infusions such as our Vanilla Rooibos and Camomile Rose, make for wonderful caffeine-free options. It is important not to confuse, as many commonly do, the delicate, sweet and berry-like flavors of a white tea with an herbal infusion.

In order of least to most oxidized, tea ranges from white to green to oolong and to nearly fully oxidized black tea. Though similar to green teas in many ways, the processing method of a white tea lacks a step integral to the definition of a green tea. Green teas, after being picked, are withered, rolled and slightly fired (to put an end to the oxidation process). The “rolling” process is the one by which the cellular structure of the picked leaves is slightly broken to promote oxidation through the release of essential oils. White teas, on the other hand, are not rolled after being picked and only air dried to provide for minimal oxidation.

Like many of China’s great white teas, Bai Hao Silver Needle hails from North and Central Fujian province. Picked in the early stages of the Camellia Sinensis’ growth cycle, when the buds are still tightly enclosed in the leaves, Bai Hao Silver Needle still maintains the silky white hairs that denote new growth. It is for the tea’s silver hairs (evident when dry) that the tea, like the silver-tipped oolong, is named “Bai Hao”.

Our house Bai Hao Silver Needle white tea is characterized by a smooth, creamy, subtly sweet flavor with hints of berry and nuts. If you’re looking for a new tea to try, you’ll find Bai Hao Silver Needle to be an approachable and refreshing tea, hot or iced, regardless of your palate.

-Amanda

More Highlighted Teas:
- Bai Hao “Oriental Beauty” Oolong
- Yunnan Pu-Erh

As we wish farewell to our 15th Ave. Coffee & Tea supervisor, Matty, upon his return to his home in Boston, I thought I’d post on another one of our wonderful teas and a favorite of Matty’s, Yunnan Pu-Erh. Whether it be on one of those evenings spent beside the fire, filled with the sound of Seattle’s infamous rain pounding on the roof, or on a morning characterized by the particular need for a caffeine fix, Yunnan Pu-Erh is the full-bodied, no-nonsense tea you’re looking for. Rich in an earthy, woody aroma and a dark-brown color, Pu-Erh is a black tea that holds its own next to many coffees.

Yunnan, the tea’s namesake, is the region in China responsible for the majority of Pu-Erh tea production. While the cultivation of tea is common across the entire Yunnan region, the mountains known as the “Six Famous Tea Mountains” provide the most optimal conditions for the harvesting of Pu-Erh tea.

Several hundred years ago, during the Qing dynasty, Yunnan Pu-Erh tea was being cultivated and sent  long distances to Tibet and Northern China. On a trail known as the “Old Tea and Horse Way”, the journey would last through spring, summer and autumn, during which the atmospheric conditions would range from warm to cold and dry to humid. Upon the tea’s arrival in Northern China and Tibet, the merchants would taste the tea and observe that the flavor was notably superior to that which had been tasted before this long journey. Tea merchants then began experimenting to find a way in which the unique flavor of this tea could be achieved without having to spend a year or two strapped to the back of a horse and, eventually, a special method was created for processing Yunnan Pu-Erh tea.

The tea was subjected to dry air followed by wet air and it was soon apparent that the effects were the same as those that had so favorably affected the flavor after over a year on horse-back. Furthermore, it was also discovered that the longer the Tea had been aged, the better its flavor. Like vintage wines, Yunnan Pu-Erh can be consumed, not only immediately after harvesting, but after having been aged for years. As a result, many Pu-Erh teas are classified by both their year and region of production.

Ranging from orchid and lily to camphor wood and palm, of the flavor characteristics that can classify a quality Pu-Erh, the variety that you’ll find in 15th Avenue Coffee & Tea (from an April 2008 harvest) embodies a deep woody flavor with a natural sweetness and a full, syrupy body. If you’re one to enjoy your tea with cream and sugar, you’ll find Yunnan Pu-Erh to pair with these additions just like your favorite English Breakfast Tea. Though, unlike many black teas, Yunnan Pu-Erh lacks the high astringency that begs additional condiments.

So on the next occasion you find yourself curled up on the couch with a new book or perhaps joining our Tuesday night French Conversation group, be sure to try a pot of our Yunnan Pu-Erh and notice the distinct subtleties that result from the unique and careful process conducted to produce this fine tea. Additionally, whatever the occasion may be, remember to think of Matty and wish him the best on his life in Boston!

For another tea recommendation, check out my blog post below on our Bai Hao (Oriental Beauty) Oolong. As always, I’d love to hear from you in a comment if you’ve any questions about our coffees and teas!

-Amanda

Hello All,

It’s been awhile since we’ve had a blog post about tea and as we’ve just introduced a new tea to our line-up, I thought it’d be just the time to do so. Without any further ado I’d like to introduce you to our new premium tea offering, Bai Hao Oolong or “Oriental Beauty Oolong.”

You may recognize the name “Bai Hao” from our Bai Hao Silver Needle white tea. Bai Hao literally means “white hair” and refers to the silver tips of this oolong’s delicate leaves. It’s told that when the tea was first discovered, the crop had been damaged by an infestation of grass hopper-like insects. One farmer, instead of destroying his crop, decided to process it into tea and take it to the local tea merchant who offered twice the price of his usual tea. When he returned to his village to tell his neighbors of his triumphs, his neighbors thought him to be exaggerating and mockingly named it “Big Mouth Tea” though it wasn’t long before many of the region’s farmers began to grow the Bai Hao Oolong as well. As the tea gained popularity in the western world, it was England’s Queen Elizabeth II who gave the tea its western name “Oriental Beauty Oolong.”

From the Fujian province of China, a region which is traditionally said to be “eight parts mountain, one part water and one part farmland”, Bai Hao oolong is grown at an elevation of 3,000 ft. It is the tea’s oxidation level of 70% that accounts for the fruit-like sweetness of black tea, yet with the hallmark honey fragrance of an oolong. The Bai Hao Oolong is famous worldwide for its magnificent smooth and sweet flavor.

While processing this tea, tea leaves are wound or rolled tightly in order to initiate the oxidation process which is ended by way of charcoal-fire. As a result, the tea as you’ll find it in the cafe is seen in tightly-wound strands that, over the course of several steeps, unwind into full leaves (as you can see in-detail by clicking on the picture above). As the leaves open up, so do the Bai Hao Oolong’s exotic flavors. In order to experience the depth and complexity of this tea, I recommend enjoying a pot of it through all of 3 to 7 steepings allowing for the flavors to best develop.

So whether it’s on Monday’s student night or during our Sunday jazz matinee, be sure to try a pot of our Bai Hao Oolong tea and enjoy as the flavors un-wind. If you have any further questions about our tea offerings, please comment below!

-Amanda